Saori is the new captain!
We’re a bit sad that Yoshie Takeshita has retired from the National Team and same with middle blocker Ai Yamamoto, libero Yuko Sano, hitters Megumi Kurihara, Maiko Kano and Mai Yamaguchi. We have a feeling though some will return and compete in important world tourneys like the 2014 World Champs and 2016 Olympics (Come on Takeshita! Play in Rio!).
On the other hand, we’re quite impressed with Coach Manabe’s goals for the new Olympic cycle. He’s investing on a lot of young players together with his core players like Saori, Ebata and Araki.
Setters: Hitomi Nakamichi, Haruka Miyashita, Makoto Matsuura, Hiroko Matsuura, Natsumi Fujita, Kanami Tashiro, Ayaka Hosokawa
Middle Blockers: Erika Araki, Nana Iwasaka, Kanako Hirai, Riho Otake, Nanami Inoue, Aimi Kawashima, Haruyo Shimamura, Fumika Moriya, Azusa Futami, Kana Ono, Rika Seki, Nozomi Ito, Kiroya Obikawa
Wing Hitters: Saori Kimura, Saori Sakoda, Yukiko Ebata, Risa Shinnabe, Mizuho Ishida, Miyu Nagaoka, Akari Oumi, Yuki Ishii, Risa Ishii, Saori Takahashi, Ayumi Nakamura, Rika Nomoto, Yurie Nabeya, Yuka Imamura, Sakura Doi, Miku Benoki, Sarina Koga
Liberos: Kotoki Zayasu, Akiko Ino, Mami Yoshida, Miku Torigoe, Aki Maruyama, Arisa Sato, Akane Yamagishi
Roster for 2013 Volleymasters Tournament in Switzerland:
Setters: Makoto Matsuura, Natsumi Fujita
Wing Hitters : Risa Ishii, Tomomo Nakamura, Yuki Ishii, Saori Takahashi, Yuka Imamura, Miyu Nagaoka, Oumi Akari, Risa Rina Koga
Middle Blockers : Nana Iwasaka, Sato Otake, Haruyo Shimamura, Fumika Moriya
Liberos : Mami Yoshida, Kotoki Zayasu
Lots of new players indeed!
As for the men’s team. the only notable players who are missing are Kunihiro Shimizu (injured) and veteran Takahiro Yamamoto who has retired.
Setters: Yuta Abe, Shigeru Kondoh, Naoya Suga, Takahisa Otake, Shogo Okamoto, Shun Imamura, Akihiro Fukatsu, Hideomi Fukatsu
Wing Hitters: Yusuke Ishijima (Gottsu), Yu Koshikawa, Yuta Yoneyama, Tatsuya Fukuzawa, Kunihiro Shimizu, Daisuke Yako, Dai Tezuka, Yuji Suzuki, Yuhei Tsukazaki, Issei Maeda, Tatsuya Yoneyama, Yasuyuki Shibakoya, Takuya Takamatsu, Masashi Kuriyama, Shunsuke Chijiki, Yuta Matsuoka, Yuki Hosokawa, Sogo Watanabe, Hidetomo Hoshino, Takashi Dekita, Shuzo Yamada, Masahiro Yanagida
Middle Blockers: Kota Yamamura, Yoshihiko Matsumoto, Yusuke Matsuta, Yoshifumi Suzuki, Takaaki Tomimatsu, Kazuyoshi Yokota, Kenji Shirasawa, Shogo Toimoto, Hirotaka Kon, Tatsuya Shiota, Takuya Yasunaga, Haku Lee, Yamato Fushimi
Liberos: Takeshi Nagano, Koichiro Koga, Ken Takahashi, Taichiro Koga
2013 World League Roster:
Setters: Shigeru Kondoh, Shun Imamura, Issei Maeda
Wing Spikers: Yuji Suzuki, Yuhei Tsukazaki, Masashi Kuriyama, Dai Tezuka, Tatsuya Fukuzawa, Daisuke Yako, Yusuke Ishijima, Yu Koshikawa, Yuta Yoneyama, Shunsuke Chijiki, Yuta Matsuoka, Takashi Dekita
Middle Blockers: Yoshifumi Suzuki, Kazuyoshi Yokota, Takaaki Tomimatsu, Yoshihiko Matsumoto, Kota Yamamura
Liberos: Takeshi Nagano, Ken Takahashi
In case you didn’t know, the men’s team has a new coach and he’s none other than former Team USA MNT assistant coach, Gary Sato.
(images: sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/ FIVB)