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2015
San Mateo Sister City Association
Names Historic International Little League Team
2015 All-Star Toyonaka team will compete in Japan with two young women
for the first time in 35 years
SAN MATEO, Calif. – April 3, 2015 – The San Mateo Sister City Association today announced the roster for its quadrennial international baseball exchange program, and for the first time in 35 years, the all-star San Mateo team will include two young women. The roster – made up of 11- and 12-year-old all-stars – will travel to Toyonaka, Japan to participate in the cultural and athletic exchange, a legacy that began in 1979 where every other year the cities rotate host duties in a unique athletic and cultural exchange. All 2015 team participants currently play in San Mateo Little League or Softball leagues. As has been the case for over three decades, the players are chosen based both on their athletic abilities and their potential to be compelling ambassadors. Since 1963, the exchange has included athletes, artists, musicians, students and teachers including New England Patriots Quarterback and San Mateo former resident, Tom Brady.
The tradition strengthens bonds between the two cities and educates each community about international cooperation and cultural respect. The team of middle-school kids will live and play in Japan for 10 days and was chosen for their baseball skills, not financial resources. While many similar programs often require personal financial responsibility for all or part of expenses, this team is supported 100 percent through the community, and the San Mateo Sister City Association – which includes community leaders, program alumni and player parents – hopes to raise more than $70,000 to send the players and coaches overseas.
“I tried out for this team because I wanted to show that not only boys can play baseball, and I think it would be cool to go to Japan and represent our city and country.” Says Cynthia Leong, one of the two young women playing on the Toyonaka team. “It means a lot to make the team because it could only happen once in my lifetime.”
The 2015 San Mateo Toyonaka All-Stars team represents the diversity of the City of San Mateo with ambassadors from many schools, neighborhoods, leagues and ethnicities. Departing on August 10, 2015, the exchange is chaperoned entirely by Sister City Association leaders, and players travel without their parents, staying in the homes of the Japanese players they will meet on the ball field.
"I rate this experience as one of the most significant from my youth. I was fortunate enough to make the team back in 1990 and although baseball was the common link to get us together, my memories are not filled with game results, but with the time spent with my host family and friends and all the activities we shared together. When you realize that people from this very different place can and want to selflessly share their lives and culture with you, a better perspective on the world around us can be curated. This is the focus of our exchange program." said Gavin Owen, current Head Coach, president of San Mateo Sister City Association, Toyonaka 1990.
Toyonaka is a city of 400,000 citizens with four baseball leagues. The 2015 San Mateo Toyonaka All-Stars will spend two days in Tokyo before departing for Toyonaka, near Osaka, to meet their host families and play in five exhibition games. The players will face all-stars for each of the four Toyonaka leagues and the Toyonaka City All-Stars.
Players were selected based on their performance at multiple field tryouts as well as their written application and personal interviews. The San Mateo Toyonaka 2015 All-Stars roster includes RJ Abad, Samuel Auyeung, Will Bonini, Dylan Carion, Noah Frandsen, Gabriel Guidino (Jr.), Zachary Harte, Ryan Harvey, Ryan Ivers, Jacob Kalaveras, Taylor Kaufman, Cynthia Leong, Iris Nai, Jack Novello, Pablo Ossio, Jack Parker, Nolan Rau, Joe Tongamoa, Jake Willerup and Alika Woon. The team is coached and chaperoned by Toyonaka team alumni and San Mateo Sister City Association board members.
Beyond practicing on the field, the players are studying Japanese culture and San Mateo history in monthly cultural classes. The players are learning basic Japanese, Japanese customs and the importance of being ambassadors of San Mateo, Little League and the United States. The players are also raising the $70,000 needed to fund the exchange
The San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association is hosting a Hard Rock Casino and Dance Party on June 20, 2015 to raise funds for the program. Tickets and information can be found at http://www.smsistercity.com. The team is also soliciting community donations through http://www.gofundme.com/SMToyoTeam15.
In 2017, the San Mateo Sister City Association will welcome a team of 20 All-Stars from Toyonaka.
About San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association
The San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association, established in 1963, has successfully forged a strong and lasting relationship between the two cities of San Mateo California and Toyonaka, Japan. In 1979, the first Goodwill Baseball Exchanged took place. The friendships established from these exchanges last the players a lifetime. The next exchange, which takes place every two years and alternates between San Mateo and Toyonaka, is scheduled for August 2015 in Toyonaka, Japan. Eighteen young men and two young women from San Mateo will go to Japan to play All Star teams from Toyonaka. This fully volunteer and donor supported ten-day journey will leave our players with many fond memories and build relationships between Toyonaka and San Mateo.
