Episode 21 

Shu explains to Nick how understanding the art of coaching wrestling has helped him become a better educator.   ​Shu explains to Nick how wrestling is the most egalitarian sport in the world. The weight classes enable the skinniest lightest student and the heaviest students in the school still have an opportunity to win within their weight class. And the techniques can often be acquired within a high school, unlike sports like basketball and soccer where playing the sport in elementary and middle school is often imperative for a student to excel at the high school level. Shu also explains to Nick how the nature of the sport being a contact/combat sport brings together the team, and makes it the ultimate "team sport", despite the events being 1 v 1.  The former Far East champion wrestler speaks to Nick about his psychologically and physically most challenging moments as a St. Mary's wrestler.   Wrestling was kicked out of the Olympics in 2013, and since then, many changes have taken place in the sport. ​The two discuss how the rules of wrestling have changed in recent years, and how those changes have affected wrestling today. Shu explains how the coaching standards were changed in 2013, and how he was part of the first cohort for international coaching in 2014.   The two discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a 3-season sport system vs a year-long sports system, and how it is contingent upon the athlete in regards to which methodology works best for him or her.  

Shuichiro Yabui ​

After graduating St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Mr. Yabui earned his B.B.A. from Temple University; serving as the president of the student government and graduating top of his class. During his high school wrestling career, he accomplished to be a 3-time DoDDs (Department of Defense Dependent schools) Far East wrestling champion. ​ After graduating university, he developed a unique English learning curriculum and founded Yabui School of English, providing English teaching and translation services.  Later on, he assumed position as the head wrestling coach at his alma mater and led the team to win 4 consecutive DoDDs Far East tournament titles for the first time in school history. In 2014, he was certified as Asia’s first United World Wrestling (UWW) Educator. As an Educator, he supports in the development of national coaches mainly in the Asia and Oceania regions.  Currently, he teaches the International Baccalaureate Economics course and Business Ethics as the high school social studies department head at St. Mary’s. Using his bilingual ability, he also serves as the Chair of the International Relations Committee of the Japan Masters Wrestling Federation as well as assists in UWW’s coach education development projects and media translations.