Katsuyuki Kiyomiya

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Katsuyuki Kiyomiya is a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC (2001-6) and now (2006) of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan hope he will coach the national side in the future.

1 Early life
2 Player
3 Coach
4 Notable Victories
5 See also
6 Reference

[edit] Early life

He was born in Osaka prefecture on July 25, 1967 and after a juvenile delinquent period was advised to play rugby to give his life some direction by a junior high school teacher. Since that time he has been interested in, and passionate about, education. (He has also founded the WASEDA CLUB in Tokyo to encourage the interest of children in many sports, and the Oku-Inoue Fund for the children of Iraq.)

[edit] Player

He played for All-Japan High Schools and captained the team in his third year at Matta high school in Osaka. He attended Waseda University and played rugby there and won the university championship when captain in his fourth year at the university. His position was flanker or No. 8.

After graduation he entered Suntory the beverage company in 1995 and played rugby for the company. He does not drink alcohol himself.

[edit] Coach

From 2001-6 he was a very successful coach of Waseda University Rugby Football Club leading them to three university championships in five years, including successive championships in 2005 and 2006, and he has now returned to Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League as head coach.

At the half-way stage of his first season as coach of Sungoliath after seven games with six remaining his team was top on points difference (points scored for and against), just ahead of Toshiba Brave Lupus. Both teams had 31 points according to the League's system as at October 23, 2006.

[edit] Notable Victories

On February 12, 2006 Coach Kiyomiya's Waseda defeated Toyota Verblitz, a team which included stars such as Troy Flavell and Filo Tiatia in the 43rd Japan Championships. This was the first time ever that a university team had defeated a Top League team, though Waseda also defeated Toshiba, a company team, when Mr. Kiyomiya was a student player.