The Akita Northern Happinets gained valuable experience as the back-to-back championship runner-up squad the past two seasons, but they didn¡¯t fulfill their ultimate goal.
Despite the disappointment of losing consecutive title games, the Northern Happinets remain one of the league¡¯s elite teams.
It all starts with a deep roster and a coach, hometown hero Makoto Hasegawa, who has been in the league since its inception in 2005, first as a player (Niigata Albirex BB, then Akita) and now as a bench boss. He is in his second season at the helm.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.