• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Features
  • Campus News
  • CSUDH.edu
  • Contact
  • People
    • Staff Spotlight
    • Faculty Highlights
    • Alumni
  • Magazine
  • For Journalists
    • CSUDH In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Facts and Figures
    • Find Media Experts
    • Gallery
    • News Reporting on Campus

CSUDH News

The primary source of news and information about California State University, Dominguez Hills, its students, faculty, and staff.

You are here: Home / Archive / News / Toro Baseball’s Su’a Represents Toros and MLB’s Urban Youth Academy in Japan

Toro Baseball’s Su’a Represents Toros and MLB’s Urban Youth Academy in Japan

July 11, 2011

Toro Baseball’s head coach Murphy Su’a was selected to serve as head coach in the fifth annual USA-Japan Friendly Series, which took place in Tokyo and Osaka in late June. He led a group of 18 local high school players who regularly train at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy (UYA) in Compton to a four-game series against the citywide Tokyo All-Stars, Akashi Commercial High School, and Osaka Toin High School. Although the UYA team lost all four games, their coach says that it was a winning team on a more personal level.

Toros baseball coach Murphy Su’a (at front left) exchanges gifts with Yoshitaka Nishitami, head coach, Akashi Commercial High School in Hyogo, Japan.

Su’a says that the trip to Japan was for the UYA students was “simply amazing,” and that the UYA team looked forward to playing the Tokyo All-Stars.

“The atmosphere had the feel of the World Olympic Games,” recalls Su’a. “We briefed our players on the style of play in Japan [since] only one player had been exposed to their dynamic and regimented approach to the game.”

The UYA provided a venue for the 2010 NCAA West Region Baseball Tournament in 2010, hosted by CSU Dominguez Hills. Su’a continues the relationship by volunteering at UYA’s camps, clinics, and seminars. He says that the trip enabled the team from Compton to learn about the many similarities between themselves and the Japanese student athletes.

“Players on both sides of the field were highly committed to the sport of baseball and played the game with great passion. They both have the challenges of balancing academics and athletics among other responsibilities. Many are hoping to continue their baseball careers in college and/or playing at the professional level while others will struggle with the reality of having to hang up their cleats after their high school career,” says Su’a.  “They most likely share similar social, economic, and emotional challenges like many youth their age.  However, regardless of uniform, language. or culture it was obvious to see that when they were on the baseball field, life was good and nothing else mattered.”

Su’a says that their hosts in Osaka and Tokyo kept an “impressive” itinerary for their visitors and made certain that the group was able to experience the most treasured monuments and historical sites in both cities.

“I personally gained a great love and respect for the Japanese people and culture and I know everyone that made the trip including players, coaches, officials, and parents will retain something from this experience for the rest of their lives,” says Su’a.

For the full story and photo gallery on www.gotoros.com, click here.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Faculty, Social Work, Students

Primary Sidebar

Social Media

Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
LinkedIn
SOCIALICON

Recent Campus News

student and advisor at the CHHSN Success Center

New Student Success Centers Open Their Doors

In Conversation with Lauren Halsey

Amber Riley onstage

Amber Riley Shares Struggles, Triumphs at Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series

2022 Division II Conference Commissioners Association West Region Player of the Year Sulaiman Bah

Sulaiman Bah Named West Region Player of the Year

CSUDH student at computer

CSUDH Receives $5.3 Million to Address Digital Divide in the South Bay

... see all Campus News

Recently In the News

Students using microscopes

Insight into Diversity: California Grant Expands Health Professions Access for Underrepresented Students

January 4, 2023

Video still: 2:24 CSUDH can boast about graduating 5 current mayors

NBC4: CSUDH Can Boast about Graduating 5 Current Mayors

December 16, 2022

Recent graduates holding certificates from the Small Business Growth Academy

Daily Breeze: Carson Celebrates 1st Graduates of Small Business Growth Academy

December 16, 2022

... see all In the News

Footer

California State University, Dominguez Hills Logo

1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747
1-310-243-2001 • Send Email

Related Sites

  • csudh.edu
  • magazine.csudh.edu
  • gotoros.com

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get CSUDH News directly in your inbox

Copyright © 2023 · California State University, Dominguez Hills