Hayato Okanaka
Position: GK
Born:26-Sep-1968
Height/Weight:185/83
Birthplace:Hyogo
Previous Teams:Tokai U. No.5 HS, Tokai U., Gamba Osaka, Oita Trinita
Appearances (J1/J2):185/42	Goals(J1/J2):--
First Appearance: 10-Jul-1993 Gamba Osaka - vs - Verdy Kawasaki (at "Banpaku" Stadium)

Bio

Hayato Okanaka served nearly a decade as the goaltender for Gamba Osaka, piling up 224 starts and a goals-against ratio of less than 1.5 per match -- reasonably impressive considering the team that he had in front of him for much of his career. Okanaka was not a particularly impressive physical specimen, at just 185cm, but he earned a reputation for good reflexes and anticipation, which made him particularly effective against penalty kicks. These skills even won him a few national team caps during the late 1990s.

After nine years at Gamba, Okanaka finally began to lose his touch, as age crept up on him. However, a move to J2 club Oita Trinita allowed him to revive his career, and he helped carry the team to promotion in 2003. Even after the return to J1 action, Okanaka continued to contribute as a wise and seasoned veteran, maintaining his good goals-against average (and indeed, even improving it) until the very end. But after 13 seasons, time eventually caught up to him in 2005, and Okanaka retired with over 200 starts to his credit.