Growing up in Japan, Kota Omizu ’24 loved to play sports—first baseball, then American football in high school. But playing football in Japan came with challenges.

“Sports medicine in Japan isn’t as structured as it should be, especially in youth high-risk sports like football,” he said. “Supporting staff isn’t always available in case of sport emergencies.”

That concern for athlete safety inspired him to study athletic training in college. After researching programs across the United States, he chose Iowa State for its strong athletic training program, scholarship opportunities, and safe, welcoming environment.

Omizu graduated in five years with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in athletic training, along with a second major in psychology. Today, he works with the minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. He credits Iowa State with helping him launch his career, pointing to the supportive faculty, hands-on clinical experiences, and professional opportunities.

During his time at Iowa State, Omizu completed clinical rotations with several sports teams, including football, women’s basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and track and field.

“You learn a lot about being professional, directing treatment and rehab, and communicating with athletes,” he said. “And I was able to learn a lot from my professors and clinical preceptors.”

The hands-on experience Omizu gained at Iowa State helped him land a summer internship with the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I knew previous Iowa State students had interned with teams like the Colts and the Packers,” he said. After speaking with Mark Coberley, Iowa State’s associate director of sports medicine, Coberley connected him with Chiefs staff, including Evan Craft, another athletic training graduate from Iowa State.

“The Chiefs’ championship mindset comes from the smallest things. Everything you do matters, no matter how small,” he said. “And you have to be well-prepared and ready to handle emergency situations.”

After graduating from Iowa State, Omizu applied to several jobs, including one with the Rockies organization in the Dominican Republic. While that role wasn’t the right fit, the Rockies kept his résumé on file. A few weeks later, an opening came up with the Arizona Complex League Rockies, their rookie-level affiliate, and Omizu got the call.

He worked with the rookie league team from June to August 2024, then stayed on through the off-season camps. This season, he joined the Fresno Grizzlies, the Rockies’ minor league affiliate, where he continues to support athletes’ health and performance.

Omizu enjoys the rhythm of baseball season and values the chance to build trust with athletes.

“You want to be their go-to person, not just when they’re injured, but every day,” he said. “Show them you care, so they know they can come to you when they need something.”

Eventually, Omizu hopes to spend baseball off-seasons in Japan, helping improve sports at all levels and ensuring athletes have access to high-quality resources.

“I’m able to build connections here with so many different athletic trainers and learn what practices are best,” he said. “I want to apply that to different settings. I hope to be able to educate young athletes so they can take better care of themselves, and to help coaches recognize injuries and emergencies.”

For students just starting out in athletic training, Omizu’s advice is simple: take advantage of every available opportunity.

“You never know where you’ll end up or which experiences will help you down the road,” he said. “My classmates and I went in all different directions after we graduated from Iowa State—some work with factory employees, some with physicians in clinics, some at colleges, some with sports teams. But we all took advantage of every opportunity, and that’s how we’re all succeeding in our careers.”