Crossing grade boundaries
Achieve victory through teamwork.

College of Health and Welfare Third-year students
Boys' Volleyball Club Libero
Hiroshima Prefecture: Graduate of Hiroshima Institute of Technology High School

Satoshi Koike

Main content

The experience of transforming pressure into strength is still relevant to me today.

Influenced by my three older sisters, I started playing volleyball in the second grade of elementary school. I play libero now, but I was a spiker in elementary school. I remember everyone having fun and being completely absorbed in the sport. Volleyball is a full-body sport that requires balance and precise control of force, which is what makes it so interesting, as you can see your skills improving so clearly.

I've only ever thought about quitting volleyball once. In my third year of junior high school, I was selected as a representative player for the prefecture and appointed captain of the team. I felt a level of pressure I'd never experienced before, and it was mentally exhausting. But I changed my mindset to, "Since I've been entrusted with this role, I'll see it through to the end," and somehow managed to overcome it. I think that experience of feeling that pressure is still useful to me now as I continue to play volleyball.

Each individual will generate positive energy.

J. F. Oberlin University is a team that actively communicates. Requests and opinions like "Please do it this way" are exchanged, and discussions can be held regardless of grade level. Volleyball is a sport that demands quick reflexes, so teams that can't coordinate in detail often end up losing during the match. In that sense, I feel that being able to stay focused before a match is one of J. F. Oberlin University 's strengths.

Fortunately, I am now playing as one of the main players. The great thing about J. F. Oberlin University is that even members not on the bench can get excited throughout the venue. I'm grateful that so many people have turned them into positive forces. That's exactly why losing is frustrating. In the 2022 spring league, he played as a key player but ended up experiencing relegation to the third division. Using that frustration as motivation, we are now facing the team's challenges while practicing.

Together with the fourth-year students who accepted my individuality

I'm planning to study English in Tennessee, USA for the next four to five months. I've always been interested in overseas countries and English, so I want to use my time there to challenge myself in various ways. I'd like to work in a sports-related field in the future, but I want to decide on my future career while keeping my curiosity in mind and not limiting my possibilities.

There are only a few opportunities left to play with the fourth-year students. Third-year students have been known as a generation that is very assertive and has strong personalities. In some organizations, they may not have been accepted, and there may have been conflicts, but the fourth-year students have always warmly welcomed us. We have gone out for meals and gone out together, and they have given us advice on various things. In a good way, the fourth-year students are like "friends" to me. I would like to express my gratitude to them and play with all my might in the time we have left together.

Interview date:
This was done in June 2023 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

Crossing grade boundariesAchieve victory through teamwork.

Main content

The experience of transforming pressure into strength is still relevant to me today.

Each individual will generate positive energy.

Together with the fourth-year students who accepted my individuality

Related content

Crossing grade boundaries
Achieve victory through teamwork.