Rugby Performance Summit 

Recently, I was invited to the online rugby summit by my long-term friend "Ben Norcott" who coached Tuggeranong Vikings, the club that I played for in Canberra.

He is now Brumbies' Academy S&C Coordinator & AUS u-20 S&C coach who also has an experience coaching at one of the Japanese top level team.

This was my first time experience being on a podcast & I really appreciate Ben for his help.

Thanks, Ben.

I am also really humbled by joining this group as they are the ones that I am learning from.

But hopefully this challenge will help me going further and making me better in the future.

Through this experience, 

I leaned how effective this works in terms of communicating with and learning from the experienced coaches on-line.

The one of the key aspect of S&C these days I think is to utilise on-line tools.

By utilising these tools, we can effectively provide information to players and coaches as well as friends, coaches in overseas.

Please be patient if you listen to my podcast.

There are a quite few areas that I still need to improve as speaker.

But thanks for your interest. 

http://rugbyperformancesummit.com

Mitsubishi DynaBoars

Poster was Designed by Mariko Kita 

A place for my passion in rugby has been moved to the new location from 2015 season where Mitsubishi DynaBoars is headquartered. The DynaBoars belongs to Japan Top East League that sits under Japan Top League. We are aiming for promoting to Japan Top League Competition. 

Our 15-16 season has already been finished by losing vs NEC at promotion game by 14 points.

However, my challenges for the 16-17 season has been already started.

Meeting friends, discussing the topics, looking for improvements and the most importantly becoming better everyday. 

Please keep in Touch with DynaBoars, we are making history in this club.

Website: Mitsubishi DynaBoars Rugby 

http://www.mhi.co.jp/gsh/dynaboars/

University of Canberra Graduation Ceremony

University of Canberra Graduation Ceremony 

At 10th April 2014

http://www.canberra.edu.au/monitor/2014/april/14-hitoshi#UC%20sports%20grad%20now%20coaching%20in%20Japan

I have concluded my university life at the Permanent House in the Capital city of Australia. 

The best moment during the ceremony came when I was on the stage and being called my name.

The presenter who called my name was Dr. Gordon Waddington

He and his family members came across my life in Canberra so many times. I coached his son Ross at College when he was 15-18years old and Gordon's partner Kathy who was English teacher for my wife and myself a few years ago.

We had a great chat after graduation ceremony. Gordon families has helped me to survive during my living in Canberra. Thank you. 

It has been a valuable experience being a student at this age.

There were so many friends from rugby back ground, class mates and teachers who helped me to dig deep into my study.

I can not say thank enough for these friends.

At the end, my family members including, wife Shoko, mother Kazumi, sister Chisato visited at ACT for this ceremony. 

Thanks for them allowing me to challenge and pursue my dream.

Since we arrived at Canberra in 2006, we survived until 2013.

3 years of rugby playing career, 4 years of rugby coaching career, 2.5 years of Uni life, 1.5years with Brumbies and 3years with AIS.

We still felt that this is our second home but now we are in our original country "Japan". 

Do what I need to do and go as hard as I can.

My life is still looking for a new challenge. 

ENGLAND RUGBY

England under20 Camp vs Ireland under20

After I arrived at Heathrow, I was picked by my friend "Richard" to Northampton where U20 team had been camping for a game against Ireland. I stayed with them until the end of the camp. All of staff members were very open and I appreciate their kindness and positive approach. Thanks for coaches.

Game against under20 Ireland was at Northampton Saints' home ground that is currently on the top of ladder in premiership rugby competition. The score was favoured for England finishing with 33-9. The young talented group finished the game with a strong performance from attacking open rugby. They will come to Japan in 2019 as National squad. I am looking forward to seeing them again in their future.

Photo on the right is from staff dinner during the camp.





Twickenham Rugby Stadium & England Rugby Union HQ

As Japanese coach, this place surprised me in so many ways. Hope Japan rugby will manage to build a big stadium for the world cup in 2019. Coming back at this place will be my next goal. Good to see my new target for my next challenge.

Home of England rugby was not only hugely big but a great quality of facility inside. Thanks Richard for taking me around.

England under18 vs Leicester Tigers Academy

The game was posted by Leicester Tigers' home ground. The England u18 team spread a ball wide and defended well toward the end of game, finishing narrow win. But so far, rugby game that is played by England rep team were well played with width of attack which was slightly difference from my imagination. This is the rugby that they challenge to implement within young talented squads. Future England will play like this? Good question. Hope they keep focusing on the developmental challenge.

