Team members: japanese women's volleyball
Megumi Kurihara 栗原恵
height: 1,87 m / 6 ft 2 in
Nummer 1 as attacker
plays for Okayama Seagulls (2012/2013)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 2001
Japans Volleyball superstar Megumi Kurihara is back! Seeing the videos of the matches before 2011 her face is always present. Because of a knee injury 2011 she took a break. Currently she plays in Russia among volleyball superstars like Ekatarina Gamova or Jordan Larson (USA) for Dynamo Kazan. Her outward appearance changed since her last time in the japanese national squad (before 2011).
After playing at the FiVB World Grand Prix she will not play at the Olympic Games 2012 in London for Japan.
Megumi Kurihara plays for dynamo kazan (full match)
Megumi Kurihara plays in season 2012/13 in Japan for Okayama Seagulls.
Megumi Kurihara plays in season 2012/13 in Japan for Okayama Seagulls.
Yoshie Takeshita 竹下 佳江
*18.03 1978 in Kitakyūshū
height: 1,59 m / 5 ft 3 in
Nummer 3 as setter
plays for JT Marvelous in Japan
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 1997
One reason for being a huge fan of this team is Yoshie Takeshita. Watch her play and you will understand. She is a player that gives 200% for every ball. Don't be disturbed by her height of 1,59 m or the age of 34 - that has no meaning in her case. If she wanted to she could be even attacking due to her attacking reach of 2.80 m. Being even a very good digger makes her an absolutely essential all-a-round player.
But most important of all is that Yoshie Takeshita is one of the best setters in the world. Many times she was honored as "Best setter" (World Cup 2012, WGP 2009, WGP 2008, OQT 2008, WCC 2006) and as "Most valuable player" in 2006
Whenever Erika Araki is not positioned in the squad she acts as the team captain. So she did several times at the WGP 2012.
Yoshie Takeshita played in Japan for JT Marvelous among Ai Yamamoto. This year (2011/2012) their team reached the 5th place in the japanese V-League.
Actual news say that she retired from international and domestic volleyball.
The japanese wikipedia gives information of her becoming the wife of a japanese baseball player Takashi Egusa.
Yoshie Takeshita - Setter in action
Yamamoto, Ai 山本 愛
*24. 03 1982 in Sendai, Miyagi
height: 1,84 m / 6 ft 0 in
Nummer 5 as middle blocker
plays for JT Marvelous (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 1998
Ai Yamamoto is the player with the highest reach in the team and an important middle blocker. Her first appearance was in 2002 at the world championship when reaching with the japanese volleyball team the 13th place. Back then her name was Otomo. After marrying and getting her daughter in 2006 she returned in 2008 to the V. premier league. Because of a knee injury in 2011 she could not play at the world cup in Japan 2011. In 2012 she was reintroduced in the prelementary round of the FiVB World Grand Prix again with her old maiden name Ai Otomo.
*24. 03 1982 in Sendai, Miyagi
height: 1,84 m / 6 ft 0 in
Nummer 5 as middle blocker
plays for JT Marvelous (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 1998
Ai Yamamoto is the player with the highest reach in the team and an important middle blocker. Her first appearance was in 2002 at the world championship when reaching with the japanese volleyball team the 13th place. Back then her name was Otomo. After marrying and getting her daughter in 2006 she returned in 2008 to the V. premier league. Because of a knee injury in 2011 she could not play at the world cup in Japan 2011. In 2012 she was reintroduced in the prelementary round of the FiVB World Grand Prix again with her old maiden name Ai Otomo.
Nummer 6 as libero
plays for Igdisadchi Baku (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 2002
The second reason for my liking of the japanese volleyball team is definitely Libero Yuko Sano. She is the second player with the hight of 1,59 m on the field - but a player with perfection in digging. Starting in 2002 in the japanese All Stars in volleyball she is with Yoshie Takeshita a constant member of this team.
Yuko Sano played in 2011 for Igdisadchi Baku in Azerbajian. You can visit Yuko Sanos Blog on http://spora.jp/sanoyuko/ - with the help of the google translator its possible to get some information of her life in Azerbaijan.
She wil play in 2012/13 for the Turkish Team Galatasary Daikin, especially for the CEV Cup. Her joining will be expected at the end of November 2012.
She wil play in 2012/13 for the Turkish Team Galatasary Daikin, especially for the CEV Cup. Her joining will be expected at the end of November 2012.
Watch her first match from 6th December 2012: Link
09.05. 2013
Next season 2013/2014 she will be playing for team Voleiro Zürich in Switzerland which qualified for the European Champions League.
Matches of Fivb Club Championchip
Volero Zürich vs. Guangdong Evergrande 13.10. 2013
Volero Zürich 2013/ 2014
Matches of Fivb Club Championchip
Volero Zürich vs. Guangdong Evergrande 13.10. 2013
Videos
Yuko Sano Video (Brazil vs Japan)
Yuko Sano Video (Italy vs Japan)
Yuko Sano plays for Igdisadchi Baku (2011)
Pictures
Yuko Sano and Saori Kimura (from fivb.org)
Yuko Sano in V. league (Amano Fotoblog)
Yuko Sano 2007
Yuko Sano 2003 (from fujitv.co)
Yuko Sano Promo Volero Zürich 2013
Yamaguchi, Mai 山口 舞
*03. 07 1983 in Shima, Mie
height: 1,76 m / 5 ft 9 1/2 in
spike: 298 cm / 117 in
Nummer 7 as wing spiker until 2012
Number 7 as middle blocker 2014
plays for Okayama Seagulls (2012)
first time Japan All Stars Team: 2009
Mai Yamaguchi is an inspiring volleyball player. Her playing is very creative due to powerful spikes or very powerless BUT more intelligent "hand" play. The way she plays depends on the current situation. If there is a strong block the ball can be set shortly behind or from the block touch out of field. Often Mai Yamaguchi takes a leading role in fast and intelligent combination play which represents the japanese volleyball team. Due to her beauty and her play she has a huge fan base with many videos.
