I think it’s a very interesting development. We know that for all the great talent Japanese players have they sometimes lack in the power aspect of the game. Perhaps a few players from African heritage can help this problem in the future.
Naomi Osaka’s father is actually from Haiti though.
Oh, thanks
I had NO idea Japan had two black players lol I assume Ameze Miyabe is fresh out of highschool?
Airi & Ameze's father is Nigerian while Reina Tokoku's father is Ghanaian.
Recently there are many Japanese athletes whose father is African, like Naomi Osaka.
One thing that's weird, and it throws me off, is that when the Shimokitazawa Seitoku (hope I have that right) setter sets to Mayu Ishikawa it's like she thinks Boskovic is in the corner--super high sets. It really changes the rhythm of the game.
Attacking / Setting high set balls is Seitoku's policy from before.
Ai Kurogo (purple No.1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miszYfGEFA0
Riho Otake :
I just realized that ECH's final is on Sep 29 , then WC starts on Oct 2 
Probably they have to make 2 teams for these competition.
A lot of these kids end up with Hisamitsu. Does Hisamitsu just have better scouts while other teams aren't looking or is there some arrangement between them and the High School.
I don't know how player's scouting works in Japan, but for last 10 years, it's one of the 'trend' that best player(s) of the year from Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku joins Hisamitsu.
- Here is ; Iwasaka (2009), Nagaoka (2010), Shiori Murata (2011), Tsutsui (2011), Toe (2013), Kato (2016), Taura (2017), Nakagawa (2018) and Hirayama (2019)
Exceptions are Akutagawa (2010) and Nabeya (2012).
Nabeya actually had the offer from Hisamitsu as a setter (and her high school coach also recommend this), but she hoped playing as a wing spiker and earn more playing time, then joined Denso. Wise choice.
Another trend is the best player of the year from Shimokitazawa Seitoku High School joins Toray Arrows.
- Here is ; Araki (2003), Kana Oyama (2003), Miki Oyama (2004), Saori Kimura (2005), Miya Sato (2005), Yukina Hayashi (2014), Kurogo (2017) and Ishikawa (2019)
News Update:
Two more announcements of new player recruitments:
- Kurobe Aqua Fairies - Yuri Umezu [OH] (Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku H.S.). Sources: 1, 2 (2019.02.12)
- Hisamitsu Springs - Shion Hirayama [MB] (Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku H.S.). Sources: 1, 2 (2019.02.21)
Btw Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku H.S. produces players like Miyu Nagaoka, Nana Iwasaka, and Sayaka Tsutsui.
Yes, Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku H.S having too much influence to Japanese female volleyball and produces many V-league players.
We can easily create one team.
Setter:
Yuki Kawai (Himeji/ 2008 Olympian), Erika Sakae, Higane Sisters (Toyota AB & Hisamitsu)
OH/OP:
Miyu Nagaoka, Hikari Kato, Miyu Nakagawa (all Hisamitsu), Yurie Nabeya (Denso), Miharu Yoshioka, Minami Nishimura (all Okayama)
Middle Blocker:
Nana Iwasaka (Hisamitsu), Aika Akutagawa ( JT)
Libero:
Mana Toe, Sayaka Tsutsui, Yuka Taura (all Hisamitsu) , Kyoko Katashita (Himeji)
(Bye Vlasov, you will not be missed).
For the first time I watched this, I had no doubt he will become next Muserskiy and he will lead NT for next 10 years
It seems that his transfer to Moscow isn't success so far, especially after Nova's MB came to (and is he injured now? I don't see his name on the stats lately).
I hope he improves that amateur service at least. This is the worst element for him compared to another Russian MBs.
Yes, he hopes to play for Russia since 2020 (he will be enabled in this year). But I don't know if Russia has another nationalized player (probably Musersky?)... In this case I prefer Dmitry.
Thank you for the answer!
Muserskiy isn't counted as a nationalized player because he only played for Ukraine youth NT (same as Kliuka).
Camejo, Butko and Bakun can't play together.
inc0gnito, thank you for creating the thread !
About OH position, Volkov-Kliuka duo must be the starters.
Watching Russian league, I think Berezhko still be good option for NT, especially for back row defense. If he stays healthy (This is most important thing for him! ) , I would pick him.
Other candidates will be Voronkov, Podlesnykh and Ursov IMHO.
