GO USA

[ Hisamitsu - JT 2009.3.1 ]
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WCXKFNNC (627.48 MB)

I have problems with some of the files in that the audio is delayed by a few seconds.
I changed VOB file to AVI by [ Any Video Converter ]. I will try making better one.... I'm SO SORRY.......

I don't know why but for the first two sets Logan looks very pissed off and while the break between set 1 and set 2 she was discussing something with translator and was looking very disappointed... anyone knows why?

well, for volleyball players, there are days where you feel really pumped up and other days where you don't really feel like a superstar. I think Logan felt this was her off-day, in my opinion, she wasn't getting set as much and was probably frustrated with a lot of things even though her passing and blocking were alright. if you have a really competitive nature like Logan does, sometimes even if you win, it doesn't feel good. if you know that you can definitely do better, you get frustrated with your performance if it isn't up to par.

i definitely feel that way sometimes, when a game or a practice just doesn't feel right.

I think she was just going through a phase last week. Hisamitsu have lots Full-set games like every week, and last week also had full-set game vs. Hitachi-sawa, which team is the last place in V-league ranking although. I actually disappointed the game, but we have to go to the TOP 4 first right now, so I am happy the result. She might has frustration of language, Japanese VB style or poor play. In overseas league ( Serie-A, Russia, Turkey etc ) there are many TOP Level players. In Japan, many good players are there but not world level players...you know? And It is the worst thing that only one foreign player can contact with a team!! Only one in new country sometimes might be feeling alone...In TOP level overseas league, a setter can toss up for many TOP level players, and all players’ skill is high, so setter can toss up same percent for all players. When you watch full-set games by Logan, always Logan's total attacks are high! also receives DID many times. Logan is strict about her play so might be feel that she is going to get annoyed with Japanese players or poor play. It isn't the end of the league yet, so Let's go now!! I hope Logan and Ty look happy to play in Japan. When Hisamitsu qualified for Semi-final (TOP 4), I hope she can rest last 2 games and rest her body!

^ yea, i agree with Naa too. I feel like Logan isn't playing at the high level she's used to, and that gets pretty frustrating too. She's used to higher sets so she can get over the blockers, and taller blockers to block hits. On an outside attack (attack from the outside hitter position) the player in the middle back position (Logan's position in the back row) usually covers line, but I noticed that Logan cheated off her line a couple times. Probably because she feels that she has to cover a larger angle that gets exposed from having smaller blockers. If you think about it, in terms of all the past leagues she's played for, she's had really tall blockers blocking in the front row (for example, Dinamo Moscow, Chieri, etc. and international competitions). It's a lot of area to cover and it's pretty hard to adjust (i've played both libero and outside position in high school)

But I think the great thing about the Japanese league is that they have ridiculously long rallies due to their great digging abilities.

But I'm hoping that Hisamitsu continues to do really well and that Logan will be able to better adjust to this different type of play.

In watching the game, I thought her frustration was more towards her playing hurt. If you watch the game, the point after 13-14 in the first set, Logan looked to have fallen awkwardly and you can see her clutching at her right lower leg. After that, she seemed to be limping and not moving as smoothly. She seemed to be off-balanced a lot of the time after that.

I think she has adjust pretty well to Japanese play. She did mention in her previous interview she has some good and some bad days in playing Japanese style, and this game may be one of those 'bad' days. But, from watching the game, it looked more like she was playing hurt and she wasn't able to move as smoothly as she usually can.

I think with all those 5 setters, and her playing every single minute of it has put at huge toll on her body physically and I'm sure mentally as well. I mean, she pretty much has to do a lot of things both offensively and defensively. Other foreign players in the V-League are Opposites, so they only need to worry about the offensive end (attacking).

I sure hope the coach gives her a rest; she has carried the team on a lot of the games this season. As well, they need her fresh in the playoffs if they want to go far.

Naa, can you tell the coach to rest her?

