Posts by theloneracer

    As long as Nakata remain as head coach, I don't see Miyashita getting back into the NT anytime soon. IMO she is now like Nakata's 5th choice setter. Same goes for Koga too.


    I agreed, Mai Okumura is not playing well at Montreux. From what I saw, a lot of her spikes are getting blocked.



    It is very worrisome how the Japanese have collapsed multiple of times.

    What do you guys think of Nakata so far? Has the Japanese NT progress or regress under her reign?

    Here is the South Korean NT roster for week 1 & 2 of the VNL:

    • #2. PYO Seung-Ju [OP]
    • #4 KIM Hee-Jin [OP]
    • #5. LEE Hyo-Hee [S]
    • #9. LEE Ju-Ah [MB]
    • #11. KIM Su-Ji [MB]
    • #12. JUNG Dae-Young [MB]
    • #14. PARK Eun-Jin [MB]
    • #15. KANG So-Hwi [OH]
    • #16. KIM Yeon-Gyeon [Li]
    • #18. MOON Jung-Won [OH]
    • #19. LEE Da-Yeong [S]
    • #20. OH Ji-Young [Li]
    • #22. JEONG Ji-Yun [OP]
    • #30. CHOI Eun-Ji [OH]

    From the remaining training squad players, setter An Hye-Jin and middle blocker Han Soo-Ji was omitted from the NT for VNL week 1 & 2.


    Sources: 1, 2



    Team and individual photos:



    https://www.instagram.com/p/BxfSHHxgn_Z/


    https://gall.dcinside.com/mgal…womanvolleyball&no=621622

    https://gall.dcinside.com/mgal…womanvolleyball&no=622005

    Further bummer news for the Korean NT.



    News Update:

    • It has been reported that OH Lee So-Young (LSY) has also been released from the NT training squad. LSY joined up with the NT later than the other members after having pins removed from her knee last month. Since joining the training squad she has been focusing on her rehabilitation. However, it was decided that she was not able to train in the near future due to post-operation complication/after-effect.

      From one of the reports, my understanding is that Moon Jung-Won will cover for LSY in Week 1 & 2 of the VNL and LSY will return for week 3 & 4 (no mention of week 5?). Sources: 1, 2, 3
    • The full list of the coaching staffs and supporting staffs for the NT.

    The JVA has not yet announced the players who will be going to this year Montreux Volley Masters (May 13-18th), but according to Getsuvolley.com, this is the squad (17 players - 7x Wing Spikers, 5x Middle Blockers, 3x Setters, and 2x Liberos):


    • 2. KOGA, Sarina - NEC Red Rockets, 180cm, WS
    • 3. IWASAKA, Nana - Hisamitsu Springs, 187cm, MB
    • 4. SHINNABE, Risa - Hisamitsu Springs, 173cm, WS
    • 6. MIYASHITA, Haruka - Okayama Seagulls, 177cm, S
    • 7. ISHII, Yuki - Hisamitsu Springs, 180cm, WS
    • 11. NABEYA, Yurie - Denso Airybees, 176cm, WS
    • 12. SATO, Miya - Hitachi Rivale, 175cm, S
    • 13. OKUMURA, Mai - Nakhon Ratchasima, 177cm, MB
    • 14. KOBATA, Mako - JT Marvelous, 164cm, Li
    • 16. KUROGO, Ai - Toray Arrows, 180cm, WS
    • 18. YAMAGISHI, Akane - Saitama Ageo Medics, 165cm, Li
    • 19. IMAMURA, Yuka - Hisamitsu Springs, 176cm, WS
    • 20. WATANABE, Aya - Toyota Auto Body Queenseis, 176cm, MB
    • 21. OSANAI, Miwako - Hitachi Rivale, 175cm, WS
    • 24. AKUTAGAWA, Aika - JT Marvelous, 180cm, MB
    • 25. SEKI, Nanami - Toray Arrows, 170cm, S
    • 27. NAKAGAWA, Miyu - Hisamitsu Springs, 180cm, MB


    Source: https://www.getsuvolley.com/0510-japan-montreux

    News Update:

    • A big blow for the Korean NT, with news coming out today from the Korea Volleyball Association (KVA) that OH Lee Jae-Yeong (LJY) is out of the VNL because of a knee injury. As a result of LJY's injury, KGC OH Choi Eun-Ji has been called into the training squad by KVA as her replacement.

