bikes and mama-sans

We got bikes! Yay! The trip to the station will be reduced by at least 10 minutes which MEANS that Steve will get home at least 10 minutes earlier every night, and I no longer have to lug groceries home but can cycle them, for my bike is equipped with a basket. At first I liked the idea of a "mamarachi" bike - the sort of old school looking ladies bike equipped with seat with springs and huge wire basket atop the front wheel. However, these machines - as I should have guessed - are constructed with the petite Japanese in mind, and I quickly realized that I grew out of this bike (this size of bike) when I was 12. SO... I have a blue road-ish type bike that almost fits perfectly (with the seat as high as it can go, it's still a little low), and Steve has a stylin' Chevrolet mountain bike that is almost big enough. We bought our wheels at a sell-everything store called Don Quixote (or Donki Hote; the bike section is Donki-bike), where we also bought a bottle of Crown Royal for $10 less than what it would cost at home. And Bailey's. Somehow I've resisted putting it in my coffee for the past two days... what will power.

Anyways, so yesterday morning we were able to bike up to Komazawa Park and the massive gymnasiums where Steve, along with several other F.C. Tokyo staff and players, coach clinics for Mama-sans every Tuesday morning. I went with him last week, and again yesterday, and was overwhelmed. What amazed me: the number of women, the range of age and ability, the outfits, the SKILL, and - did I mention the age? There are women there that don't have teeth! There are women there in their 70s! And they dive and spike and jump and serve and receive!! And they all have volleyball gear and SKILLS! These women dive and dig and block - and are good at it. We did the usual run-around warm-up, some stretching, abs and then partner ball control stuff. I filled in and partnered up with the oldest lassie there - last week I asked her how old she was and she wouldn't say, BUT did ask me how old my mom was. I told her - and her reply was (in Japanese plus sign language): "I am at least 10 years older than you mother..." And I tell you... her ball control is good. And she was right in there - along with all of the other mama-sans (some of whom are not mothers, some whom are and some who are, indubitably, at least grandmothers) for the entire two hour training session. It's organized so that there is skill development, but in a way that is fun and easy-going, but challenging at the same time. Our group finished with a game - 9 on 9 (= crowded), with both Steve and I in the front row - on opposing teams.

Though there doesn't seem to be much information online about mama-san volleyball in English, it seems like it is kind of a big deal. There are apparently more than 500,000 women that participate and play on teams, and there are tournament and competitions all year long, with a final national tournament held in Tokyo every spring. There is a Mama-san Volleyball Association, there is (or was? not sure) a TV show - Mama-san Volley ("The Mammies"), there are PTA women's teams, and there are studies and papers (for example: Physical and physiological assessment of women (Mama-san) volleyball players - in Japanese). Volleyball is one of the most - if not the most - popular sports in Japan, and I think that it is so awesome that there is an opportunity (and so much interest) for older women to train and play together on a regular basis - regardless of age and regardless of ability. At home there are teams BUT, as far as I know, there isn't much in terms of training for groups of women that want to participate. Steve and I were both continually shocked and amazed at these women diving and digging and blocking and hitting... if only I can do these things when I'm in my 70s. (This paints a rather funny picture - Steve and I, old and wrinkly, in our dated, year 2000 volleyball gear playing pepper in the driveway.) Unfortunately, the camera's battery died while we where there, but I did get a few shots in before it quit - more to come next week!!