ISB Student Spotlight: An Alumni’s journey to the ATP

ISB Student Spotlight: An Alumni’s Journey to the ATP

It is often hard to know where a certain pathway in life will lead you. For many students, the benefits of an education at an international school like International School Bangkok (ISB) and the opportunities this type of education affords you, might only be fully understood later. Our alumni are some of the best examples, showing how their time at ISB has served them in their life, and what unique opportunities became available to them.

For Shuhei Suzuki, ISB Graduate of 2002, his journey through ISB and to college led him to become the first Asian physiotherapist on the prestigious ATP Tour, where he works with some of the top professional tennis players in the world. When at ISB, Shuhei participated in cross country, tennis, and track & field during High School. He was especially noted for his contributions to the IASAS champion Panther Harriers as he was an IASAS cross country runner all four years in high school and was a team captain as a junior and as a senior.

After graduating from ISB in ‘02, Shuhei attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology (Athletic Training), demonstrating that the love for sports and athletics he showed at ISB was becoming his life’s passion. He then continued his studies by attending the University of Pittsburgh, where he became a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2012. He followed that by attending the orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship program recognized by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT).

Shuhei Suzuki’s extraordinary expertise as a physical therapist afforded him the opportunity to work for the United States Tennis Association as a tournament athletic trainer for a number of years.  This experience led Shuhei to his current position as a Staff Physiotherapist with the ATP Tour.  Shuhei is proud to represent Japan and all of Asia, “It’s rewarding to support the players on the tour, including the four grand slam tournaments.” 

Here’s what he says about his time at ISB and his current situation: “I often find myself reflecting on the global / diverse environment I was surrounded by during my time at ISB, and how that translates to the environment I work in today. I feel right at home working in this environment. It has been a nice treat to be able to see some ISB friends from time to time on the road as well.”

Shuhei and his young family have a home base in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  While the pandemic year of 2020 did present some obvious challenges, the ATP Tour was able to continue, with even better things in store in 2021 and beyond.

Our Students

Shuhei is a role model for our current students, and we are proud of all his achievements. His reflection on how ISB’s diverse environment supports him in his work today speaks to the importance of our ongoing commitment at ISB to maintain an inclusive, diverse and caring environment where each student feels they belong.