Right, this post should introduce the new (improved?) cynical Joe well enough: clubs in Japanese schools.
I'll start with a brief introduction to Japanese clubs which run from Elementary to Senior High School:
- practice EVERY night after school, sometimes as late as 11pm
- you are practicing your sport, not playing it.
- you chose this sport, not that one - deal with it!
- all this... but Japans national teams still suck...