· Support the team http://www.gofundme.com/SMToyoTeam15
· Follow the team http//:www.facebook.com/smsistercity
· Watch the team – July 29 through August 8 at 7 p.m., Beresford Park
The tradition strengthens bonds between the two cities and educates each community about international cooperation and cultural respect. The team of middle-school kids will live and play in Japan for 10 days and was chosen for their baseball skills, not financial resources. While many similar programs often require personal financial responsibility for all or part of expenses, this team is supported 100 percent through the community, and the San Mateo Sister City Association – which includes community leaders, program alumni and player parents – hopes to raise more than $70,000 to send the players and coaches overseas.
“I tried out for this team because I wanted to show that not only boys can play baseball, and I think it would be cool to go to Japan and represent our city and country.” Says Cynthia Leong, one of the two young women playing on the Toyonaka team. “It means a lot to make the team because it could only happen once in my lifetime.”
The 2015 San Mateo Toyonaka All-Stars team represents the diversity of the City of San Mateo with ambassadors from many schools, neighborhoods, leagues and ethnicities. Departing on August 10, 2015, the exchange is chaperoned entirely by Sister City Association leaders, and players travel without their parents, staying in the homes of the Japanese players they will meet on the ball field.
"I rate this experience as one of the most significant from my youth. I was fortunate enough to make the team back in 1990 and although baseball was the common link to get us together, my memories are not filled with game results, but with the time spent with my host family and friends and all the activities we shared together. When you realize that people from this very different place can and want to selflessly share their lives and culture with you, a better perspective on the world around us can be curated. This is the focus of our exchange program." said Gavin Owen, current Head Coach, president of San Mateo Sister City Association, Toyonaka 1990.
Toyonaka is a city of 400,000 citizens with four baseball leagues. The 2015 San Mateo Toyonaka All-Stars will spend two days in Tokyo before departing for Toyonaka, near Osaka, to meet their host families and play in five exhibition games. The players will face all-stars for each of the four Toyonaka leagues and the Toyonaka City All-Stars.
Players were selected based on their performance at multiple field tryouts as well as their written application and personal interviews. The San Mateo Toyonaka 2015 All-Stars roster includes RJ Abad, Samuel Auyeung, Will Bonini, Dylan Carion, Noah Frandsen, Gabriel Guidino (Jr.), Zachary Harte, Ryan Harvey, Ryan Ivers, Jacob Kalaveras, Taylor Kaufman, Cynthia Leong, Iris Nai, Jack Novello, Pablo Ossio, Jack Parker, Nolan Rau, Joe Tongamoa, Jake Willerup and Alika Woon. The team is coached and chaperoned by Toyonaka team alumni and San Mateo Sister City Association board members.
Beyond practicing on the field, the players are studying Japanese culture and San Mateo history in monthly cultural classes. The players are learning basic Japanese, Japanese customs and the importance of being ambassadors of San Mateo, Little League and the United States. The players are also raising the $70,000 needed to fund the exchange
The San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association is hosting a Hard Rock Casino and Dance Party on June 20, 2015 to raise funds for the program. Tickets and information can be found at http://www.smsistercity.com. The team is also soliciting community donations through http://www.gofundme.com/SMToyoTeam15.
In 2017, the San Mateo Sister City Association will welcome a team of 20 All-Stars from Toyonaka.
About San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association
The San Mateo Toyonaka Sister Cities Association, established in 1963, has successfully forged a strong and lasting relationship between the two cities of San Mateo California and Toyonaka, Japan. In 1979, the first Goodwill Baseball Exchanged took place. The friendships established from these exchanges last the players a lifetime. The next exchange, which takes place every two years and alternates between San Mateo and Toyonaka, is scheduled for August 2015 in Toyonaka, Japan. Eighteen young men and two young women from San Mateo will go to Japan to play All Star teams from Toyonaka. This fully volunteer and donor supported ten-day journey will leave our players with many fond memories and build relationships between Toyonaka and San Mateo.
· Support the team http://www.gofundme.com/SMToyoTeam15
· Follow the team http//:www.facebook.com/smsistercity
· Watch the team – July 29 through August 8 at 7 p.m., Beresford Park