HIS Sports Program Wrapped 2023-2024

This year has been remarkable for HIS Athletics. Five different teams have been sent to tournaments, compared to only three last year! Additionally, connections have been made with Sapporo University, allowing Futsal members to practice with them and Volleyball players to practice at Sapporo University over the summer! We truly are pivoting as a school, and we hope to see further growth and implement new ideas in our athletics program!

Volleyball

This year was remarkable for the volleyball program, as HIS had its first-ever HS Boys' Volleyball team! Additionally, both the HS Boys’ and HS Girls’ Volleyball teams were sent to tournaments this year: the boys went to Kyoto, and the Girls went to Kōbe. Under Coach Bossaer’s rich experience in volleyball, both teams were able to perform remarkably well. As Coach always says, “The main thing is passing!” After a whole school year of practicing, it’s clear how much each player’s passing has improved. Coach Bossaer said he was always seeing great receives during Community Volleyball Nights recently! On the other hand, Coach Bossaer is training the up-and-coming high schoolers to ensure they are ready to play for the high school teams! We have seen tremendous growth in these middle schoolers and hope to see them perform well next year!

Basketball

Similar to the volleyball program, the basketball program has introduced something semi-new–we sent an HS Girls’ team to a tournament! This year, we had enough to have five starters and players on the bench, ready for their turn to play. With the help of Coach Motomochi, the Girls' team was able to nail the foundations and give an outstanding performance! Meanwhile, the HS Boys’ basketball team, coached by Coach Albert, made amazing progress! The players increased their game IQ tremendously through hard-fought practice games against community adult teams. Each game was a valuable learning experience, and this was evident after their improvement in each game. Both teams were sent to Yokohama and competed in separate Boys and Girls tournaments at Yokohama International School, allowing them to cheer each other on! The HS Girls’ team even won second place after a tough-fought battle against YIS in the finals! In the meantime, the middle school Boys’ team (Coached by Coach Fazio) and the middle school Girls’ team (Coached by Coach Motomochi) were practicing hard to get better–especially the 8th graders. We see lots of hope and potential in our middle school players, and with enough practice, they can make amazing performances next year!

Badminton

2023-2024 marked the second school year for the HIS badminton program, the only sport at HIS that involves either a single player or a pair. This makes badminton truly unique, as you don’t have as much support in-game from your teammates, making it difficult. However, our Huskies made notable progress and achievement this year after hard-fought battles! With the coaching of Coach Fazio and the dedication of our high school Huskies, they were able to improve so much! After all of the Mr. Fazio warm-ups, the team was ready to compete! This year’s tournament was in Kōbe, held at Canadian Academy. Because of the individuality of badminton, other Huskies on the sidelines gave energetic and supportive cheer to each other. In the end, with the support from her teammates, Joohye was able to secure 3rd place for women’s singles! On the other hand, Coach Fazio and many skillful high schoolers guided and trained the middle school badminton players at HIS to prepare them for high school badminton!

Futsal

Futsal was another key sport played among students this year. Unlike soccer, futsal requires more skill and quick thinking due to the smaller pitch size and number of players compared to soccer. One key highlight for the futsal season this year was the training sessions featuring professional futsal players from the Sapporo University team! Their presence added intensity, quality, and fun to the practices. In addition, through the many training sessions, the team has gone through, and the many games that were played, many of our fellow students have shown staggering improvements, and we hope that this program can be continued, even after Mr. Maclean's depature.

Interview with Mr. Justin Rankin, the Athletics Director

Q: How do you feel about the overall performance and improvement of HIS's Athletics this year, and how did they overcome certain challenges?
A: This was technically my third year operating the Athletics program, but since we had essentially no sports during my first year here due to the pandemic, it's really more like my second year. I am pleased with how our program is transforming into a true four-season sports program rather than just specializing in one or two sports for each gender. It will take more time to fully implement the kind of culture I am looking for; however, we are on the right track. 

Q: What specific strategies or programs have been implemented to improve team performance?

A: It starts with coaching. I believe we have now identified the right people to lead our various teams and I am confident that our various programs will continue to develop under the guidance of these dedicated individuals. Furthermore, I believe that having proper strength & conditioning facilities has allowed our student-athletes to train more aggressively and build more strength and endurance. I hope to continue making improvements in that area next year after receiving my certification in personal training and group fitness instruction this past May.  

Q: What goals do you have for HIS's Athletics Program next year?
A: I'd like to see an even higher percentage of Secondary School students participate in at least one after-school sport next year. In addition to a higher level of participation, I would like to see our teams start challenging for podium finishes at the different tournaments that we attend next year. Finally, I want our student-athletes to show more commitment to bettering the school: keeping our gym organized and clean, ensuring that changing rooms are left in good condition after practices and games, and giving back to the school community more to inspire our next generation of Huskies. 

Q: Are any new initiatives or changes planned for next year’s sports teams?
A: I'm sure there will be lots of changes and upgrades as we begin our renovation project this summer. Having a new playing surface in the gym with markings for basketball, volleyball, and now badminton will certainly be a plus.

For a review of last year's sports check out the quarter schedules here:

 

 

 

And then, get ready to cheer on your Husky Athletes or become one yourself as we strive to embody kaizen in 2025!