What is most important to me is,
Enjoying volleyball

College of Health and Welfare 4th Grade
Girls' Volleyball Club Libero
Graduated from Furukawa Gakuen High School, Miyagi Prefecture

Riho Sasaki

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Having teammates makes even the toughest practices enjoyable.

I started playing volleyball in first grade of elementary school. She often had opportunities to watch sports with her family, and when she saw Saori Kimura of the Japan Volleyball Team on TV, she admired her cute appearance and powerful spikes. When I started, my position was attacker (left), but since I wasn't very tall and liked receiving, I switched to libero when I entered high school. The high school is one of the top powerhouses in Japan, dedicated to volleyball with a strong dedication. I put my heart into practice, but I wanted to enjoy volleyball more at university, so based on stories I heard from seniors I knew, I chose J. F. Oberlin University, which has a relaxed atmosphere among the top division leagues.

Since joining the club, I've realized that everyone gets along really well, regardless of their grade level, and I've never once felt like I didn't want to go to practice. Meeting my teammates is what motivates me to participate in club activities, and even during tough practices like running, we encourage each other, so every day is very fulfilling.

My role as a libero is to set the first ball accurately.

The libero position is a specialized role focused on receiving. No matter how good the setter or attacker is, if the libero doesn't make accurate passes, the team can't continue. The first pass I make is the starting point, the setter connects with the second pass, and the attacker hits the third. When the spike is successfully executed, I feel like I've fulfilled my role on the team.

Currently, we have completed the first six of the twelve matches in the Spring Division 1 league, and unfortunately, we have lost all of them. I don't think there is a difference in individual skill between us and the other Division 1 teams, but I feel that there is a difference in our ability to win close matches. There is always a flow to sports, and when things are going well, you need to ride that flow, and when things are going badly, you need to break it, but what we are lacking right now is the ability to control this flow. In order to bridge that gap, we must eliminate mistakes from practice onwards, always keep the game in mind as if it were the real thing, and be able to execute our play even in tough situations. The second half of the season is about to begin, and we will do our best to fight hard in the remaining six matches to stay in Division 1 and achieve good results in the Autumn League.

My future goal is to support athletes and children from a sports nutrition perspective.

J. F. Oberlin University 's volleyball club focuses on athletes' physical development, receiving care from osteopathic clinic doctors and dietary guidance from sports nutritionists. Regarding meals, each grade has a "nutrition section," with students taking turns in charge. Each student sends photos of their daily meals to the nutritionist, who then receives advice from the nutritionist via Zoom and other means, and provides feedback to the students. I also became a nutritionist, and the dietary guidance from a nutritionist was very interesting and a great learning experience.

I'm putting my volleyball career on hold after university, and after graduation, I want to work in a field that provides nutritional support to athletes and children. That's why what's important to me now is to give my all and have no regrets during the remaining time I'm a volleyball player. My time in the university club has been very fulfilling, as I've made friends with whom I can talk about anything, regardless of my year in school. I hope that the younger members who will be at the center of the club's activities from now on will also enjoy volleyball and continue to love it forever.

Interview date:
This was done in April 2022 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

What is most important to me is,Enjoying volleyball

Main content

Having teammates makes even the toughest practices enjoyable.

My role as a libero is to set the first ball accurately.

My future goal is to support athletes and children from a sports nutrition perspective.

Related content

What is most important to me is,
Enjoying volleyball