Haruka Saito Explained

Headercolor:lightblue
Native Name:斎藤 春香, Saitō Haruka
Native Name Lang:ja
Nationality:Japanese
Birth Date:14 March 1970
Birth Place:Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Sport:Softball
Show-Medals:yes

(born March 14, 1970, in Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan) is a Japanese softball player. She played in the Hitachi softball club from 1994 to 2006[1] and represented Japan as part of the Japan women's national softball team in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Games.[2] In 2000 and 2004, she played in the teams that won the bronze and silver medals, respectively.

Retirement

Following her final Olympics appearance in 2004, Saitō continued at Hitachi softball club as a playing coach until 2006, when she became the coach for the national team. She led them to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.[3] In 2011, national teammate, Reika Utsugi, succeeded her as the national team coach.

She currently serves as the technical vice chair on the Japan Softball Association.[4] On 26 June, she was selected as a board director on the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), a move that doubled the number of women directors.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/soft/SOFTBALL/body/history/y2006/saitoh.html. ja:退任者紹介. Retiree Introduction. Hitachi Softball Club. 17 September 2017.
  2. Web site: Haruka Saito Biography and Olympic Results. https://web.archive.org/web/20200417044433/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/haruka-saito-1.html. dead. 17 April 2020. Sports Reference. 16 September 2017.
  3. News: Softball teams pitch their ambitions much higher. The Straits Times . Charles. Ong. 19 May 2015. 16 September 2017.
  4. Web site: Board Members of Japan Softball Association. Japan Softball Association. 12 June 2016. 17 September 2017.
  5. News: https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2017062701118&g=spo. ja:斎藤氏ら新理事就任=女性理事6人に倍増-JOC. Haruka Saito is a new female director appointment. Number of women directors increase to 6 on the JOC board . Jiji Press . 27 June 2017. 17 September 2017.