Hayashi Morozumi, 59, has stepped down as head coach at Tokai University following its 12th-place finish at this year's 102nd Hakone Ekiden. Morozumi will serve in an executive advisory role to Noriaki Nishide, 51, who moves up from the Tokai coaching staff to take on head coach duties.
Morozumi came to at his alma mater Tokai in 2011 after serving at head coach at Nagano's Saku Chosei H.S., where the team won the 2008 National High School Ekiden anchored by future marathon NR holder Suguru Osako. In 2019 Morozumi led Tokai to its first-ever Hakone title, making him the only coach to win both the biggest high school and college titles in his career.
When Morozumi became head coach at Saku Chosei in 1995 he personally drove a bulldozer to build a cross-country loop at the school, combining his innovative coaching theory with deep passion to build the Saku Chosei program from zero to national championships in just 13 years. Along with Osako, now 34, some of his key proteges at Saku Chosei included 2012 London Olympian Yuki Sato, 39, and 2009 World Championships team member Yuichiro Ueno, 40. It's a testament to Morozumi's methods that all 3 still compete professionally.
Recognizing his value, Tokai hired him in 2011. His first win there was at the 2017 Izumo Ekiden, with 2019 seeing both Hakone and National University Ekiden victories. In 2020 Tokai was 2nd at Hakone and it took 5th in 2021, but after that it faltered, failing to make the 10-deep podium in 2022 and not qualifying for the 2025 race. This year they made a partial comeback with a 12th-place finish, but after 5 years in a row off the podium the decision was made that Morozumi would step down after 15 years in charge.
With a reputation for scientific, data-driven coaching, Nishide will take over at the start of the new academic year next month. Morozumi's main role will be in scouting and recruiting top high school talent. On the 22nd he was already at work in this capacity, talking to coaches at the Ina High School Ekiden in Nagano. Although he'll now be working behind the scenes, Morozumi will still play an important role in helping Tokai get back to the top.
Hayashi Morozumi - born July 5, 1966 in Chino, Nagano. Entered Tokai University in 1985 after graduating from Tokai Daisan H.S. Place 9th on the Third Stage at Hakone his first year, 7th on the Third Stage his second year, 7th on the First Stage his third year, and 9th on the Second Stage his 4th year. Ran for the Nissan and Daiei corporate teams after graduating in 1989. Became head coach at Saku Chosei H.S. in 1995, then of Tokai in 2011. Won Hakone in 2019. Oldest son Shun is head coach at Tokai Sagami H.S., with middle son Yu pitching for Saku Chosei H.S. at the 2014 summer Koshien high school baseball championship.
Noriaki Nishide - Born Dec. 29, 1974 in Fukui. Ran the National High School Ekiden twice while at Mikata H.S. before attending Kobe Gakuin University, where he graduated in 1997. After completing coursework as a non-degree student in Tsukuba University's Department of Physical Education he became head coach at Mikata before becoming Morozumi's second in command at Tokai in 2014. He holds an associate professor position at Tokai.
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translated by Brett Larner
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