Good eye TRiNiTy. To me, Tom also looked like she was hurt and moving tentatively.



I think they're paying Tom too much to let her sit out a full match.
Naa, does Japanese League publish the salaries of players?

i think Hisasmitsu Spring coach reminded them to take the game seriously and as much as possible finish the match as quicly as they can and not stretch the game to five sets anymore,maybe he feels his player is playing complacently that's why other teams can steal sets from them.just a guess coz i could see from everyone's faces that their quite focus and serious,nobody is smiling any more even hyodo and theyre attacks are much more agressive now

No.....Because almost all players aren't professional player...
They contact with a company as employee...
Takeshita(JT) Takahashi(NEC) are professional player, but we don't know their salaries...

just for your reference

An undisclosed source reveals that Yuki Sano (Hisamitsu's libero) only earns 300k yen (around $3k) per month. But I believe the OHs can get paid a lot compared to liberos. Guess the average level of salaries in V League is not very high.

Thanks! That's very interesting. For a country where volleyball is such a popular sport, the salary structure surprises me. Someone of Sano's talent would surely make more outside of Japan!



Thanks! I suppose Japanese players are allowed to play in other countries wihtout restrictions (like Erica in Italy)? I wonder if in the future we'll see more Japanese players playing for European clubs...

I heard it probably costs around 300 million yen ( 3 million $) to management a team in a season.
Each company(team) have to use expensive money a year.
I think in overseas league, almost teams have many sponsors...
But in Japan case, the sponsor is only the team's company! Hisamistu is Hisamistu. Pioneer is Pioneer.
The team have to management everything themselves that's why the players can't get much money.
It's bad economy right now, so almost teams must DO cost-cutting, so some of players might be cut...

We know that some of Team Japan players have offered from overseas league.
But the team doesn't want to let the player go....Poor Japanese VB league...
Now Erika Araki is playing with Bergamo(ITA), but she doesn't have a chance to play full time yet.
Japanese isn't tall, big like American, European...so it might be hard to play in overseas, I think.

I agree that the Japanese players may not have a good shot in foreign leagues, especially the middles and outside hitters due to their size. Though, one thing the Japanese players are good at is defense. I can totally see Sano making good money overseas; she's such a great libero. I think if a foreign team wants an outside hitter who can attack okay but want them more for their defensive ability, I think the Japanese players may have a chance to make the team. The player would be more like a Milena Rosner type of player. She's not very tall ( I think she's around 5'10-5'11, does not a strong attacking game, but is very good defensively.

I'm not sure but it seems that Team Japan players are only chosen from Japanese team (Premier league, Challenge league or high school). They have to belonged Japanese team. Takahashi (NEC) played in Italy for 2 years, but just she played as temporary player. Her based team is NEC, she was still staying on as a NEC members. Now, Erica Araki(Toray → Bergamo) is in Italy, and she also just temporary player. So the Japanese team has all commission for the player. Yuko Sano (Hisamitsu), she played as libero in World Cup 2003, but she wasn't chosen in 2004(Athens OG too), then she decided to goes to France (Cannes). She wasn't chosen as Team Japan that’s why she played in overseas league. Japanese player and own company is connecting very strong... From next season, a rule in European league will change and it must be hard to play in overseas for Japanese player. Only 2 foreign players can stand on a court!?!? USA doesn't have a league so USA players might hard to find a team too.

Wow, I did not know that the European league is going to make such a rule change. Thanks for the insight on that. I know there is such a rule in Women's Russian basketball league, where you can only have 2 foreign players on the court at any one time. That was more so the Russian players can get more playing time. However, in the Women's Basketball Euroleague it does not have such a restriction right now. Though, I was hearing they may also make a change to limit the number of foreign players on a team.

I wonder if this means a lot of the foreign volleyball players may opt for other leagues instead, such as the Turkish and Brazilian league. The Turkish league pays well and the competition there is pretty high. A lot of the top foreign players that were playing in the Italian league have already gone there.