The one who has been playing volleyball since fifth grade has been the one who influenced me the most was a senior from junior high. He is two grades above me and plays the role of setter. He's good at communication and well-liked by everyone, but he also tightens his tight spots properly. I admired him because I thought it was cool to switch between inside and outside the court. J. F. Oberlin University One reason I joined the boys' volleyball club was because I wanted to play volleyball with him again.
Thanks to the influence of those seniors, I came to believe that smooth communication and balance are important in sports. In that context, I started to feel uncomfortable in my sophomore year of university. The skilled seniors left, and most of the regular players were replaced. I really hated the atmosphere of 'it's no wonder if we can't win'—a kind of 'it's okay if we can't win'—or the kind of familiarity where 'this is enough.' Club activities where everyone can't get serious about winning aren't enjoyable. Honestly, I almost felt like I was losing my heart away from volleyball.

However, that experience made me start paying attention to the staff, including the coach and manager—the so-called "behind-the-scenes" people—and I realized that I had only been focused on the players on the team until then. So many people are working to ensure that the players can concentrate on the sport. When I thought about how I needed to show them that I was enjoying playing volleyball, I was able to stop. I decided to change the club so that we could all truly enjoy playing volleyball together.
Given that background, I was very happy when I was appointed captain. The first thing I started doing was reaching out to others. Instead of the usual "the juniors should always initiate greetings and everything else," I made a point of proactively talking to everyone myself. By constantly considering the feelings of the team members and understanding each person's condition, I was able to change how I spoke to them each day. I think this is true for any sport, but nothing is more important than building trust with each other. When communication increases, discussions become smoother, and I think the team has become more cohesive.

Sports are only enjoyable when you take them seriously. A club where you're just getting along and taking it easy has no value as a place to belong. I feel that even more now that I'm in charge as captain.
As a specially designated強化 club, results are expected. To achieve our goal of "6th place or higher in the Kanto 2nd Division League," we've condensed each practice session into short, manageable sessions to maintain focus. We conduct basic drills by position, and have dedicated days for receiving and jumping. Staff and players discuss and come up with ways to improve efficiently while having fun. We believe that even small discussions among players lead to a better understanding of each other's play and stronger trust on the court, so we want to continue this practice.
Right now, we're essentially laying the foundation for everyone to enjoy playing volleyball. As captain, I'll do my best to ensure that our efforts to win lead to a better future, and that people will look back and say, "That was a fun time!"