[Women’s Judo Promotion Committee]JJ Voice No. 97 Ms. Kaori Suzuki

My name is Kaoru Suzuki, and I have been handed the baton by Ms. Chiharu Sakai. Let me introduce myself.
When I entered Matsudo Mabashi High School, my teacher asked me, “Did you do any exercise?” It’s the first time I’ve been called out to other than my homeroom teacher, what kind of teacher is it? I was interested and checked it out, and I found out that he was a physical education teacher and a coach of the judo club. I wanted to do some kind of exercise when I entered high school, so when I told my parents that the judo club teacher had approached me, my father strongly recommended me and I decided to join the judo club. The teacher said, “Those who become strong are those who are cheerful, honest, humble, and never give up.” Practice was tough, but learning techniques, winning matches, and other aspects of judo were fun in high school.
I entered the University of Tsukuba. I worked hard thinking that if I practiced at this university, I would definitely be the best in Japan. There were seniors in the same class at university, so I was frustrated that my grades didn’t improve as I expected in the first and second years. I was able to win the All Japan Women’s Weight Category in a row. After graduating from Tsukuba University, she joined Komatsu. Even after joining the company, she was given an environment where she could concentrate on training at the University of Tsukuba, but she was not able to participate in the Olympics that she was aiming for.
In March 2001, I retired from Komatsu, where I had worked as a player and coach for nine years, and became the head coach of the Aichi Sangyo University judo club. In his second and third years, he participated in the national tournament, but lost the first match. He was able to finish in 3rd place in his 4th year aiming to break through the first round. By finishing in 3rd place, the team’s goal has changed to a clear one, which is to win the national championship. In the fifth year, I was able to advance to the final, but in the final, I was defeated in the national team match and finished second. In the 6th year, I was able to achieve my first victory in the All Japan Student Judo Championships Women’s 3-Way Tournament. The players really did their best. It was only with the support of the school, the players who could not participate in the game, the graduates and parents, and the support of various people, so I was very happy. I am currently retired from coaching the judo club, but I feel that it is necessary for coaches to grow together with the players while always being aware of learning and changing. However, I would like to have “strictness” as a secret ingredient in kindness.
Finally, I am who I am today through various experiences and encounters through judo. I would like to continue to cherish the connections between people without forgetting my gratitude. We support your efforts behind the scenes.

Next time, Ms. Miwako Tsuchikawa, who was in the same class as Ms. Suzuki in college and is still friends with, will appear.