INTERNATIONAL INSIDER Groundbreaking move
Past U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team assistant Gary Sato cracks a barrier as he becomes the fi rst foreign coach to lead Japan’s Men’s National Team
but for the fi rst time in his life he is doing some real “back-breaking” work. He is trying to learn to speak Japanese.
G
Sato, whose long volleyball career began as a star setter at UC Santa Barbara in the 1970s, was recently named the head coach of Japan’s Men’s National Team. For 30 years, he has been communicating with his middle blockers in English, but despite his heritage – his great grandfather was born in Japan – telling his setter to “set the pipe” in Japa- nese is Greek to him. He called it his biggest challenge as he prepared to assume his new role full time in Japan at the end of March by evaluating players in the Japan V Pro League. He says he has a bad case of “nihongo no wakarimasu.” Translation? “It means I don’t understand Japanese words,” he said. “I’ve been hitting Rosetta Stone on my iPad and iPhone daily, but there will be nothing like jumping into the middle of things that fi rst day and not looking back.”
Sato has served several stints with USA
Volleyball, including most recently as Alan Knipe’s assistant with the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team from 2009 to 2012. His journey to the helm of the Japanese team was a long process and defi ed the Asian country’s reluctance to bring in foreign coaches. “Talk about Japan looking to open the doors to a foreign coach had been circulat- ing for quite some time, but never followed through with,” Sato said. “Questions about interest in the Japan National Team program turned into potential reality, so I researched and decided to commit to it. Before all that there was a message that I informally and politely sent to the JVA (Japanese Volleyball Association) during the Olympic Games say- ing I was focusing on Team USA at that time and preferred to not engage in any discussion.” Talks resumed shortly after the U.S.
Men’s Team’s fi fth-place fi nish in London. “After 2013 started and a little break from the
28 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag BIG MOVE: Gary Sato is taking on a big challenge in Japan. (Photo: Don Liebig)
volleyball training since the Olympics ended in August, my desire to be involved in the international arena started up again,” Sato said. “As discussions got more serious, I was invited to Tokyo in February for a formal interview and presentation (in a room with 11-12 JVA members). Things went well and here we are!” Sato credited Knipe with rekindling his in- terest in the international game. “The past four years have been quite a journey, and I can’t do it justice to describe how exciting it was to be part of the process preparing the team for the London Olympic Games,” he said. Sato said he will be focused on getting his Japanese team to the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro. He calls the goals basic. “Improve every day and climb the ladder,” he said. “Qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games. Pretty much the same as everyone else that plans to be the best they can be. Bottom line, which
everyone measures you by, is winning a medal. Of course, one step at a time.” Sato said his career has been infl uenced by several coaches, but he is most appreciative of USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal’s contribu- tions. “I’ve worked with some fantastic vol- leyball minds and amazing people -- too many to name,” he said. “However, I’d like to thank Doug Beal for all he’s done and continues to do for USA Volleyball. Doug made believers of us all after winning the fi rst Olympic gold at the 1984 Olympic Games and showed us what we could achieve.”
The former Gaucho says he will continue to learn and listen – in both Japanese and English. “You name a coach, I’ve looked and listened,” he said. “I’ve observed and studied lots of other leaders. I like to think that I’ve also helped shape and infl uence both old and young alike in the possibilities of the game.”
ary Sato has spent 30 years as both an internationally respected volleyball coach and a successful chiropractor,
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