Residence |
Oita, JPN |
Occupation |
Teacher |
Languages |
Japanese |
Higher education |
Tenri University: Tenri, JPN |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began playing hockey while she was at junior high school. |
Why this sport? |
Her softball coach recommended her to join a hockey club. |
Club / Team |
Green Deers: Japan |
Name of coach |
Zenjiro Yasuda [national] |
Preferred position / style / stance / technique |
Midfield |
Nicknames |
She acquired the nickname 'Sammy' from teammates while playing a season in Australia's National Hockey League. (World Hockey Magazine, 01 May 2004) |
Hobbies |
Visiting hot springs, shopping and listening to music. (Japan NOC, 26 Jun 2006) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Being part of the first women's hockey team from Japan to play at the Olympic Games. (FIH Olympic Daily, 17 Aug 2004) |
Most influential person in career |
Her parents. (Japan NOC, 26 Jun 2006) |
Hero / Idol |
Her parents and Japanese international hockey player Sahori Miyazaki. (joc.or.jp, 29 Apr 2008) |
Injuries |
She broke a hand in Japan's 4-0 win over Korea at the 2004 Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. (World Hockey Magazine, 01 May 2004) |
Awards and honours |
She was voted Player of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup qualifiers in Rome, Italy. (International Hockey Federation, 29 May 2006)
She was on the short list for the International Hockey Federation's [FIH] Player of the Year award for 2001, 2002 and 2003. (International Hockey Federation, 22 May 2006)
Named in the All-Asia hockey team after the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. (Rediff, 13 Oct 2002)
Voted Japan Hockey League's Player of the Year for the 2001, 2003 and 2005 seasons. (Japan Hockey League, 14 Jun 2006)
She was selected in the Japan Hockey League's Team of the Year nine seasons in a row between 1997 and 2005. (Japan Hockey League, 14 Jun 2006) |