By: Katee Aguirre
Tempe, Ariz.- With the nationally acclaimed Kajikawa Classic approaching this upcoming weekend, head Arizona State Softball Coach, Trisha Ford, invited Dr. Christine Kajikawa-Wilkinson out to speak to the team about her father, William (Bill) Kajikawa, and the legacy he left at ASU.
Dr. Wilkinson, an Arizona State alumna herself, currently holds not only the title of senior vice president and secretary at ASU, but also president CEO of the ASU alumni association and the managing director of ASU trustees, making her the highest-ranking female executive at ASU.
Her father, Bill Kajikawa was an ASU graduate who earned his bachelor's degree in 1937 before completing a master's degree in 1948. While an undergrad, Kajikawa was a member of the varsity football team. In 1937, Kajikawa began his coaching career at ASU with the Arizona State Teacher's College freshman football team. In addition, he served as head basketball coach from 1948 to 1957, and he was head coach of ASU's club baseball team from 1947 to 1957. Before retiring in 1978, Kajikawa had worked as the freshman football coach under a total nine ASU head football coaches.
During World War II, Kajikawa took his only hiatus from ASU to serve with distinction in the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd combat regiment, manned entirely by Japanese Americans, was the Army's most decorated combat unit.
Kajikawa, who was a professor emeritus of physical education at ASU, was recognized on April 6, 1995, in a ceremony that named the Sun Devil football practice field The Bill Kajikawa Practice Facility. He was also inducted into the Arizona Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968 and the ASU Hall of Distinction in 1982.
The Kajikawa family became involved with the softball program in 1998, when Linda Wells invited Bill Kajikawa to throw out the first pitch at a home softball game. Five months later, his wife of 52 years passed away.
Dr. Wilkinson told the team that after that game, Bill Kajikawa told her, "I need to go back and support the team more." The following 11 years, Wilkinson and her father were at almost every practice, all of the ASU home games, and traveled with the team to the NCAA tournaments. Kajikawa passed away on February 15, 2010 at the age of 97 years old but Dr. Wilkinson expressed that, "Softball was his team."
"The past four years I have played in the Kajikawa Classic, but nerver knew the history behind Bill Kajikawa or the struggles that he went through at ASU," said senior Sashel Palacios. "It was nice to have his daughter come and talk about her dad. It taught me that he was a big influence, not only on the softball program, but the university as a whole. Dr. Wilkinson is also a good leader and someone for all of us to look up in athletics. It was great to hear the history behind this event."
The Kajikawa Classic is an annual tournament held in Tempe, Arizona that is known to be one of the largest softball tournaments throughout college softball. The 2017 Kajikawa Classic is slated to begin this Thursday, and will feature 51 games played by 19 teams on five separate fields. The Sun Devils will begin their season on Thursday afternoon with a
Tempe, Ariz.- With the nationally acclaimed Kajikawa Classic approaching this upcoming weekend, head Arizona State Softball Coach, Trisha Ford, invited Dr. Christine Kajikawa-Wilkinson out to speak to the team about her father, William (Bill) Kajikawa, and the legacy he left at ASU.
Dr. Wilkinson, an Arizona State alumna herself, currently holds not only the title of senior vice president and secretary at ASU, but also president CEO of the ASU alumni association and the managing director of ASU trustees, making her the highest-ranking female executive at ASU.
Her father, Bill Kajikawa was an ASU graduate who earned his bachelor's degree in 1937 before completing a master's degree in 1948. While an undergrad, Kajikawa was a member of the varsity football team. In 1937, Kajikawa began his coaching career at ASU with the Arizona State Teacher's College freshman football team. In addition, he served as head basketball coach from 1948 to 1957, and he was head coach of ASU's club baseball team from 1947 to 1957. Before retiring in 1978, Kajikawa had worked as the freshman football coach under a total nine ASU head football coaches.
During World War II, Kajikawa took his only hiatus from ASU to serve with distinction in the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd combat regiment, manned entirely by Japanese Americans, was the Army's most decorated combat unit.
Kajikawa, who was a professor emeritus of physical education at ASU, was recognized on April 6, 1995, in a ceremony that named the Sun Devil football practice field The Bill Kajikawa Practice Facility. He was also inducted into the Arizona Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968 and the ASU Hall of Distinction in 1982.
The Kajikawa family became involved with the softball program in 1998, when Linda Wells invited Bill Kajikawa to throw out the first pitch at a home softball game. Five months later, his wife of 52 years passed away.
Dr. Wilkinson told the team that after that game, Bill Kajikawa told her, "I need to go back and support the team more." The following 11 years, Wilkinson and her father were at almost every practice, all of the ASU home games, and traveled with the team to the NCAA tournaments. Kajikawa passed away on February 15, 2010 at the age of 97 years old but Dr. Wilkinson expressed that, "Softball was his team."
"The past four years I have played in the Kajikawa Classic, but nerver knew the history behind Bill Kajikawa or the struggles that he went through at ASU," said senior Sashel Palacios. "It was nice to have his daughter come and talk about her dad. It taught me that he was a big influence, not only on the softball program, but the university as a whole. Dr. Wilkinson is also a good leader and someone for all of us to look up in athletics. It was great to hear the history behind this event."
The Kajikawa Classic is an annual tournament held in Tempe, Arizona that is known to be one of the largest softball tournaments throughout college softball. The 2017 Kajikawa Classic is slated to begin this Thursday, and will feature 51 games played by 19 teams on five separate fields. The Sun Devils will begin their season on Thursday afternoon with a