1. Personal Life
Katsuyuki Saito's personal life is rooted in Fukushima Prefecture, where he was born and received his education before embarking on his professional football career and later returning to serve his community.
1.1. Birth and Early Life
Katsuyuki Saito was born on April 7, 1973, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. His early life experiences and upbringing took place in this region.
1.2. Education
Saito pursued his education at local institutions, attending Fukushima Prefectural Fukushima Higashi High School. Following his high school graduation, he continued his academic and athletic development at the University of Tsukuba.
2. Football Career
Katsuyuki Saito's football career spanned both professional playing and later transitioned into significant roles in teaching and coaching, contributing to the development of young athletes in his home prefecture.
2.1. Playing Career
Saito began his professional playing career in 1997 when he joined Brummell Sendai, a club then competing in the Japan Football League. He quickly established himself as a regular player, primarily operating as a right side back from his debut season. In 1999, the club was promoted to the newly formed J2 League, where it was rebranded as Vegalta Sendai. However, Saito's opportunities for playing time began to decrease from the 2000 season onwards, leading to his retirement from professional football at the end of the 2001 season. After a brief hiatus, he returned to the field to play for FC Primero from 2003 to 2005.
2.2. Coaching and Teaching Career
Following his initial retirement from professional football in 2001, Katsuyuki Saito took on a role within the front office of Vegalta Sendai. In 2003, he decided to return to his home region of Fukushima Prefecture to pursue a career as a teacher. Alongside his teaching duties, Saito became actively involved in football coaching. He served as a coach for the soccer club at Fukushima Prefectural Fukushima Technical High School. Currently, he is assigned to Fukushima Prefectural Fukushima Higashi High School, which is also his alma mater.
3. Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Katsuyuki Saito's performance statistics throughout his professional football career, detailing his appearances and goals across various competitions.
3.1. Club Statistics
Katsuyuki Saito's club statistics, primarily for his tenure with Brummell Sendai and Vegalta Sendai, are detailed below.
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1997 | Brummell Sendai | Football League | 27 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 |
| 1998 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | Vegalta Sendai | J2 League | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| 2000 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 94 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 107 | 3 | ||