TEAM COMPOSITION

Team Biography

JAPAN (women)

Over our participation in the last Olympics in Beijing in 2008, the Japan Volleyball Association took quick measures to build a new squad, aiming at the Olympics in London in 2012. Masayoshi Manabe, leading the Championship Team, Hisamitsu Springs, has been appointed as new head coach of Japan Women’s Team, taking over the position from former head coach Shoichi Yanagimoto who led the team since February 2003 and pretty experienced two Olympics in Athens 2004 and in Beijing 2008 through these years. Manabe started his duty from April of 2009 until 2012.

Masayoshi Manabe launched his new squad immediately after the V. League, Japan’s premier league. More than thirty players - from six Olympians, including Yoshie Takeshita, one of the best Setters and former captain, Yuko Sano, one of the best Liberos, Saori Kimura and Erika Araki, a captain since the 2009 season, to fresh and promising players, will be invited to the inaugural camp.

Starting from April, Manabe’s squad has started their first training camp this season in Tokyo and will have a training camp in China before the OQT. Being supported by those experienced players, newcomers will be able to express themselves without feeling anxious about making errors.

Japan used to be a powerhouse in the past and Manabe’s squad will challenge this year again to show everyone an unforgettable performances, since Japan has claimed its first FIVB medal for 32 year at the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship Japan 2010, showing their outstanding performances.

One year has passed since the March 11 disasters. In order to encourage Japanese people to overcome the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster and qualify for the London Olympics, Manabe and his squad will do their best at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Tokyo in May, 2012.

The final goal of Manabe’s squad this year – to win a medal in London - is, needless to say, unchanged. The forthcoming OQT and the World Grand Prix 2012 would be simply the first and the second steps toward the Olympics. Recognizing that most participating teams in the OQT are very hard to beat, Manabe and his players will fight bravely in order to get over their first hurdle.

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Biography

Masayoshi MANABE

Head coach of the Japanese women’s national team

Masayoshi Manabe, born in Hyogo in 1963, has become the new head coach of Japan Women's Team, taking over the position from former head coach Shoichi Yanagimoto who led the team since February 2003 and started his duty from April of 2009 until 2012.

On his appointment, Manabe said at the press conference last December "I have participated in the 1988 Seoul Olympics as a player. After watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics outside of the court, however, I felt like participating in the Olympics again as a leader. I want to do my best and aim for the 2012 London Olympics".As a setter of Japan Men's Team, Manabe participated in many international events, including the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He started his career as a head coach in 1993 at Nippon Steal Blazers (the predecessor of Sakai Blazers). He took the helm of the team as a "player-headcoach" until 1999. Under his leadership, the team became the V-League champion in 1996 and in 1997 consecutively. From 1999 to 2005, he focused on his career as a player and moved from team to team. Since his retirement as a player in 2005, Manabe has been leading Hisamitsu Springs. The team won the champion trophy of the 2006/07 V-Premier League.

Japan Women's Team is aiming for medals at the 2012 London Olympics under the powerful leadership of Manabe.

We believe Manabe is a quite tactician and he will lead his squad to the World Grand Prix of this year, since Japan has claimed its first FIVB medal for 32 year at the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship Japan 2010, showing their outstanding performances.

One year has passed since the March 11 disasters. In order to encourage Japanese people to overcome the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster and qualify for the London Olympics, Manabe and his squad will go for great progress and achievements on the international/world stage in 2012.

Once again, the final goal of Manabe’s squad this year – to win a medal in London - is, needless to say, unchanged. The forthcoming OQT and the World Grand Prix 2012 would be simply the first and the second steps toward the Olympics. Recognizing that most participating teams in the OQT are very hard to beat, Manabe and his players will fight bravely in order to get over their first hurdle.

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