The Power of Sports and Art. Report on the first anniversary event of the Edogawa Renovation Art Court Project!

go parkey, which renovates basketball courts through art, created the fifth "go parkey" in Japan.Edogawa, Renovation Art Court Project'. To celebrate its first anniversary, a one-day event was held on Saturday, November 16, featuring a clinic for local kids and 3×3 games by professionals. Imaone, who was in charge of the artwork, and the SPALDING team, who provided support for the event, participated in the event, which was filled with a lively atmosphere from start to finish. Here is a report on the event.

Through basketball, both children and adults become passionate!

As the start time approached, children gathered on the court one after another. About 40 members of the Edogawa Monkeys, a local Edogawa kids' basketball club, and children living in the neighborhood participated in the event. Some of the youngest players were 5 years old. The kids were provided with Spalding balls with court designs by artist Imaone, and as soon as they entered the venue, they started shooting and dribbling to their heart's content. The kids were ready to play right away! I could feel their excitement. It's no wonder they were so excited to be in front of such an art court.

After opening speeches, the event began. The first event was a clinic by Coach "Morimori" of TEAM SPALDING.

Coach Morimori is also a basketball performer, and in addition to practical skills, he will also lecture on ball rolling, handling + layups, and other attractive moves. Competing with flashy and playful techniques is one of the best parts of street basketball. I felt that the course conveys the joy of enjoying playing with a free spirit.

In the second half, professional 3x3 players also participated as defenders. There were times when they blocked the shots of the elementary school students who were boldly trying to beat them, and it must have been a valuable time to experience the strength of the pros.

After the clinic, an exhibition game of pro players vs. coaches was held. The kids and their parents were excited to see the three-pointers and dunks by the pro players. The power of the dunks seen at close range made the kids and parents alike let out an uncontrollable yell.

The appeal of park basketball is that it is both playful and grueling. At the end of the day, the adults really played and played like crazy, making it a batch of serious games. And the coach's team, which had been outplayed by a large margin by the pro team, showed their mettle and won a close game in the final game to pull off the upset. I was moved by the sight of adults seriously regretting and rejoicing in each and every game as I watched the games. I could feel the passion regardless of age or race. Sports are the best.

Under the slogan "What sports can do for the health of people and the planet all the time," Spalding is carrying out "PASS FOR THE FUTURE" activities for the next 150 years. After the event, we asked Mr. Yamaoka, Spalding's brand manager, for his comments.

I think it was good for the children to see professionals play up close and personal, and for them to have an opportunity to face basketball more closely and to want to get better at it. I think many of the kids come here on a regular basis, but I think they were able to see a different view than usual. I would be happy if today's memories make them even more attached to this court."

As part of the brand's "creating an environment where anyone can play sports," which is one of the pillars of its activities, the creation of these special courts is a very meaningful initiative in Japan, where there are still very few places where people can play basketball in parks. I felt that this was a very meaningful initiative.

Spalding will continue to support "go parkey" activities by creating an environment and providing opportunities for everyone to enjoy basketball.

Respect for the court is born from the allure of art.

What did Sho Ebihara of "go parkey," the organizer of the event, and Imaone, who created the graphics for the coats, think throughout the day? We interviewed them immediately after the event.

(From left to right) Mr. Scholar Ebihara, Ms. Imaone

Please start by telling us how you came up with the idea for this event.

Ebihara: The purpose of the project is to make the courts more crowded, not just to build a court. As a way of expressing our gratitude to the local people who have always used this place for our first anniversary, we have prepared content that will allow people to experience the joy of basketball once again.

I think the workshop with the skill coaches and the professional game was a fun and educational experience for the children.

Ebihara: I think our mission is to show the potential of the park court, many NBA players started playing basketball in the park, and in fact, the story is all connected. We wanted to show children that this is possible, as well as fun.

One year has passed since the renovation. How is the Art Court at Matsumoto No. 2 Children's Amusement Park being used since its opening?

Ebihara: I usually take the ball to see the courts I have created. I am curious to see how they are being used. This place is very crowded, especially on weekends when there are as many people here as there are today, even if there is no event. I get the impression that the place is loved by a wide range of locals, from elementary school students to middle and high school students to old men.

It's a great success. It looks like it is being used very beautifully, and that seems to be the power of Art Court.

Ebihara: The dark elevated area has been brightened up and is well received by the local government. The reason why there is always no trash on the ground is because the art court is functioning well, and if there is a sense of respect for the court, it will naturally appear in action without anyone telling you. We did a cleanup cleanup before the event today as well, and I realized that they are used with great care.

Imaone：I am glad. My artwork originally has its roots in murals. I am glad that my work has a commonality with basketball culture in that it is street art, and that it has a positive effect on the art world.

Please tell us again about the design of the coat.

Imaone: We used bright colors because of the dark elevated area. We were conscious of designing something easy to understand, catchy, and uplifting.

Is this character like a child playing?

Imaone: I was hoping that you could interpret that freely. Rather than a large single-picture character, I made the design more like a pattern or pattern, and this was useful for the newly created ball. It was a perfect fit for the new ball, even though it went from a flat surface to a sphere.

How did you feel when you saw children actually playing on your art?

Imaone：It was great to see so many children actually playing. The colors of the court and the ball made the atmosphere very lively and doubled the fun. I hope that my art can play a part in that in the future as well.

Ebihara: I am sure that these vivid colors will remain in their memories. I think children are pure and have unlimited potential in the future. One day today could change their lives. We want to bet on their future, so we are looking forward to the future.

What is the future outlook for go parkey?

Ebihara: We believe that our activities are not a one-time event, but rather something that must be continued year after year. Our goal is to continue to increase the number of art courts. So far, we have created six art courts in Japan. We would like to expand the number of art courts throughout Japan so that people can enjoy touring to various art courts. We will continue to work to change the way park basketball is played.

Photo_Takuto Yamasaki
Text_Shu Nissen