ESPN2 program Sunday about Shoreline native Masaki Matsumoto

Masaki Matsumoto

Shoreline native and 2001 Kings High School grad Masaki Matsumoto will be featured in an "E60" story on the ESPN2 TV channel on Sunday, August 14.

Matsumoto was featured last year on an "E60" report on ESPN2 for his work as an assistant football coach in California. (see previous article)

In his first year as an assistant football coach in inner city Bernstein High School in Hollywood, California, he asked parents of his players to write letters to their children, telling them something positive and how much they were loved. The players were given the letters to read before practice.

From the Los Angeles Times, "When 45 varsity football players arrived at the school's gymnasium in July, they anticipated performing conditioning exercises. Instead, each was handed an envelope and told to find a quiet spot where he could read what was inside and reflect. 

"What happened next took everyone by surprise. For the next 15 minutes or so, wherever Matsumoto looked he saw players sobbing — against walls, in corners, bent over in chairs."

Matsumoto got the idea from Bothell coach Tom Bainter. Matsumoto said that a lot of teams get letters for their players, but it was a new concept for his Los Angeles school.

His team, which had a three year record of 4-36, compiled an overall record of 29-8 under his coaching.

Matsumoto, named 2014 King’s Distinguished Alumni, is now a football coach at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, another inner city school.

His mother, Keiko, lives in Shoreline.

The show on Sunday is "E60" The Letterman. There are two airings of the show, one at 8:00am and the one is at 5:30pm.

The 30 minute program is a follow up to last year's program and includes more stories about students, and details about Matsumoto's personal life.