      LJY has been training with the NT at Jincheon Athlete's Village since April 28th, but the knee cartilage area on her left knee has become more painful. She was examined at a hospital and was diagnosed with having a ruptured lateral meniscus and a damaged lateral femoral cartilage on her left knee. KVA has decided to let LJY leave the NT and return to Heungkuk to concentrate on her rehabilitation.

      Sorry, there was no indication in the articles of how long the injury will keep LJY out for. Sources: 1, 2, 3
    • Kim Yeon-Koung (KYK) arrived back in South Korea on May 8th and was greeted by the KVA officials and NT coaching staffs including Lavarini at the airport upon her return. It was reported that after the brief meeting, they went somewhere else to have dinner and continued their talks.








      As previously mentioned, KYK will continue her holiday and will later join up with the NT for the 3rd week of the VNL. Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

    News Update:

    • Veteran MB Kim Se-Young (KSY) and libero Kim Hae-Ran (KHR) will not participate in the VNL, with both players leaving the NT on April 30th. KSY is reportedly retiring from national duties as she want to give other players the opportunity and hence she decided to retire after discussing it with the assistant coach Kang Seong-Hyung. Kim Hae-Ran on the other hand wants to focus on rehabilitation for her chronic knee injury. Not 100% sure but I think KHR is planning to come back to the NT for the Olympic qualifiers.

      No replacement was made for KHR in the libero position but KGC MB Han Soo-Ji (HSJ) was called in as replacement for KSY. HSJ has since joined up with the NT on May 2nd at Jincheon Athlete's Village. Sources: 1, 2
    • Stefano Lavarini arrived in South Korea today this afternoon and will joined up with the team tomorrow on the 8th. Sources: 1, 2, 3






    Do you know how they created a team? Is it 1 team represent per city. Because Philippines and thailand i believe they have teams from sponsors like products that is why they have a lot of teams.

    Sorry, I have no idea how they created a vb team. I do however know that the six women's teams are own by the Korean companies that they are named after (pretty much the same as most of the Japanese teams). IBK Altos is the youngest and was created after the league had started, so I going to take a punt that IBK invested a whole lot of $$$ to start up the team after getting approval from KOVO. Some of the teams do have additional sponsors whilst other team have support from their cities.

    Could I ask where you got the info about Korean team having two foreign players? From what I know, they have alway had a 1 foreign player per team rule since the inception of the Korean V-League in 2005.



    The Korean women's league is very small with only six teams (smaller than both the Thai league and Philippine league). The 6 teams are allow to have between 14-19 players (incl. foreign player) so that means that from the pool of players playing at the highest level in the country is max of 108 players. To me, this is a very small pool of players to draw your NT team from. So if they allow another foreign player in each team that will mean 6 more local players will lose their place and the other remaining local players will get lest game time.


    The protection of the local players would be more of decision from the governing organisations like KOVO and KVA whilst the desire to win by using the foreign player often in attacks during the game is a team decision.




    Okay, I have managed to find one article confirming which players have shown up for the tryout.


    From the 30 invited players, 4. Nikoleta Perovic, 20. Lianma Flores Stable, 21. Yunieska Batista Robles, 23. Verica Simic, 24. Natalia Dumcheva, 27. Tereza Vanzurova, 28. Slavina Koleva, and 30. Hanna Kyrychenko did not show up for the tryout.


    Nikoleta Perovic gave up on the tryout because she was tired with visa issues. Whilst Yunieska Batista Robles, Verica Simic, Natalia Dumcheva, and Hanna Kyrychenko failed to get their visa to enter Canada.


