On March 11, 2011, a devastating 8.9 scale earthquake hit the country of Japan, causing yet another deadly natural disaster, a 10 meter high tsunami that destroyed the lives and homes of many residents of Japan and the Pacific Coast.
Noritoshi Shirakawa, ATC, former LSU Athletic Training Student (2007-2010) and current Certified Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Illinois is a native of Japan. Nori was an excellent student in the LSU Athletic Training Education Program, and was the award winner of the prestigious Academic Achievement Award two years in a row, as well as the NATA Research and Education Foundation Master's Scholarship in 2010. He was assigned to Football in 2007 and was part of the 2007 National Championship team. Nori was also part of very successful Track and Field and Softball programs. In the summers of 2008 and 2009, Nori also fulfilled interests in completing an NFL Internship with the Houston Texans and an MLB Intership with the Texas Rangers. Working with his native country, Nori also provided medical services to the Nippon Tornados, an independent semi-professional basketball team.
Minekazu (Kaz) Isobe, ATC, is also a former LSU Athletic Training Student (2005-2008) and native of Japan. Kaz was an outstanding Athletic Training Student at LSU, receiving the Academic Achievement Award in 2006-2007. He also participated in an NFL Internship with the Houston Texans in 2009. Kaz currently resides in Hiroshima, Japan, which is about 650 miles away from the devastation. He has been working as an Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japanese Professional Soccer Team in the J. League Division I. To help out LSU Alumni and those affected by the disaster in Japan and the Pacific Coast, please make a donation to the American Red Cross. Donations can be made in the name of the disaster, and can be made either online or by mail. We ask that you please take the time to support the LSU Alumni in this difficult time. To make a donation, visit the
American Red Cross website.
On March 11, 2011, a devastating 8.9 scale earthquake hit the country of Japan, causing yet another deadly natural disaster, a 10 meter high tsunami that destroyed the lives and homes of many residents of Japan and the Pacific Coast. 
Noritoshi Shirakawa, ATC, former LSU Athletic Training Student (2007-2010) and current Certified Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Illinois is a native of Japan. Nori was an excellent student in the LSU Athletic Training Education Program, and was the award winner of the prestigious Academic Achievement Award two years in a row, as well as the NATA Research and Education Foundation Master's Scholarship in 2010. He was assigned to Football in 2007 and was part of the 2007 National Championship team. Nori was also part of very successful Track and Field and Softball programs. In the summers of 2008 and 2009, Nori also fulfilled interests in completing an NFL Internship with the Houston Texans and an MLB Intership with the Texas Rangers. Working with his native country, Nori also provided medical services to the Nippon Tornados, an independent semi-professional basketball team. 
Minekazu (Kaz) Isobe, ATC, is also a former LSU Athletic Training Student (2005-2008) and native of Japan. Kaz was an outstanding Athletic Training Student at LSU, receiving the Academic Achievement Award in 2006-2007. He also participated in an NFL Internship with the Houston Texans in 2009. Kaz currently resides in Hiroshima, Japan, which is about 650 miles away from the devastation. He has been working as an Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japanese Professional Soccer Team in the J. League Division I. To help out LSU Alumni and those affected by the disaster in Japan and the Pacific Coast, please make a donation to the American Red Cross. Donations can be made in the name of the disaster, and can be made either online or by mail. We ask that you please take the time to support the LSU Alumni in this difficult time. To make a donation, visit the American Red Cross website. 