Celebrating the 15th Writer Awards: Inside the Spportunity Community

Spportunity’s 15th Writer Awards: Celebrating Stories from the Underdogs

In July 2025, Spportunity Co., Ltd., located in the bustling Chuo Ward of Tokyo, celebrated the 15th edition of its Writer Awards. Since January 2022, these awards have been instituted quarterly to honor the dedicated writers contributing to Spportunity’s column—a platform aimed at shedding light on lesser-known sports, teams, athletes, and the passionate stories behind them.

The Essence of Spportunity’s Column

Spportunity operates with a vision to transform society where individuals feel empowered to tackle challenges head-on. The core belief stems from wanting to illuminate the stories of those who usually do not find themselves in the limelight—be it athletes, teams, or fans who have incredible stories worth sharing. By producing about 20 columns each month, Spportunity aims to showcase heartwarming narratives that resonate with its audience, thus nurturing a culture of empathy and support for diverse sports.

Overview of the Writer Awards

Currently, Spportunity collaborates with approximately 40 writers. In recognizing their hard work and dedication, the Writer Awards honor contributions made over a three-month period before each quarterly event.

Award Details

The Writer Awards categories are:

- Gangan Award: This accolade is awarded to a writer who has shown exceptional enthusiasm and made significant contributions through their writing efforts beyond their normal duties. The award symbolizes the spirit of relentless dedication.
- Best Column Award: This award is determined based on the column that garnered the highest readership and public response during the specified period. The selection relies on post-view numbers from the Spportunity column, focusing on a two-week window following each publication.
- Spportunity Award: Aimed at recognizing columns that align with Spportunity’s mission of spotlighting individuals whose dedication and mindset evoke empathy among readers, and motivate support for teams and athletes striving hard for their passion.

Spotlight on the Award Winners

The winners of the 15th Writer Awards, held on July 23, 2025, represent a vibrant tapestry of stories and insights:

1. Gangan Award:
Writer: Yukari Tsuji
Column: “Providing Options for Children in Fukushima to ‘Play Soccer’ – FC Shainen Fukushima by Takeshi Watanabe”
Read More

2. Best Column Award:
Writer: Norio Yamaoka
Column: “Lake Up! – Expanding Passion from Shiga to All of Japan for Basketball B1, Shiga Lakestars”
Read More

3. Spportunity Award:
Writer: Akira Hiroo
Column: “The Complex World of Middle School Baseball: Facing Declining Members at a Turning Point”
Read More

Looking Ahead

Spportunity is committed to continuing this commendable tradition by delivering compelling narratives that highlight the insights and experiences from a wide array of sports disciplines. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories ahead!

Join Us!

Spportunity invites partners interested in collaborations that share similar values of spotlighting underrepresented sports narratives. If you’d like to collaborate, please contact us at [email protected].

Become a Writer!

Are you interested in writing for Spportunity? We are open to applications from aspiring writers eager to contribute meaningful columns. Reach out to us anytime at [email protected].

About Spportunity Inc.

Located in the heart of Tokyo, we are a venture company established in March 2016, dedicated to providing crowdfunding tailored for sports. Our philosophy, “Sports x Opportunity,” aims to create equitable opportunities for youth to pursue their dreams and champion local sports initiatives.

Connect with us on our official platforms:
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