About Softball in the Olympic Games
Baseball was played as a ‘demonstration sport’ at a number of editions of the Games before being adopted as a medal sport at Barcelona 1992. The sport was contested until Beijing 2008, then removed from the programme.
Given the popularity of baseball in Japan, an invitation by the International Olympic Committee for the host country to propose the temporary inclusion of additional events saw the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee propose both men’s baseball and women’s softball.
The competition will be run by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) , the world governing body established in 2013 by the merger of the International Softball Federation and the International Baseball Federation.
Female Coaches
There are 6 teams in this year’s Olympic tournament, with only 1 female Head Coach. That’s a percentage of 16.6%.
Meet the Female Head Coach below:
Reika Utsugi – Japan
Reika Utsugi is a Japanesesoftball player who played 3rd base. Originally from China, she was naturalised as a Japanese citizen in 1995. She played in the Japanese teams that won the silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics and the bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Utsugi’s original name was Ren Yanli and was born in Beijing. Against her father’s wishes, she arrived in Japan in 1998 and played for Hitachi Takasaki, which was managed by Taeko Utsugi. She took her manager’s name when she naturalised in 1995, becoming Reika Utsugi. Utsugi could not participate in the 1996 Summer Olympics as a Japanese representative, despite being naturalised in 1995. The regulations in the Olympic charter required China to give her permission to play for Japan, as she had changed her nationality within three years of an Olympic event. China refused, realising the competitive threat that Utusgi posed. Hence, Utsugi’s first Olympic appearance for Japan was in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Since retiring as an athlete she has managed the softball team of Renesas Electronics. She currently manages Bic Camera Takasaki and has managed the Japan women’s national softball team since 2011, leading them to two world titles.
