Japanese coach joins Tigersharks

Maybe the local swim team should change its name to the Carson International Tigersharks.

Over the years, the Carson Tigersharks swim club has had a tradition of bringing on coaches with an international experience and background. Current Head Coach Jim Puleo has plenty of experience on the international scene, conducting clinics abroad and coaching swimmers who have competed in the World Championships and Olympics.

The latest international addition to the Tigersharks is Nobuko Mojiri, who has come from Japan to be the club's age group coach. Mojiri joined the club less than two weeks ago. The 30-year-old Mojiri has been involved in swimming all of her life since growing up in a small, rural town in Southwest Japan about an hour's train-ride away from Osaka.

With the Tigersharks, Mojiri works mainly with swimmers in the age range from 9 to about 14 and it's her job to hopefully develop those swimmers to someday join Puleo's elite squad.

She competed in the junior national championships in Japan and went on to become a swim coach in the community where she grew up. But to achieve her goal to become a prominent swim coach she knew she had to come to the United States and has been in this country since she was 23. "I want to be a more successful, more stronger coach for my career," Mojiri said.

Another reason for coming to the U.S. was the chance to specialize more as a swim coach. In Japan, Mojiri took physical education classes, but said, "I didn't want to bge a P.E. teacher."

"Maybe I can study about swimming in this country," said Mojiri about why she came to the U.S.

Her journey took her to Terre Haute, Ind., where she studied for eight months at Indiana State University. She ended up in Ames, Iowa at Iowa State University where she was for five years and studied exercise science. She also served as an assistant for the Iowa State women's swim team and for the Ames Cyclone Aquatic Club.

Puleo's international background was one reason why she came to Carson City. "Jim he was really interesting to me," she said.

She suffered some culture shock in Indiana, but Mojiri said her experience in Iowa and so far in Carson City has been positive. "People are so friendly," said Mojiri about her time in Iowa and Carson City. "They are so kind."

While Mojiri is enjoying her time in Carson City, she obviously wants to move on to bigger and better things. "I want to get more responsibility," she said.

INGLIMA UPDATE

Vince Inglima, a 2002 Carson High graduate, is off to a solid start with Division II Sonoma State in men's basketball. The 6-5 junior forward has started all 11 games for Sonoma (6-5, 3-1), which is tied for first in the California College Athletic Association.

Inglima, who transferred from Cabrillo College, had a season-high 16 points in a win over BYU-Hawaii, which was ranked No. 9 in Division II in the country at the time.

For the season, Inglima is averaging 7.3 points and 2.2 rebounds. He has shot 48.1 percent from three-point range (13-of-27) and 90.5 percent from the foul line (19-of-21). Sonoma's next game is at home on Friday against Cal State Los Angeles.

Charles Whisnand is the Nevada Appeal Sports Editor. Contact him at cwhisnand@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1281.