Coach Nagakubo Hiroshi retires

According to the Japanese news report:
http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASKBG56VXKBGUTQP01Y.html

Coach Nagakubo has made an announcement that he will retire from his coach position at Howa sportsland in Nagoya, Japan. His former students include Takeshi Honda, Shizuka Arakawa, and Suzuki Akiko (he also taught Mao Asada temporarily after Vancouver Olympics). Coach Nagakubo started coaching at the rinks in Sendai, where he taught skaters including Honda, Arakawa, and also Nanami Abe (Hanyu's former coach). Later on he moved from Sendai to Nagoya in 2006 and has been teaching at Howa sportsland since then.

There was no detail as for why Coach Nagakubo decides to retire,other than stating that he has to take long term rests due to family situation.

(Adding: the current skaters coaching by Nagakubo include: Rika Hongo, Rin Nitaya, Yuhana Yokoi, Sota Yamamoto...and other skaters who train mainly at Howa)

Thanks for the information! I wonder who will take up the students?

I hope everything is well with him and his family, I do not know much about him, but I know he was very important to Akiko not just as a coach. That is unfortunate especially for Rika, maybe she can go with Sato at least this season.

> Coach Nagakubo has made an announcement that he will retire from his coach position at Howa sportsland in Nagoya, Japan. There was no detail as for why Coach Nagakubo decides to retire,other than stating that he has to take long term rests due to family situation.

To be accurate, he resigned as of September 3 to "take a long break necessary due to a family situation. It is unclear if or when he will return."
Must be tough for his elite students, especially Rika.

Am I weird to think that you don't need a 'reason' to retire at 70?

All the best to Coach Nagakubo, who liked to wear stylish hats at the rinkside!

Sai Bon said:

Must be tough for his elite students, especially Rika.

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I'm more concerned about Sota. His recovery has been so slow.

Oh what an unfortunate situation. I wish him all the best of course, and to his students too, that are not in an enviable position now.

mikeko666 said:

I'm more concerned about Sota. His recovery has been so slow.

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He should try and get to TCC

I just read this in Team Japan's thread. I will miss seeing him at the Boards
and in the K&C, a familiar face for so many years.

Wishing him the best in his retirement and thank you to Coach Nagakubo for all of your hard work
and dedication to your skaters and to team Japan.