College before moving on to UC Santa Barbara, where he was an AllAmerican outside hitter.
Dr. Gary Sato
Sato is the eldest of six children known worldwide for their contributions to the sport. Brother Eric won the Olympic gold medal with the U.S. Men in 1988 and a bronze in 1992. Sister Liane won the Olympic bronze medal with the U.S. Women in 1992 and also played on the ’88 Olympic team. Brothers Scott (San Diego State) and Glenn (Loyola Marymount) both played college volleyball and Glenn also coached.
Assistant Coach * Third Year Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Dr. Gary Sato (Los Angeles) had been involved with the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team for more than 20 years when he rejoined the team as assistant coach under Head Coach Alan Knipe in the summer of 2009. “After seeing the teams perform so well at the Olympic Games in Beijing, it rekindled the fire in me,” Sato said. “The situation with the men’s program, being in Anaheim and the women moving there was similar to the circumstances when I first joined the program in 1984 (when both teams were based in San Diego). “I’m excited to be back. I was telling people that USA Volleyball had gone green and they recycled me.”
Sato graduated with a degree in kinesiology from Pepperdine University where he took over the head coaching position of the women’s team in 1979 and held it until 1982. He has also won two NCAA National Championships as an assistant and volunteer coach with Pepperdine’s men’s volleyball teams in 1978 and 2005. From 1989-92 Sato studied at the Southern California University of Health Sciences and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Just prior to rejoining the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2009, Sato worked at Sato Chiropractic along with serving as a coach for the Santa Monica Beach Volleyball Club and as the technical director for the Sinjin Smith Volleyball Academy HAX. Sato has three children: Andrew, Katie and Malia.
In his first year back as an assistant coach, he helped the team to a 16-6 record, including a victory at the FIVB World Championship Qualifier, a second-place finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship and a sixth-place in the FIVB World League. In 2010, he helped the U.S. Men to a 14-7 record, including a sixth place finish at the FIVB World Championship and an eight place in the FIVB World League. He also coached the U.S. Men’s Youth Team, which included his son, Andrew, to a second-place finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2011, he helped the U.S. Men to a 26-15 record. The team reached the World League Final Round, took the bronze medal at the London International Invitational and won the silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship. Sato first served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Team from 198488, including the team that won the 1988 Olympic gold medal in Seoul. His brother, Eric, was a player on that team. He was also an assistant for the teams that won the 1986 World Championship and the 1987 Pan American Games. Sato served as head coach for the U.S. Men’s gold-medal win at the 1985 FIVB World Cup in Japan and was voted the Most Valuable Coach of the tournament. In 1992 he returned as assistant coach for the Olympic Team that won the bronze medal. Sato’s coaching career has included pro beach championships and he was the head coach for the U.S. beach team at the 2007 Pan American Games. Sato played volleyball at Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica
104