<Begin Segment 41>

FF: And coaching has been such an inspiring thing because see, you're not teaching academia, you're talking about talent, and to mold that, to be a teacher that molds that. I thought that was real key. And I was not going to be this jock who thinks he's a hotshot player of the past, or a guy that knows lots of plays, but just molding the mentality of what their level is, and take 'em at that level and achieve a specific goal. And I think when you do that, if you're real good... I feel not very many Nikkei or Niseis have done that. They have now, there's a lot of coaches in California who are Niseis, or rather Sanseis, Yonseis who are coaches and doing well. I'm proud of that, but I think, I think our nature lends itself for that, I really think -- that's where I think "Nikkeism" has been a plus. Because for some reason kids want trust, they want sincerity, they want direction, they want consistency and I think those things you gotta have, I think, when you coach. Because if you start being demanding about, "Well, you're never gonna be a pro, you're never gonna be a college star" -- you don't talk like that. I know there's coaches that do that, but I've always been practical and I've always, never gave false hope... so I have no regrets to talk to some of them of the past who might come to talk to me, and not say, "Yeah, you told me I was going to be a pro," or something. Never, never. I always tell them, "Yeah, you show me that you're all-city material plus you're academic and go to four years college and get your degree. Yeah, then I'll, I'll believe you," and whatever. So I feel real lucky. My memories, I could still remember so many funny things and good things about coaching.

Let me just say this one thing. When we won city championship, there was one brother who, whose family of thirteen came to see me, and he was sort of a big monstrosity of a guy and his supposedly bodyguard and he says, "Yeah, we're celebrating in the locker room with 7-Up," or whatever it was. And he says, "I want Fuj, to talk to coach Fujii." And I said -- someone said, "Coach Fujii, yeah, okay. Well, tell him to come in." He says, "No, he wants to talk to you outside." I said, gee, what could this be? It couldn't be something bad, because we had won Seattle City, Seattle City Championship. He came and then he shook my hand real tightly and he says, "You know what, Fuj?" and I said, "What?" And he says, "My brother Lester has... and none of the thirteen in our family ever won anything in their life and to win the city championship and see him up there holding the trophy with you guys, it meant," gee, I was touched. And I thought, "Wow." And I thought that was a great story because this kid wasn't the most... he was, had kind of a criminal record. Not a bad one, but juvenile record, should I say. And for him to be part of this championship team and his brother, who's, I won't know his background, but I know he's someone important in the community, but for him to shake my hand and said it with tears in his eyes. He says boy, he was so proud and I thought, to me those are the things that make it worthwhile, you know, coaching. And I think the trophy, yeah. But trophies can be forgotten, but memories of people and the pluses of feeling and for me to say to my brothers and sisters that hey, I'm proud and happy. I couldn't be any luckier. Many were upset with me because I quit coaching, but I said, you know, I don't want to be at Franklin when your children, children's children come there and say, "You mean you're Mr. Fujii that I had, my father had you?" I didn't want that. But no, I wanted to move on. I wanted to try, and different things... so things have worked out for me and I feel... I always, so far, like to think that I've made the right decisions, and I think my wife would concur on that, 'cause she never really said, "Do this or do that," or, "Did you do, did you think about this or did you think?" No... she usually, we, we talked about it but she always left it up to me. So that, that's what a good relationship was all about. And for what we're worth, we, like I say, we have no regrets that way.

<End Segment 41> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.