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Alejandra Martin
Washingtonspirit.com
Leesburg, Va., (1/27/21) – The Washington Spirit have re-signed forward Kumi Yokoyama to a new two-year contract. Yokoyama is the final player from the 2020 roster to re-sign with the Spirit, bringing the total number of players under contract heading into the 2021 preseason camp to 19.
Spirit Head Coach Richie Burke had this to say on Yokoyama: “After a year of adjustment to the particularly high demands of our league, we are hoping to get significantly more production out of Kumi this season. She finished with a flourish last year at Sky Blue and gave us a real taste of her undeniable quality. Bringing her back on an extended deal was really a no-brainer for our club – and I’m really looking forward to seeing her pick up where she left off at the end of last season. Adding top players of international standing and experience was a key part of our strategic growth plan for 2021, and I feel Kumi will only get better for us with more outstanding players around her this year.”
Yokoyama signed with the Spirit in December of 2019. During her first year with the club, the forward played in all nine games, started in eight and recorded a total of 578 minutes played. Throughout the 2020 season, the Japanese international had a total of four shots on goal and scored her first NWSL in the last game of the Fall Series, a 1-0 victory over Sky Blue. That goal earned her the Spirit’s 2020 “Goal of the Year.”
Prior to joining the Spirit, Yokoyama played for the Japanese club AC Nagano Parceiro. Yokoyama brings a wealth of experience at the club level after playing in Japan and Germany. Additionally, she brings international experience to the team as she has represented Japan at the U-17, U-18, U-20, and senior levels. In 2010, she was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award. Ever since joining the Japanese National Team in 2015, Yokoyama has recorded 43 appearances and 17 goals.
Spirit CEO and Director of Sporting Operations Larry Best had this to say about the extension: “We’re excited that Kumi is extending her time with the Spirit as her skill sets bring a unique quality of the highest level and we’re looking forward to seeing her displaying those skill sets in year two.”
Kumi Yokoyama
Position: Forwards
Height: 5-1
Born: August 13, 1993
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Last Club: AC Nagano Parceiro
