Michael Kodama

Michael Kodama was the boys soccer coach at John Burroughs High School for over 30 years. He has been involved with soccer at the high school, club and recreational levels. He is a member of the United Soccer Coaches Association and was a Board Member of the Southern California High School Soccer Coaches Association. Professionally, he has taught at USC, Cal Poly Pomona, University of California and at UCLA. He is an Urban Planner who has worked with a number of communities throughout Southern California and the United States. 

Updated November 2020

sports en ja es pt

Nikkei Chronicles #9—More Than a Game: Nikkei Sports

Why Coach Sports? Bob Kodama’s Legacy Coaching Youth Sports

  • By Michael Kodama
  • 15 Nov 2020

My Father, Bob Seiko Kodama, was a Nisei born in Seattle, Washington in 1931. His parents operated hotels in Downtown Seattle. He spent the early part of his life exploring the waterfront. In 1942, along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans, Bob and his family were rounded up and sent to an internment camp. His family was sent to Minidoka, Idaho. It is hard to imagine what it is like to be 10 years old and be locked up by your country for how you look. While at Minidoka, Bob learned how to play baseball. He became good enough that ...

Read more