There may still be three years to go until the Tokyo Olympics, but Japan women's softball national team head coach Reika Utsugi and players Yukiko Ueno and Eri Yamada are already psyched up.
Because they absolutely know how big of a deal it is for their sport to be in the Olympics.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday for an upcoming three-game series between Japan and the United States, the two veteran players said the Olympic tourney would be important for the sport, which was announced as one of the events to be included in the Tokyo Games last summer, and for them personally as they prepare to host the 2020 Games.