I hope Anton Semyshev & Pavel Tetyukhin also grab the NT spots someday
(I understand this won't happen this season.)
By the way, I have a question about Camejo Oreol.
Does he hope to play Russian NT ?
If so, since when he could play for NT ?
Irina Koroleva got injuried during the last match against Uralochka 
It was't shown the detail, but it seems to be serious injury according to coach's word.
Edit: It was minor injury and she already returned to court 
News Update:
More announcements from a number of V-League teams about their recruitment of new players just out of high school:
- Toyota Auto Body Queenseis - Hinata Shigihara [OH] (Furukawa Gakuen H.S.). Source: 1 (2019.01.24)
- NEC Red Rockets - Haruna Soga [MB/OH] (KinranKai H.S.), Ayumi Yoshida [OH] (Furukawa Gakuen H.S.), Regla* Martinez [MB/OH]. Source: 1 (2019.01.25)
- Kurobe Aqua Fairies - Aya Hosonuma [MB] (Kasukabe Kyoei H.S.). Source: 1 (2019.01.29)
- JT Marvelous - Yuki Nishikawa [OH] (KinranKai H.S.), Sakura Kanda [MB] (Shujitsu H.S.), Aki Momii [S] (Hachioji-jissen H.S.). Source: 1 (2019.01.31)
* not sure if the romanization of the first name is correct.
It's correct !
She was an internatinal student from Cuba and her mother is Tania Ortiz, who was part of Cuba NT and 1992 Olympic Champion.
Oleg Antonov moved to Galatasaray.
Any info about his current shape?
Too bad.
He played only 17 sets for Ural Ufa and his stats were just terrible
Attack: 15 kills / 49 attempts (31%)
Reception: 31% (positive), 10% (perfect)
Kadochkina almost secures the starting spot 
I'm not surprised she would be a part of 2019 VNL rosters.
Nothing weird is going to happen in the East, but I hope last night's match is a sign that Okayama is going to send Toray packin'. Toray is a better team but Okayama tries harder. Both have reasonably easy schedules from here on out, only two matches against teams above them in the West.
Toray has to play Hitachi twice but if Miya Sato is injured Hitachi won't get to be the spoiler alert
The commentator said Sato was absent because of ’various reasons’ , not injury.
Probably someone in her family passed away.
Watching Uralochka-Yenisey I wonder if Russian players consider it indecent to tip the ball. They always hit hard, which leads to countless block points for both teams, and there are lots of attack errors too.
Ilchenko is playing the worst match I've possibly ever seen of her, but Uralochka doesn't seem to have a substitute for her.
Uralochka is doing almost 2 players reception by Parubets & Podkopaeva because Garelik isn't a good receiver.
This system heavily affects to Parubets's attacking IMHO.
Watching Krasnodar- Leningradka, left-handed opposite Mariya Khaletskaya playing really well 
If she keeps this, she deserves NT spot instead of Malygina.
I'm happy to see Kadochikina playing really well
It seems that she prefers fast sets like Kseniia Parubets.
Havelkova was indeed a disaster, both in passing and attacking but she wasn't the only failure on Moscow's side of the net today.
I agree, everyone except Fetisova underperformed on yesterday's game.
Goncharova needs some time to get back her former shape.
And Gendel... well she played almost the whole match and scored 0 points
. I had to laugh when Sukomel finally subbed on asiEfimova who scored 2 points in a row. Honestly, Fetisova was the only player on the team who played well.
me too
Ognjenovic & Genzel should find good combination as soon as possible.
I wonder who will grab 2nd MB spot for Moscow (Fetisova almost guaranteed her 1st spot IMHO).
Genzel : very strong blocker, but her connection between Ognjenovic is quite off now...
Efimova : her slide is very efficient and threat for opponents, but her blocking movement is problematic.
Lyubushkina : despite short MB (Is she really 188cm ? I think she is around 185cm tall.), very balanced on both attacking and blocking.
Disastrous performance by Moscow 
I can't believe Moscow coach never change Havelkova.
Isaeva's passing is bad but at least she could be better than today's Havelkova.
Now please Italy, an Olympic medal of any color
S: Malinov, Cambi
OP: Egonu
OH: L.Bosetti, Sylla, C.Bosetti, Pietrini
MB: Folie, Chirichella, Danesi
L: De Gennaro, Parrocchiare
It's early to predict 2020 roster,
but this seems to be competitive and big chance to get Olympic medal.
