A Basketball Coach's Vision

INTERVIEW WITH SAKAI YOSHIYUKI

Today we had the chance to interview Sakai Yoshiyuki – the head coach of Kokugakuin Kugayama High School Basketball Team. In this interview, we aimed to find out about his inspiration, goals, and elements that have motivated him to pursue a career in basketball.

INTERVIEW

Q: What inspired you to start playing basketball?

A: Watching Michael Jordan at the Olympic Games was one of my main sources of inspiration. On top of that, growing up reading the Slam Dunk manga series has also determined me to start playing basketball.

Q: What do you like most about playing basketball?

A: Most importantly, basketball is a team sport, so that pushes you to become more considerate towards others in order to be a good team player. In addition, in basketball you can score a lot of points if you have a good relationship and understanding towards your teammates.

Q: What is your goal as a basketball coach?

A: At the moment, I am focusing on helping my team become the best high school basketball team in Japan. This requires patience and hard work, but I am confident in my teams abilities.

Kokugakuin Kugayama High School Basketball Match

After the interview, we attended a very important match in Setagaya-ku, where Kokugakuin Kugayama High School Basketball Team has managed to win. It was a very tight match, which really showed the composure players have managed to maintain – all of which prove their level of maturity, dedication, and hard-work that they invest into basketball, just as much as the adequate guidance that their coach offers them.