Posts by Zack Fair

Quote from sitenoise

I think we can insinuate something about Koga. There was clearly a different vibe in this match --- but it's only one match (and Brazil was pretty way off). But I don't think it's Manabe giving instruction of any kind, and I don't think it's been Koga-ball. I've been happy with Seki's distribution

Let's see where this goes. Japan's game isn't about "ace". It's about team

Is it just me? Sometimes, I notice Koga passes the ball to the middle of the court or makes the play out of system on purpose so that the ball will be set to her.

Just wanted to share. Reason why Koga cut her hair short (maybe the reason also why she's not at her best in this tournament) :

"At the end of August, just one month before the World Championships...my grandfather passed away. I was a grandpa and grandma's child from an early age.

If possible, I wanted my grandfather, who watched over the TV and cheered me on, to see me standing on the court wearing the captain's mark in Paris. But that is no longer possible.

In that case, at the very least, I would like to fight with my grandfather's favorite short hair at the World Championships, where I will wear a captain's mark for the first time."

Source

2 consecutive digs by Fukudome to end the match. Love her!

Quote from Phoenix

I remember everyone here was saying "SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!" well there you go lol I mean we're never getting what we want

except me since Fukudome got in ...unexpectedly

I knew Fukudome will get in. I’m a follower of v.league and she’s the best at keeping ralllies alive for me. I could still remember her digs in that 5-setter match between Ageo and Denso. She really outperformed Yamagishi.

Quote from Kostlich

ageo will be a contender this season. They have really good lineup specially the OHs. The challenge for the coaches is who will they play opposite? If lozo will remain OH then the not so good receiver between the 3 of uchiseto, sato and yoshino should play opposite. I say sato could be a revelation in that position. A jump server, great in attacks too.

I think Lozo will play as terminating/non-receving OH just like Kulan, Mihajlovic, and Neriman. idk

Quote from Phoenix

Absolutely. Lozo is as capable as Bjelica in scoring. Tbh she's a lot better than Lazovic during crucial times at least with Serbia's NT.

I never liked Shige Okubo at Saga, since he will coach Ageo next season I don't know how he intends to use Lozo alongside Uchiseto and Yuka Sato.

I think Uchiseto will be OP just like in NT.

Quote from sitenoise

Yamada's iconic serve and serve approach are completely gone I read recently that someone convinced her to do a two footed serve and didn't really know what that would look like. But seeing her in that friendly match it's night and day from what it was . Yamada has become an enigma

I knew it. Someone’s trying to change her. Who is that someone 😡? Her spike approach also changed. It became Iwasaka-like since VNL 2021. I want Yamada AVC 2019 back ☹️.

So lethal.

Quote from bolt

When Kurogo blipped Mayu had to step in, when Inoue blipped Hayashi stepped in

correction: When Ishii blipped Mayu had to step in, when Mayu blipped Inoue stepped in

Quote from gkv

What do we know about Airi's progress? will Manabe continue to keep her ready on the bench since she was part of his precious squad in the past?

AVC is in a totally different league I get that but if they don't try other players who are ready and willing rather than players who they think might be ready anytime soon they're wasting their time. They could have easily gotten Nishikawa and let Ameze fight at AVC but they're willing to gamble Airi because she's Rio gang wide roster who just so happens to have NCAA experience pfffff bye

I’m impressed by Nishikawa’s performance in AVC. She does seem to be the top candidate for MVP award.

Quote from Phoenix

Lise Van Hecke to Saga

Is this the end of Miyu Nakagawa’s career? ☹️

Quote from volleyb

The roster for the Intrasquad / Red vs White is out. 19 players:

OH/Opp: Koga, Inoue, Hayashi, Ishikawa, Uchiseto, Sato, Miyabe Airi, Miyabe Ameze
MB: Shimamura, Yamada, Yokota, Ogawa, Asano
S: Matsui, Seki, Momii
L: Kojima, Yamagishi, Fukudome

https://www.jva.or.jp/internat…squadgame_okayama/#member

Let's go Asano!!

Quote from Karl

5-6 hrs is the standard anywhere in the world and in most high impact sports

It’s more like about allocating more time to body conditioning within that time frame, not going beyond 5-6 hrs. This schedule is what I’m talking about.

Here’s the pic. That’s too much ball training I think. 1 hr of individual training is broken down to per-skill training and weight training so that’s around 30 mins. or less of gyming?

Quote from Karl

Would you say for example that Sarah Wilhite is a more explosive player compared to Ishii? How would you compare Stevanovic or Aleksic to Yamada and Hammy in terms of explosiveness? I'm not sure I get what you mean.

Yes, Sarah Wilhite isn’t that explosive but she does well for her height. Aleksic and Stevanovic are centimeters away from Hammy and Yamada so I won’t compare them, but those Serbian MBs are actually great in European standards. I’d compare Yamada and Hammy to Carol instead since they’re around the same height. If you watch v.league, I’m sure you get what I mean. The clubs rely too much on the explosiveness of their imports. If the import is not explosive (I’m referring to high spike reach and high block reach as well not just power), then the team can’t depend much on that import, which is the case of Sarah Wilhite in NEC so you got it right. But again she does well for her height.

