List of Inductees 2007
Hiroshi
Toyoda
Builder
Hiroshi Toyoda enjoyed an outstanding coaching career in his native Japan, as a player and as a coach. He worked with the National Team in Japan prepare for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. A specialist in exercise physiology, he instituted a program of weight training that led to the development of a distinctive Japanese way of playing the game. So successful was this approach that the Japanese women won the gold and the men bronze at the Games.
Hiroshi Toyoda
Hiroshi went on to serve in many roles with the Japanese Volleyball Association including Executive Director and Managing Director. Active with the FIVB, he was a Member and Chair of the Rules of the Game Commission, Chair of the Technical Commission and also of the Coaching Commission, in addition to being member of the Board.
In 1974, Hiroshi came to the University of Alberta to work with the Canadian team in preparation for the 1976 Montreal Olympics and to help develop coaches and players in Canada. During his 8 month stay in Canada, he criss-crossed the country working to introduce the Japanese style and training methods to coaches and players. As a result, he greatly influenced the introduction of the Asian style of play into Canada and in particular, into Western Canada.
Hiroshi maintained close ties with Canada and returned to conduct numerous clinics over the years and was also instrumental in sending many coaches to Canada for exchanges.