|
 |
Tsutomu Kawabuchi |
|
| Born May 16, 1925. Tsutomu Kawabuchi was a key part of the Iwakuragumi club for almost 20 years, as a player for 10 years and a coach for nine. He helped establish the Iwakuragumi franchise reputation in Japan. Kawabuchi coached the 1962 IIHF B Pool World Championship where Japan won gold. Kawabuchi organized the first ever Asian Oceanic Junior Championship in Hokkaido back in 1983, and played a big role as a Team Leader for Japan and as an organizer for the following Asian Oceanic Championships. In 1991, with the establishment of a women's club the Iwakura Peregrine, Kawabuchi launched what went on to be major development for the women's program, attaining success both within Japan as well as internationally. These efforts were rewarded as Kawabuchi is largely responsible for making women's ice hockey an official Olympic event for the first time during the 1998 Games in Nagano. |
|
|
|
