Osaka Blazers Sakai
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Osaka Blazers Sakai is a men's professional volleyball team based in Sakai city, Osaka, Japan. It plays in the V.Premier League.
The club was founded in 1939 as part of the Kitakyushu, Fukuoka-based Yawata Steel athletic club which also included football club Yawata Steel F.C. In 1969 the volleyball section split and moved to Sakai.
On October 2, 2023, the club changed its name into Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers.
Honours
Japan Volleyball League/V.League/V.Premier League
- Champions (17): 1967-1968 1973-1974 1974-1975 1975-1976 1976-1977 1978-1979 1979-1980 1980-1981 1982-1983 1988-1989 1989-1990 1990-1991 1996-1997 1997-1998 2005-2006, 2010–11, 2012–13
- Runners-up (4): 1994-95,1995–96, 2008–09 and 2009–10
Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship
- Champions (14): 1952 1953 1957 1960 1967 1974 1975 1976 1977 1980 1984 1988 1989 1990
- Runner-up (2): 2007, 2021
Current roster
The following is team roster of Season 2023–2024.
| No. | Player Name | Date of birth | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Yoshihiko Matsumoto | (1981-01-07)January 7, 1981(age 45) | Middle blocker |
| 2 | Japan Yuki Higuchi | (1996-04-27)April 27, 1996(age 30) | Outside hitter |
| 3 | Japan Kosuke Yasui | (2000-12-08)December 8, 2000(age 25) | Outside hitter |
| 4 | Japan Naoya Takano | (1993-04-30)April 30, 1993(age 33) | Outside hitter |
| 5 | Japan Tomohiro Horie | (1997-06-23)June 23, 1997(age 28) | Libero |
| 6 | Japan Aiki Mori | (1998-04-19)April 19, 1998(age 28) | Libero |
| 7 | Japan Takashi Dekita | (1991-08-13)August 13, 1991(age 34) | Middle blocker |
| 8 | Japan Naoto Akima | (2000-09-19)September 19, 2000(age 25) | Middle blocker |
| 9 | Japan Hiroshi Sakoda | (1996-05-01)May 1, 1996(age 30) | Outside hitter |
| 10 | Japan Cole Hogland | (2000-04-06)April 6, 2000(age 26) | Middle blocker |
| 11 | Japan Shigetome Hyuga | (1999-10-25)October 25, 1999(age 26) | Outside hitter |
| 13 | Canada Sharone Vernon-Evans | (1998-08-28)August 28, 1998(age 27) | Opposite hitter |
| 14 | Japan Shohei Yamaguchi (c) | (1994-07-21)July 21, 1994(age 31) | Setter |
| 18 | Japan Rintaro Umemoto | (1998-04-09)April 9, 1998(age 28) | Middle blocker |
| 21 | Japan Yutaro Takemoto | (1995-02-21)February 21, 1995(age 31) | Middle blocker |
| 22 | Japan Akahoshi Shinjo | (2000-01-19)January 19, 2000(age 26) | Setter |
| 23 | Japan Yukiya Uno | (1996-06-28)June 28, 1996(age 29) | Outside hitter |
| Head coach: Japan Shinya Chiba |
Former roster
| Team roster – season 2022/2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player Name | Date of birth | Position |
| 1 | Japan Yoshihiko Matsumoto | (1981-01-07)January 7, 1981(age 45) | Middle blocker |
| 2 | Japan Yuki Higuchi | (1996-04-27)April 27, 1996(age 30) | Outside hitter |
| 3 | Japan Kosuke Yasui In | (2000-12-08)December 8, 2000(age 25) | Outside hitter |
| 4 | Japan Naoya Takano | (1993-04-30)April 30, 1993(age 33) | Outside hitter |
| 5 | Japan Tomohiro Horie | (1997-06-23)June 23, 1997(age 28) | Libero |
| 7 | Japan Takashi Dekita (c) | (1991-08-13)August 13, 1991(age 34) | Middle blocker |
| 8 | Japan Naoto Akima In | (2000-09-19)September 19, 2000(age 25) | Middle blocker |
| 9 | Japan Hiroshi Sakoda | (1996-05-01)May 1, 1996(age 30) | Outside hitter |
| 11 | Japan Shigetome Hyuga | (1999-10-25)October 25, 1999(age 26) | Outside hitter |
| 13 | Canada Sharone Vernon-Evans | (1998-08-28)August 28, 1998(age 27) | Opposite hitter |
| 14 | Japan Shohei Yamaguchi | (1994-07-21)July 21, 1994(age 31) | Setter |
| 17 | Japan Akihiro Fukatsu | (1987-07-23)July 23, 1987(age 38) | Setter |
| 18 | Japan Rintaro Umemoto | (1998-04-09)April 9, 1998(age 28) | Middle blocker |
| 20 | Japan Tomohiro Yamamoto | (1994-11-05)November 5, 1994(age 31) | Libero |
| 21 | Japan Yutaro Takemoto | (1995-02-21)February 21, 1995(age 31) | Middle blocker |
| 22 | Japan Akahoshi Shinjo | (2000-01-19)January 19, 2000(age 26) | Setter |
| 23 | Japan Yukiya Uno | (1996-06-28)June 28, 1996(age 29) | Outside hitter |
| Head coach: Japan Shinya Chiba |
League results
Champion Runner-up
| League | Position | Teams | Matches | Win | Lose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V.League | ||||||
| 1st (1994–95) | Runner-up | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2nd (1995–96) | Runner-up | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 | |
| 3rd (1996–97) | Champion | 8 | 21 | 14 | 7 | |
| 4th (1997–98) | Champion | 8 | 21 | 17 | 4 | |
| 5th (1998–99) | 6th | 10 | 18 | 10 | 8 | |
| 6th (1999-00) | 4th | 10 | 18 | 15 | 3 | |
| 7th (2000–01) | 5th | 10 | 18 | 10 | 8 | |
| 8th (2001–02) | 3rd | 10 | 18 | 12 | 6 | |
| 9th (2002–03) | 6th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 | |
| 10th (2003–04) | 4th | 8 | 21 | 12 | 9 | |
| 11th (2004–05) | 6th | 8 | 28 | 11 | 17 | |
| 12th (2005–06) | Champion | 8 | 28 | 17 | 11 | |
| V・Premier | 2006-07 | 6th | 8 | 28 | 9 | 19 |
| 2007-08 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 | |
| 2008-09 | Runner-up | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 | |
| 2009-10 | Runner-up | 8 | 28 | 18 | 10 | |
| 2010-11 | Champion | 8 | 24 | 19 | 5 | |
| 2011-12 | 4th | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2012-13 | Champion | 8 | 28 | 17 | 11 | |
| 2013-14 | 3rd | 8 | 28 | 19 | 9 | |
| 2014-15 | 4th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 | |
| 2015-16 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2016-17 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 | |
| 2017–18 | 7th | 8 | 21 | 7 | 14 | |
| V.League Division 1 | 2018–19 | 6th | 10 | 32 | 16 | 16 |
| 2019–20 | 5th | 10 | 28 | 15 | 13 | |
| 2020–21 | 7th | 10 | 36 | 17 | 19 | |
| 2021–22 | 5th | 10 | 36 | 24 | 12 | |
| 2022–23 | 4th | 10 | 39 | 24 | 15 |
External links
- (in Japanese)
- (in Japanese)