[sumo] Injury and Rikishi By Oguruma Oyakata

[Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]

Injury and Rikishi 
By Ogurma Oyakata (former Ozeki Kotokaze)
-----------------------------------------

My sumo life was the battles against injuries. 

I was promoted to Sekiwake at the age of 21. As I was
just preparing to push for the higher rank, I
seriously injured my left knee at the 1978 Kyushu
Basho and then again at subsequent Hatsu Basho. For
one whole year I could not participate in the sumo
competition. The Kyokai officials judged my injury to
be a ?recurrence of old chronic injury? and did not
grant me a Kosho status that allowed me to preserve
the rank at the time.  Suddenly I fell down to
Makushita 30. I felt as if ?I was bewitched by a fox?
and simply could not face the reality altogether.

When I returned to the Heya after seven months of
hospitalization, I found I lost my private room, a
privilege granted to Sekitori rikishis (Juryo and
higher ranks).  I also had to return to Tsukebito duty
to Sekitoris serving food and washing their back in
the bath. I felt small sensing people around me were
laughing at me and talking behind my back.  My pride
was totally shattered.  I even began to resent my
parents who made me a Sumotori as well as the injury.

It was Kotochitose and Kotowaka who kept encouraging
me and gave me a relief from a deep sense of despair. 
They were the ones who joined the heya with me at the
same basho.  Supporting Club members also gave me an
encouragement. Then one day I received an invitation
from a director of medical clinic located in Toyohashi
City in Aichi Prefecture for treatment as he thought I
would be uncomfortable staying in Tokyo.  He
recommended to pull a tire on beach as a part of
rehabilitation program.  Every morning he picked me up
and drove me to a beach two kilometers away.

To repay gratitude, I realized I had to make a
comeback on the dohyo. I made up my mind that anyone
who wanted to laugh at me, let them laugh, let anyone
who talked behind my back and saying how pitiful I
was, let them.

Perhaps not really thanking the injury for it, but the
technique that later became to represent me,
?Gaburi-Yori? was something I was force to think
through so as not to aggravate my knee injury further.
 I kept thinking how I could win on the dohyo despite
the knee injury.  It was to go with left arm to the
mawashi and then push the opponent right away.  I made
up my own rule that those who attack forward and fall
forward would not suffer any knee injury.  It was my
way of rebuilding myself.

I crawled up to Ozeki at the age of 24. I kept up with
my brutal training regimen. I repeatedly asked
Yokozuna Chiyonofuji for over 30 ?Sanban Geiko?
training sessions. I got thrown around badly and my
body was literally covered with mud. People looking at
me thought it wasn't cool at all but this was the road
to win at the hon-bashos. Training hard covered with
mud and dirt is actually cool.

Looking back now I feel, having had 22 bashos as
Ozeki, and able to win the Yusho as Sekiwake in the
1981 Aki Basho and again as Ozeki in the Hatsu Basho
1983, were really miracles.  I retired early at the
age of 28 but I believe I had a good quality career. 
Perhaps if I had not had the injury, I may have spent
a rather ordinary dohyo life 

Recently there is a noticeable number of injured
rikishis and we see many kyujo rikishis as well.  At
this Haru Basho we had 11 Sekitoris (including those
not missing the whole basho) withdrawing and had 9
Sekitoris sidelined at the Natsu Basho. As a result
there is a debate going on about the merits of Kosho
System that is intended to aid the rikishis.  In my
view this system is to get rikishis to do their best
to recover 100% from their injuries.  In my case I did
not get a Kosho status but I believe its true value
changes depending on how a rikishi will interpret it. 
Whether you build a better house after a fire or you
keep resenting the fire and never get to rebuild the
house. It means you can be spoiled by the system but
not get spoilt by injuries. 

Injury is a part of being a rikishi. But the important
thing is to face straight up to the injury.  Sumo is
also observing how a rikishi is coming back from
injuries and sickness.  Rikishis should not
pre-determine injuries will shorten their active sumo
life but rather they should realize that it will help
them rebuild and further strengthen their body and
soul.   

- The Sankei Shimbun May30, 2003
   


=====
.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique     ?S   ?Z   ?Ì  >

______________________________________________________________________ 
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
[EndPost by Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]