Rin Nakai Article From Beginning of Career

The following is an article written about Rin Nakai in May of 2007, when Rin was preparing for her 2nd fight, for Ninomiya Sports;

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At Minamidaini JHS (Island of Shikoku) they don't have a Judo Club, so Nakai had to go train at a dojo 3 days a week. It was during this time, starting with her 1st year student that she started going to the Japan JHS Judo Tournament, when she was a 3rd year student she placed 5th in 48kg.

At this point Nakai thought, "If I can get 5th in the country going to the dojo 3 days a week, I can rank even higher in high school if I start going every day, right?"

In high school, in order that she could go all out in Judo, she went to school in Tokyo, Tokai University Takanawadai Junior and Senior High School. She left her home and went to go live in a dorm. Nakai tells me that she wasn't nervous, "I was fairly confident. My parents told me to bloom into a person so I looked forward to it. I didn't even get homesick (laughter)"

During her time in high school, she wasn't able to get a hold of a title but she ended up being ranked 3rd at 52kg. Upon her graduation, like so many Judoka, her goal and aspiration was to go to the Olympics. So when she graduated she was invited to Teikyo University, a school known for female Judoka. After entering school, during her first year she tragically suffered a severe injury.

Being extremely troubled, she resigned from school and returned home to Shikoku. It was the biggest setback of her life, up to that point.

"When I came home, I fell into a substantial slump. I became like a shut-in and withdrew, for about 6 months, without doing anything, I was just in the house, I no longer had any confidence, all I could do was dwell on what would I do now…"

Her motivation to get back on her feet came from her parent's words. They told her that she was spending all of her time in the house because she was troubled, she was in a jam, that she needed to do something. They recommended that she at least go outside and run every day. So she started running and while she was running her mind became at ease and allowed her to think about things. Her parents told her that to try to go to school will cost money. She also began to think that she was only 19, doing nothing right now isn't serving any purpose.

She also started to think to herself about what she was going to do. It wasn't too late to go to college and study. Baseball players, soccer players, athletes, they are all similar. They have a pride in their craft, when they were young they dreamt about it, because of those dreams they yearn for it even more.

"I thought that I can't do anything but sports and that I want to bloom into a person. Then it all came together. A light went on in my head, Martial Arts. I had always liked watching PRIDE and HERO'S on TV. In those rings there were a lot of Judoka who flourished. I didn't have the skills yet but I wanted to try to do it."

During that time WMMA still had a ways to go, it was a little thing, but right now it is more popular than ever. 

Nakai is an extremely fascinating and charming person.