The Reds Land All-Out Sports Day was held on October 13th, the last sports day of the three-day weekend. There were concerns about whether the event could be held safely due to the impact of a typhoon, but it was a refreshing day filled with smiles that blew away all worries.



Reds Land, where the Zenryoku Dai Undokai was held, was opened in Sakura Ward, Saitama City in 2005 as a community-based sports facility based on the J.League's "Centennial Vision." This year marks the 20th anniversary of the facility, which aims to be a place where everyone can enjoy sports while deepening ties with local residents, businesses, and schools.

The All-Out Sports Day, which can be enjoyed by everyone from children to adults, was held for the second time following last year. A total of about 500 people participated, including families and local residents, and the event was run with the cooperation of nearly 100 volunteers, local sports clubs, and sponsorship from Nurturing Partner Companies. On this day, the approximately 500 participants were divided into four teams of red, white, black, and yellow, and competed against each other. In addition to Pos in the competition, points were awarded for "trying their best," and the total score for the day was determined.



Miyata, the leader of the White Team who enlivened the day, is a coach at Urawa Rugby School. This year, he participated with 10 coaches and 15 students from the school. "We hold a rugby festival with a capacity of 1,000 people twice a year on the spacious grounds of Reds Land. We want to win again this year, just like last year! We especially cannot lose the tug-of-war," he said.





The event begins with a "full-power rally" to strengthen team unity.

The leaders of the red, white, black, and yellow teams and their respective members all came together and shouted with one heart, "Let's give it our all until the very end!"





The first event, "ball tossing," saw the young children do a great job. Parents also pitched in, giving the children piggyback rides and helping to pick up and return dropped balls.



The next event was the "Jumbo Baton Relay," in which families carried a log-sized baton around a track. Many parents and children were seen getting excited.



At lunchtime, there was a fun "barefoot bread eating contest." Many children were seen sprinting at full speed in pursuit of the bread.



The bread on this day was delivered by Shibiraki Bakery in Sakura Ward, and 300 loaves of bread in 20 varieties were delivered. When we spoke to the elementary school children who participated, they were delighted, saying, "My cousin invited me to come for the first time. I'm happy to get the chocolate bread I wanted." A mother with kindergarten and elementary school children said, "It's great to be able to give my children an experience they can't get anywhere else."



Many of the children were visiting Reds Land for the first time, and they had come here for a variety of reasons, including those who had seen flyers distributed at school, families who had come through word of mouth from their mom friends, and children from local sports organizations that have connections with Reds Land.

During the "Zenryoku Daruma-san ga Koronda" game, everyone crowded around the sweets provided by the Ikumitai Partner Fund and chose their favorite sweets.



For lunch, some people bring their own packed lunches, while others order from the food trucks that are set up on the day.
The Saitama Children's Cafeteria Food Truck, which has also helped out at other events at Reds Land, set up a stall at the Sports Day for the first time this year, offering delicious, reasonably priced dishes like pork soup and takoyaki, with some items selling out in no time.



At the start of the afternoon session, the participants cheered on their own team and other teams with all their might to liven up the competition that continued into the afternoon.
Each group leader cheered with elaborate shouts and rhythms created just for the day. The Black Team, led by staff from Reds Land Sports Club and members of Reds Land's club activity (Furabaru Volleyball), came in first place in the cheering battle. It was impressive to see children and adults alike linking arms and singing along to the beat of the handmade drums made for the day.



After the cheering battle, which had reached a climax, the tug-of-war took place, divided into three divisions: elementary school students, preschoolers, and adults. Each division was a heated battle.



The audience was excited by the sight of the children, who were meeting for the first time that day, pulling the rope together as one, and the adults competing in earnest.



The leader of the Yellow Team was Mr. Sano, a member of Urawa Reds Supporters' Association Management Committee. He said, "This sports day has become an opportunity for children who have never been to Reds Land before and for children who play sports other than soccer to come, so I hope it will continue in the future. I hope more people will know that it is a place that local people can enjoy."



The climax of the event was the "Big Pants Best Eleven Relay." 22 members selected from each team competed in a relay race wearing large pants in pairs. The track was filled with excitement as the participants sprinted and cheered with all their might, a fitting way to end the day.

Finally, the results were announced at the closing ceremony. This year, the Black Team, who had been impressive for cheering on their teammates with "all their might" in every competition, won the championship amidst applause from everyone. The children were delighted to receive a prize of 1 million yen (with that amount written on it) in sweets.



Last year, the White Team won, but this time the Black Team got their revenge after a year, and the White Team was praised for their hard work. With each passing round, the number of fun episodes increases.



Thanks to the constant support of the Urawa Reds Supporters Association, a general incorporated association, and the sponsorship of 24 local companies that are part of the "Reds Land Nurturing Partners," we were able to successfully hold a sports day that both children and adults could enjoy to the fullest. Reds Land hopes to continue deepening its ties with the local community and to continue to "provide a place for healthy recreation."



[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]