Pictures
Yuko Sano and Saori Kimura (from fivb.org)
Yuko Sano in V. league (Amano Fotoblog)
Yuko Sano 2007
Yuko Sano 2003 (from fujitv.co)
Yuko Sano Promo Volero Zürich 2013
After-match-Interview Volero Zürich
Interesting thing is that she din't deny the possibility for Olympics in 2016, although it really will be though cause Japans Head Coach changed nearly the whole team for (I must say it) younger players. But after all she still plays on a very high level.
Yamaguchi, Mai 山口 舞*03. 07 1983 in Shima, Mie
height: 1,76 m / 5 ft 9 1/2 in
spike: 298 cm / 117 in
Nummer 7 as wing spiker until 2012
Number 7 as middle blocker 2014
plays for Okayama Seagulls (2012)
first time Japan All Stars Team: 2009
Mai Yamaguchi is an inspiring volleyball player. Her playing is very creative due to powerful spikes or very powerless BUT more intelligent "hand" play. The way she plays depends on the current situation. If there is a strong block the ball can be set shortly behind or from the block touch out of field. Often Mai Yamaguchi takes a leading role in fast and intelligent combination play which represents the japanese volleyball team. Due to her beauty and her play she has a huge fan base with many videos.
2014
In season 2013/2014 she became captain of her team Okayama Seagulls where she plays as a middle blocker who had a very tremendous scoring rate of over 50% successes. In matches against very high players like the Russians she took often a key role as opposite spiker. After one year of break (from international court) and recovery of an achilles injury she reappeared in the new role of Japans smallest middle blocker.
Mai Yamaguchi video
*19. 08 1986 in Tokyo
height: 1,85 m / 6 ft 1 in
spike: 304 cm
Nummer 12 as wing spiker
plays for Toray Arrows (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 2003
She is an important member of the Japan All Stars since 2003 but becoming the rising star of Japan in 2010 when she helped winning the bronze medal. Her nicknames are Miracle Saori or Japans future, infinite Saori explaining her idol figure.
Her life was already displayed in a J-sport-drama Ashita mo mata ikiteiko.
In the japanese V. league she plays among with Erika Araki, Hitomi Nakamichi and Saori Sakoda for Toray Arrows who won the japanese championchip in 2011- 2012.
Saori Kimura plays now (season 2012) for Vakifbank Istanbul in Turkey. The team trainer is the Italian Giovanni Guidetti who coaches since 2008 the German National Womens team.
Saori Kimura plays now (season 2012) for Vakifbank Istanbul in Turkey. The team trainer is the Italian Giovanni Guidetti who coaches since 2008 the German National Womens team.
31.01. 2013
Watch the interview with Saori Kimura in turkish Tv, about coming to Trukey and playing in Europe (partly in english, mostly in turkish and japanese) --> Interview
09.05. 2013
News say she got transferred to the team Galatasary Istanbul which is No. 3 in the turkish volleyball league. So Saori stays a bit longer in Turkey and probably in the new team lead by the Italian's national trainer Massimo Barbolini her chances for a bigger role is more possible.
Videos:
FIVB Heroine 2011
Saori Kimura (2009 vs Netherlands)
Sports report of Saori Kimura
TV Spot (before 2009)
Watch the match Vakifbank Istanbul vs Voleiro Zurich Link ( 23. 10 . 2012)
Ebata, Yukiko 江畑 幸子
*07. 11 1989 in Akita
height: 1,76 m / 5 ft 9 1/2 in
spike: 305 cm/ 120 in
Nummer 14 as wing spiker
plays for Hitachi Rivale (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 2010
Yukiko Ebata is currently next to Saori Kimura the most important spiker - even without being one of the highest players. She has very powerful and incisive attacks. At the Montreux Volley Masters 2011 she was honored as the best attacker (of all teams) with a spike success of 50 %.
Pictures
Sakoda, Saori
*18. 12. 1987 in Kagoshima
height: 1,75 m / 5 ft 9 in
spike: 305 cm/ 120 in
Nummer 16 as wing spiker
plays for Toray Arrows (2012)
First time for Japan All Stars Team: 2010
Saori Sakodas jumping ability is what makes that girl such a phenomena. Even being one of the smaller players her attacks reaches higher than Saori Kimura's who is 10 cm/ 3,9 in higher. Her strengths are the attacks from the back field which are very hard to block.
It's a tactic decision when she comes into action because her position is the same as Yukiko Ebatas. Her first real international acknowledgment was in 2011 at the Montreux Masters when team Japan could turn whole matches with her coming to the field.
May 2013: Due to a shoulder trauma Saori Sakoda can not be a part of the national volleyball team. Probably having the major role in the Japanese Volleyball league at Toray Arrows she overstressed her skills a little. I really hope and wish to see her soon in the squad.
Saori Sakodas jumping ability is what makes that girl such a phenomena. Even being one of the smaller players her attacks reaches higher than Saori Kimura's who is 10 cm/ 3,9 in higher. Her strengths are the attacks from the back field which are very hard to block.
It's a tactic decision when she comes into action because her position is the same as Yukiko Ebatas. Her first real international acknowledgment was in 2011 at the Montreux Masters when team Japan could turn whole matches with her coming to the field.
May 2013: Due to a shoulder trauma Saori Sakoda can not be a part of the national volleyball team. Probably having the major role in the Japanese Volleyball league at Toray Arrows she overstressed her skills a little. I really hope and wish to see her soon in the squad.
......others following....
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