    And I think Lianma Flores Stable (?), Slavina Koleva (CS Stiinta Bacau, Romania League) and Tereza Vanzurova (?) can't make it to the tryout because they are still playing for their current club.


    Sources: 1, 2


    Some photos from the tryout:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8S-vrg1T0/

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw8UE4Vg7ep/

    thespike.co.kr/article/view.php?no=10914

    thespike.co.kr/article/view.php?no=10916

    thespike.co.kr/article/view.php?no=10918

    Very nice of you. I heard collar is injured as well. She played in Philippines after kovo. Not sure if she is 100% ready because the news from Philippines said that during quarter finals her team won in game 1 but lose in game 2 and she didn't play because of her injury. Also, it looks like breneka won't be back next season after winning this year?

    From what I have seen in previous years, Collar won't need to take part in the actual tryout as she took part in last year tryout.


    Yes, Berenika Tomsia won't be returning to the V-League in 2019-20. I previously mentioned that only Collar, Bergsma, Anae and Diouck re-applied to stay in the V-League. Along with Martiniuc, Tomsia decided not to re-applied and from a recent article it seem Tomsia had some struggles during the season.

    How's the tryout so far? Any links pls

    Sorry no links, I don't think they will stream it. Actually, I don't think the tryout has actually started yet. The tryout is in Toronto, Canada so at the moment it is like 3:30 AM over there.



    I do have some news about the tryout. I do know that Valentina Diouf is in Toronto, so it look more likely that she will play in Korea next season. It was reported that eight players could not make the tryout and one of those player was Nikoleta Perovic from Montenegro.


    I will try to post the list of players who came to the tryout and/or some videos if I can find them later on.

    News Update:


    Lavarini has named three additional foreign staffs for the Korean NT.


    Cesar Hernandez González (Spain) - Assistant Coach Athletic Trainer for Italian team Savino Del Bene Volley Scandicci

    Massimo Merazzi (Italian) - Athletic Trainer for Italian team Cucine Lube Civitanova

    Andrea Biasioli (Italian) - Power Analyst/Statistician


    Merazzi will join up with the team in Serbia when they go there for the VNL.


    Due to personal schedule, Biasioli is unable to join up with the team until June and will be temporarily replaced by Tommaso Barbato until Biasioli arrival.


    Whilst Lavarini is scheduled to meet up with the Korean NT on May 10th (I think González will come on the same day).


    Sources: 1, 2

    baes on the list who is the best option. I think valentina is very good. also, a lot of tall foreign players this season huh.

    If she does turn up for the tryout then she will most likely be 1st pick, that is also what some of the head coaches think too. With the exception of the players who has previous played in the V-League, I'm am only familiar with Diouf so I can't really comment on the other players.


    I think the first four names on the list is regarded highly as I saw a few reports mentioning them and I believe the list is in order of ranking that KOVO gave them.


    Maybe so members here might know a bit more about some of the players on the tryout list and can provide us with some info or their opinions about them.


    Here a translated version of the list that I have done (btw some of the player age are incorrect).


    I mean the coaches could have select a natural wing instead of getting a middle and convert her position to wing.

    I think the Korean teams were always going to use them on the wing and that the players were efficient in both positions so the coaches didn't need to convert them to play on the wing.


    In Kath Bell case, if she is next to the setter in the front then attacking wise she could spike it from the right side whilst in defence she could be blocking in the middle with the setter either joining her in the blocking or wait behind her for the ball.


    For Alexa Olgard case, I think Heungkuk only recruited her because she might have been the best available option they had during that time of the year.


    Samantha Middleborn never got to played, so we will never know what was KGC plans for her was.

    Amazing and that was weird as well.


    I mean if the coaches or team needs a wing spiker why don't they hire a natural wing spiker with good experience on that position instead of getting a middle blocker and then convert them to wing which will take time and adjustment with their timing and approach.

    Are you refer to all three players in general or one particular player? What was weird exactly??