Quote from Karl

What are one-size-fits-all training? If there was some sort of difference in training techniques between taller and shorter athletes that would make them more prone to injuries. I've honestly never heard of it nor have I seen any difference in training between Takeshita or Saori, Megumi Kurihara or Sano

I’m referring to their a bit much time spent on ball training which seems to work better for the shorter athletes. Their atheltes with western height say Nana Iwasaka, who’s as tall as Chiaka Ogbogu, lack explosiveness which I think stems from excessive ball training, less gyming. Example, the youngsters’ greatness in the under category fades away once they move up to the senior level because that’s when they face well-conditioned professional tall athletes (tall,explosive, and agile).

Quote from sitenoise

Watch a Brilliant Aries match some time. Yuka Tomizawa is a banger (168cm) It seems the shorter players tend to swing with more violence and follow thru. Rino Murooka is a banger. Maybe it's an illusion, tho

I notice that too. Science says shorter atheletes tend to be more agile, which I think makes their approach and swing look aggresive. Their one-size-fits-all training doesn’t seem to benefit their taller players that much tho. Xintian Fu at 187 cm has a very “Chinese” attitude in court but her attacks are so “Japanese.” They also had the opportunity to transform Xinmuyi Zhang (202 cm) into a monster but it seems like she’s trained the way everybody else (shorter ones) were trained. Another model is Alondra Tapia (195 cm). Her performance as a middle is becoming “Japanese.”

Melissa Valdes is a different case tho. I wonder if she receives special treatment/trained differently. Japan is meticulous about form but she does the circular arm swing, not the L-shaped one that everybody does. Her vertical jump is also monstruous (325 cm spike reach 😶). Or maybe her jumping ability has to do with her Cuban genes?? idk

Quote from Zack Fair

aren't the Japanese known for their "intense" volleyball coordination training at high school, middle school, and elementary that's why they're really good at defense? I mean they ought to be gyming more once they go pro after all those years of developing their volleyball muscle memory.

Quote from Hassan Kadem

Erika also partnered up with Pocari to hold training camps for elementary kids

https://the-ans.jp/bukatsu/255250/

just as I said, as seen in that picture, Japan has a really good volleyball program in the under category but everything feels like gonna be wasted once these youngsters go pro and go up against the future Egonu, Boskovic, and many others just because they spend much time in ball training for the most part of their volleyball lives. The senior NT's marketing just went downhill after a series of failures since the 2014 World Grand Prix. It was when teams started to produce Egonu, Boskovic, and many other players that Japanese athleticism can't contain. It's just disappointing for me as a fan.

Quote from Playmaker

This will not happen because that's not their priority

Yeah I know. just wanted to express my disappointment over their blocking and "graciousness" when they spike. I mean if Carol at 183 cm can be the best blocker in the world and Gabi at 180 cm can be the best OH in the world, then why the Japanese can't? Many say that height is the only missing thing that Japan needs to dominate the volleyball scene. But looking at Nana Iwasaka, Megumi Kurihara, Ayaka Matsumoto, and Maiko Kano, it seems to me that Japan won't ever get a gold medal in any senior-level world tournament even if they're taller.

One more thing, aren't the Japanese known for their "intense" volleyball coordination training at high school, middle school, and elementary that's why they're really good at defense?. I mean they ought to be gyming more when they go pro after all those years of developing their volleyball muscle memory.

Quote from Irina

unless Japan increased their time at the gym like their western counterpart, then your statement would have merit.

I think Japan really needs to increase their time at the gym. Koga, Inoue, Ishii, and Kurogo are nowhere near Gabi's explosiveness, considering that these girls are of the same height (180 cm). Even Fe Garay, who stands 179 cm, is more explosive than any >=180 cm Japanese OHs. I've never seen Koga spike at over 87 km/hr. It's usually around 75-83 km/hr. Well, I think it has to do with her preference for precision over power.

In terms of block reach, records say that Kurogo has the highest block reach among these 180 cm girls, but I've never seen the Japanese OHs block with their whole head above the net when they play against terminating OPs with high spike reach. Meanwhile, Gabi blocks with her whole head and underarms above the net when she plays against Egonu, yet she's only 180 cm and has lower block reach than Kurogo. Even Saori at 185 cm had never done that. Do the Japanese deliberately block up to their elbow pads? Or is it because they don't have enough muscle power to do that coz they spend less time at the gym?

I read somewhere a long time ago Suelle Oliveira, Himeji's first ever import, a Brazilian, said they spend so much time in ball training, less time building muscles/gyming. This makes me think that this is probably why the Japanese have the best ball coordination skills, but lack explosiveness especially the middles.

Quote from sciew

Who's the male commentator? Is it the same dude as yesterday?

Heynen, Germany’s hc. he’s incomprehensible for me.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

they can try to ask Saori to come back

Saori is a receiving OH tho much like Koga