Opportunity Knocks SSC student Takami making the most of his athletic training opportunities

A Salem State College junior from Osaka, Japan, Takami recently served as a trainer and interpreter for the Japanese gymnastics team at the Tyson American Cup at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Not bad for a young, aspiring athletic trainer who knew very little English when he first came to this country, and who has yet to earn his college degree.

Ken Johnson of Olympic Physical Medicine, one of Salem State's clinical instructors, was invited to attend the prestigious international gymnastics event as a trainer, and invited Takami, his young intern, to go along. Johnson's Burlington facility shares space with Brestyan's, one of the top elite gymnastic gyms in the country. It's where U.S. Olympic hopeful Alicia Sacramone of Winchester trains.

Not only did Takami get a chance to help Johnson work with gymnasts at the Tyson American Cup, but the pair spotted the Japanese National team during a practice session, and Johnson urged his young student to introduce himself. Takami was quickly pressed into service.

"Shun is very shy, but he went over to meet them and they asked him to assist their team," said Johnson, who served as a trainer for an Olympic women's bobsled team at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy in 2006. He was also a trainer for the U.S. boxing and wrestling teams at the Summer Games in Athens, Greece four years ago.

"Shunsuke helped out with medical treatment, went to meetings with the coaches, and interpreted for them, since most of them didn't speak English. "His resume would not be strong enough to be in that position again for another 10 years. It was a terrific experience for him."

Takami was very surprised when he was invited to help take care of the Japanese It allowed him to not only sit in on coaches meetings, but translate for the Japanese coaches.

"I never expected to have the opportunity to work with them; it was a great experience," said Takami.

Takami had another unique opportunity recently when he traveled to Arizona during spring training. He was one of 10 Japanese students from across the U.S. who were invited to lectures with Takayoshi Morimoto, the assistant trainer for the Seattle Mariners. Morimoto works closely with the Mariners' Japanese stars, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and catcher Kenji Johjima.

"Mr. Morimoto told me he wanted to go out to dinner with me when the Mariners come to play the Red Sox (June 6-8)," said Takami. "We learned a lot and were able to work the Mariners' practices."

Takami admits he knew very little English when he first arrived at Salem State as a freshman. But he picked up the language quickly with plenty of help from his professors and members of the Salem State training staff.

"He's very observant and soaks up information like a sponge," said Johnson. "He's always smiling, friendly, very conscientious and works really hard."

"Salem State has been the right place for me. I have had good professors and trainers who helped me with my English," Takami said. "I am grateful to Ken for teaching me so many things, to Dr. Joe Gallo (professor of Sport & Movement Science Department), and especially to my parents for giving me the chance to study here."

Hailing from the second largest city in Japan, Takami found Salem State through a Japanese organization on the Internet that matched him up with two schools in the United States that would suit his academic needs in the Athletic Training Education Program (a stand-alone major within the Sport & Movement Science Department).

"The other school was in Nebraska, and there's not a lot going on there. My parents worry about me all the time, but they said Boston was a good city, an international city. So I came to Salem State," said Takami.

His parents have come to Boston to visit with him once already; he also traveled to Canada to meet them another time.

Takami has taken his studies seriously, especially when it comes to mastering English.

"His limited English was really a problem at first," said Dr. Gallo. "He passed a course but asked if he could re-take it. I really respect that desire to not just pass, but be stronger in English.

He's an exceptional student both in the classroom and the clinical setting. I expect him to go a long way in the field of sports medicine. I'd like to have a lot more students like him."

Working for Johnson, Takami has already had to work on three serious gymnastics injuries — a fractured wrist, fractured elbow and a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"He's putting a lot of mileage on his resume," said Johnson. "That was the first Achilles rupture I had seen in 15 years. We deal with elite young gymnasts, who come upstairs to our facility to spin, stretch, do exercises and get taped. They go down to practice for four hours, and afterward come back up for ice, massage and to get any treatment they need for injuries. Shun watches them practicing and is right there to help.

"I love having him here. He is great working with the gymnasts, but I think we might lose him to baseball, his first love."

Still, he has already informed Johnson that he wants to volunteer two days a week when his internship ends so he can see Sacramone through to the Olympic Games.

"We have a lot of high energy 14-year old gymnastic girls with a go-get them approach, and I think it's been a bit of a cultural shock for him," Johnson said of Takami.

"He's still not used to our customs, but told me the other day he is becoming "too American" because when he meets somebody, he now puts his hand out to shake instead of bowing Japanese style."

After he receives his bachelor of science degree in athletic training and graduates from Salem State, Takami plans to attend graduate school before heading back to Japan to look for a job with a pro baseball team and be a pioneer in his field.

Professional trainers for baseball teams and other athletes are not used in Japan as much as in this country, but things are changing. Takami's ultimate goal is to get a job with a Japanese baseball team and be a pioneer in his field.

"Baseball is my first love, so that's something I would like to do," he said. "Then, if an athlete wanted to come to America to play (baseball), it would be the perfect situation for me to serve as both a trainer and interpreter (for him).

But I really want to help all athletes with injuries, and I have been fortunate to get very good training. For that I am most thankful."

Photos

Salem State college student trainer Shunsuke Takami, second from left, poses with trainers from the Japanese gymnastics team that he worked with during the recent Tyson American Cup at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Courtesy photo