Sports
Volleyball Star Sato Joins West Hills as Co-Coach
The former Olympian and defensive specialist will join Jamie Bean in guiding the Wolf Pack girls team.
Eric Sato, a former standout with the U.S. National Men's Volleyball Team and a member of the USVBA 75th anniversary All-Era team, has been named co-head coach for the West Hills High girls volleyball team.
Sato, a defensive specialist (now known as libero), captured a gold medal at the 1986 world championships in Paris, then Olympic gold at the 1988 Seoul Games.
His international resume also features a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when Sato was recognized as the best defensive player in the world, along with numerous other domestic and international successes.
Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Sato will share coaching duties with Jamie Bean, a school counselor, who has been the head coach of the Wolf Pack for the past several years.
Sato's coaching resume is equally impressive as his playing career.
Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
After coaching Grossmont College to a pair of Pacific Coast Conference crowns (1999-2000), Sato guided Francis Parker to six CIFSDS section championship matches over his seven seasons with the Lancers, winning four times, with two of those teams (2004-05) going on to capture the state championship.
Sato's success with the 2004 Parker team landed him both the section and state Coach of the Year awards.
One of the first duties for the Sato-Bean coaching tandem will be this Thursday's freshmen orientation, slated for the West Hills gymnasium.
