We recently interviewed Kazuki Sugimoto, the president of American football at Imperial. Read about Kazuki's experience of playing American Football and Imperial Athletes below.

We spoke with Kazuki at Ethos Sports Centre

Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Kazuki Sugimoto. I'm a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and the president of American football at Imperial. I love sports—American football is the main one I play here, but I also go to the gym, swim a lot, and join other sport sessions like basketball.

What motivated you to join Imperial Athletes?
It was a bit inevitable! I wanted to play American football, so I bought an Imperial Athletes membership as soon as I could. It was a great decision because I wanted to do something outside of my studies, and I really enjoy playing sports.

How long have you been playing American football?
I started when I was 12, but at Imperial I've been playing since my first year.

How has your experience impacted your well-being and university life at Imperial?
I think playing sports and being active has helped me immensely because Imperial tends to be academically challenging and rigorous. Just having that time to be active and forget about academic stress really helped me mentally. It’s also great for your social life—I got to know my teammates and made new friends outside of my classes.

What would you say to someone considering joining Imperial Athletes?
I would definitely recommend it! It's a great way to meet new people—everyone’s great, and you have a really fun time. It’s also not always a very serious commitment; sometimes it’s just a fun game after school. If you have some free time and want to be active, I highly recommend joining Imperial Athletes.

What’s your favourite memory from Imperial Athletes?
For me, it's definitely game day. I love playing matches and the intensity that comes with them. And when you win, everything feels a hundred times better. Two years ago, we played an away game against Kingston University. It was extremely rainy and muddy, and because American football involves a lot of passing, the ball was soaking wet and everyone was covered in mud. Even though the weather was terrible, it was really fun being out there with the team. We also won the game, which was the perfect cherry on top.

What’s coming up with Imperial Athletes that you're excited about?
This year, in American football, we applied for varsity for the first time! I wanted to try new things, and varsity always looks so fun for everyone else. We’re also excited to launch a flag football programme, a non-contact version of American Football open to both men and women of all skill levels (featured in the 2028 LA Summer Olympics!). Get touch if you’re interested!