Overcoming challenges,
Increase the variety of attacks

College of Health and Welfare 2nd Year Student
Boys' Volleyball Club
Graduate of Toyo High School

Aki Usazawa

Main content

I will be competing in the Spring High School Volleyball Tournament with my teammates.

My mother was on a volleyball team, so I started playing the sport in the second grade of elementary school. When I was in elementary school, I didn't care about winning or losing; I just enjoyed playing volleyball. As I continued playing, I gradually came to feel a sense of accomplishment from the joy of winning amidst the rigorous training. When I was at Toyo High School, I was so happy when, in my third year, we were able to participate in the national tournament for the first time in five years. All the team members were highly motivated, and we were able to work together as one to play volleyball.

J. F. Oberlin University included senior high school members, including Mr. Ono, who is currently the captain. I liked the friendly atmosphere where grades were open and I decided to go to J. F. Oberlin University.

I feel I've grown as an attacker.

I was able to play in the spring league games right after I enrolled. However, due to circumstances, I was unable to participate in the autumn league games. I was very disappointed that I couldn't contribute to the team despite the expectations placed upon me.

With the new generation taking over, I've been given more opportunities to set the ball in crucial moments than ever before. Sometimes I'm even told, "You make the winning shot," which makes me feel the weight of responsibility. When we had a practice match against Konan University this spring, I was blocked almost every time, and I keenly felt my lack of skill. Looking back now, it was a good opportunity to re-evaluate my weaknesses.

Compared to last year, we're now able to have higher-quality practice sessions. We're working on hitting the ball to different areas of the court and practicing spiking at a high point of contact. I think being able to think about how to make our attacks more effective while we play is one area where we've grown since high school.

I want to achieve results for the fourth-year students.

I want to continue playing volleyball after graduating from university. I haven't decided on a specific career path yet, but I would like to find a job where I can utilize my experience of continuing to play sports for a long time.

Our goal for the autumn league season is to be promoted to the second division. As a team, we are focusing on strengthening how we can transition from the opponent's serves into attacks. Spiking is crucial in matches, so I will also strive to increase the variety of my attacks.

For the fourth-year students, the autumn league is their last chance to be promoted to the second division. My senior has always had high expectations for me, so I want to repay them with my play. J. F. Oberlin University Please pay close attention to the boys' volleyball team's strength, their teamwork, during the matches.

Interview date:
This was done in June 2024 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

Overcoming challenges,Increase the variety of attacks

Main content

I will be competing in the Spring High School Volleyball Tournament with my teammates.

I feel I've grown as an attacker.

I want to achieve results for the fourth-year students.

Related content

Overcoming challenges,
Increase the variety of attacks