The last 2 days of England visit was with Exeter premier rugby club.

The  first day was started with weight training. I was managed to discuss some questions with coaches and players. Good to see how premier team trains their top squad during season. Again, staffs in this team were well supported from their program and very open for some like myself.

This is a quite new club that is still developing their home facility. But in their future plan, this far south-west team bases this area to beat teams in the London district. Young talented players, coaches and team are waiting for their spark to be happened. Keep eye on them.

Drive back to Heathrow airport.

On the way back from Exeter rugby club, I could manage to take one great picture of country side in England. Sunshine and rain live together in this country therefore one moment in sunshine is something special.

Thanks for England, I learned so much staffs from you.

University of Canberra "Monitor" Magazine

University of Canberra Magazine "Monitor"

This "Monitor" Magazine has been published by University of Canberra twice a year. The magazine originally started as a twelve pages tabloid news paper which became an online publication in 2005 then moved to the current format which is well printed magazine style. The magazine provides current topic at UC as well as reporting outstanding achievement of student and alumni student.

University of Canberra as Brumbies' main sponsor, has developed many connections with local sporting institutes, include AIS, Brumbies, Raiders, Canberra United etc... My internship opportunity with Brumbies came up within these environment.

The honours degree in this University involves many research opportunities. Three staffs in the photo were all current or graduate the honours degree holders. I was really lucky that I joined this group of people to represent UC at Brumbies.

As I mentioned with my previous post in this blog, coaches at Brumbies are very open and the environment is the best for someone who is keen to develop a career through these research projects.

At the end of the degree in June 2013, I was contacted by ass-professor, who taught me a few subjects of sport studies, that UC media group is interested in your effort and would like to report the story in their publication. The ass-professor told me that "YOU DESERVED IT".

The word of "YOU DESERVED IT" is very important reward for someone who did extreme hard work to contribute something to a belonging organisation and themselves. During my stay in AUS from 2005 - 2013, How many times I could hear the word? Not many but when I heard the word to myself, I always felt that my effort was acknowledged and my effort was good enough to impress others.

My study at UC and the internship with Brumbies, as well as working for local rugby team and local rugby school team were all great when I looked back the each content that I learned at the each place. However, working at Brumbies is very special moment. Finishing with the UC degree as well as the internship at Brumbies at the same time was something that I wanted to do.

I would like to thank to UC media group that they posted me 3 copies of the magazine to Japan. These kind of staffs, give us power for tomorrow and future sometimes.

Yes, I need to work hard and study hard to pursuit my career.

My study has not finished, yet.

New Challenge in Japan

Kubota Spears Athletic Performance Coach

In 2013, I joined to Kubota Spears Rugby Union Club in Japan as Athletic Performance Coach. This was the first time in 8 yrs working in Japan since 2005.

I have known about 10-15 players who visited Canberra between 2009 and 2013. They played for Vikings, Uni-North and East for their rugby experience in ACT. These guys have become older and now they are taking this Kubota club forward and I am really happy to see them improving here.


Started working in new environment, there are so many things to adjust my thinking and direction. It has been a great learning process for myself. Our manager "Marty" has been helping me to get on the right pathway for future settings and I am really lucky that he has been a great teacher for myself, especially his very positive approach. Things I learned in AUS have been precious for my coaching commitment, I have no doubt about that, however I still can not ignore my hunger for learning at the same time. In term of this, Marty has given me bunch of readings to me which are an important information for myself.

I also work with "Ura" who has been here for 8yrs. He has been working hard and hard on many aspect of jobs, especially his data processing skills has been a great help for me to see players from a different point of view.

How can I adjust?
How much can I actually contribute to team?
How can boys improve effectively?

etc........
These questions last forever.
But
I should concentrate on own task first, this is the first thing that I can do for this team.
Do it well and Do it hard.

My life is still looking for the challenges.

AUS Video Crip

This is my playing clips in AUS on You-Tube.

Hope this somehow helps Japanese players to go overseas and people in the world  to see the fact that there was Japanese player who was interested in the world rugby.

Life is full of fun when we try to do our best for longer period of times. Look back the time on the clips, I have no regret on a decision to leave Japan in 2005. Hope hope I can keep challenging on my life.

The world is big, to reach it, I have to focus on jobs I have currently been doing. 8yrs been away from own country made myself a bit tougher.

In Japan, there seems so many things I can possibly do, but an important thing is that I focus on what I need to focus.
This would be the first target.

How can I be better coach?
What can I do for players to improve?

The questions have not been answered, yet.