Former international sevens player, Yoko Suzuki, has dual aims following her participation in coaching Academy.
Yoko Suzuki hopes that her involvement in the Gallagher High Performance Academy will benefit both her and Japanese rugby.
“By creating opportunities for local people to enjoy rugby, I want to make it a place where people can love our game and children can pursue their dreams,” Suzuki said.
Suzuki represented her country on the international sevens circuit and has now taken her first steps in what she hopes will be a second career in rugby, coaching school children and university students.
“I realised that I wanted to be a coach when I first started teaching rugby to primary school children. I really enjoyed it, and the opportunity to be able to grow every day,” Suzuki told World Rugby.
Suzuki has already benefited from working with former Canada hooker Lesley McKenzie, who was briefly assistant coach of Japan’s women’s sevens team, before being appointed head coach of the national team, ahead of the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
“I admire her strong will and her honesty,” Suzuki said.
When reflecting on her time in the Gallagher High Performance Academy, Suzuki identified what her key strengths were, as well as areas to work on and develop, as she continues to grow as a coach.
“Being given coaching opportunities and receiving lots of feedback really helped me grow,” said Suzuki.
“It was great to learn about coaching in a high-performance environment, as I’d love to become a coach who can make Japanese rugby more globally competitive than it is now.”
“I would like to share what I’ve learnt and use my experience, hoping to go to RWC25 as a coach”