Sophia Magazine vol.5 / SUMMER 2017

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43 and 4: Shumpei as a budding high school athlete – experience that he still continues to make the most of in his work.3In 2013, Shumpei, a self-described “city boy,” enrolled at Sophia University. Rugby did not weigh heavily on Shumpei’s decision to enter Sophia; his main reason was the University’s location in central Tokyo. Sophia, however, would play a piv-otal role in his growth as a player and analyst. It began when Sophia’s rugby team got a new coach. This coach had experience with performance analysis software, and Shumpei, interested in performance analysis since high school, jumped at the opportunity to learn from his new men-tor. Shumpei deeply dived into the art of performance analysis and absorbed as much information as possible on the latest techniques and practices.Shumpei’s life changed when his coach introduced him to the head analyst of the Japan national rugby union team. Over dinner, Shumpei got a taste of data analysis’ vast array of techniques. Shumpei realized data alone is useless without the analytical tools required to interpret it. Filled with inspira-tion, he made a plea: “If there is anything I can do, please bring me on board!” Shumpei’s plea was met with an invitation to join the rugby union’s staff as an assistant analyst. Shumpei met the challenge of balancing rugby and aca-demics in his determination to succeed at both. “Everyone is busy, but everything depends on how we choose to make time. This includes waking up early, going to class early, and asking friends for help. I try to organize my time in a way that allows me to accomplish everything I set out to do,” says Shumpei. Shumpei’s studies at the Department of Sociology affected his approach to performance analysis, and vice versa. As he was inspired by his conversations with New Zealand players about their families, he analyzed various types of data to iden-tify patterns and trends within Japan’s family structure as part of his coursework. He learned the importance of interpreting data holistically and taking all factors into consideration, a les-son that has inuenced his approach to performance analysis. In March 2017, Shumpei graduated from Sophia University. For his accomplishments on the rugby eld he was awarded the 2016 Presidential Award. Shumpei will continue in his role as analyst for the Japan rugby union, as well as for the HITO-com Sunwolves professional rugby union team. In the near future he hopes to go overseas and learn from the best teams around the world. For current and future students, he offers this valuable advice: “If you want to pursue sports, you have to love it. And if you want to work as a professional in sports, you must not only love it, but also contribute to the organiza-tion you work for. That said, no one can become a professional right off the bat, so it is important to search for opportunities that let you get a foot in the door. It’s difcult, but if you really love it, there is a way.”Becoming a Professional in the Sports WorldA Once in a Lifetime Opportunity19Student