A study on the source of resilience of a local sports club after the Great East Japan Earthquake, focusing on the “life history” of those affected

The purpose of this study was to clarify the source of the resilience that supported the revival of a senior soccer club (Club E) after personal loss due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, focusing on those affected and their determination to revive the club. We studied the contents of recorded interviews with club members to analyze the essential character of club activities. We also analyzed the “life history” of those involved. The major study findings were as follows:<br> 　The main source of resilience was the captain (A) who had suffered great personal loss due to the earthquake. His motivation owed much to his experiences at Junior Soccer Club C and Club E, thanks to the coach (M), who had been fully committed to Club E for a long time. He had coached A affectionately and been a good influence on him. A had worked hard as a captain to maintain the comfortable atmosphere of the club, being inspired by his feelings of gratitude towards M. The resilience, which promoted the revival of the club, was created from A's strong sense of responsibility. His feelings of gratitude towards M and the resilience of the club were driven by the idea of passing the tradition of the club to the next generation, to which M gave priority long after facing the crisis. A's feelings of gratitude stemmed from the fact that M had taken care of him like a father since A's graduation from Junior Soccer Club C, and these feelings had persisted before A entered Club E. Thus, A had developed a family-like relationship with M before entering Club E, and thereafter this relationship had strengthened to a level that was unusual for a coach and a team member. A had felt firmly responsible for keeping the club lively and prosperous after his appointment as captain. As a result, he passed on his resilience to the team after his personal loss in the earthquake.