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Masahiro Yanagida - Number Web
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Article: number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/848…
Published: July 6, 2021
Written by: Yuko Tanaka (@yukotako164)

#柳田将洋
#MasahiroYanagida
@y_masaaaa_yk

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Masahiro Yanagida, now thinking: "I still want to play volleyball, and I think I can do my best." after being excluded from the Tokyo Olympics

Masahiro Yanagida, a fallen candidate. On June 21, the Japanese men's volleyball team for the Tokyo Olympics was announced.

More than a month before that, Yanagida was told that he would not be able to remain on the team. Since he has been leading the national team and giving back the experience he gained overseas, the decision was met with many opinions.

What is Yanagida, who turned 29 years old today, thinking about now? What is the new ambition that he has in mind for his teammates?

Looking back, Masahiro Yanagida was always composed.

Even at the end of the match, when the crowd was cheering, and the opponent was leading by one point, he served with a relaxed face. It was not a safe strategy, for fear of making a mistake, but a winning one, attacking to ensure a score.

It is the same not only in the Japanese national team, but also in the V-League, in Germany, & in Poland. Even with the booing of the opponents' crowd, he went about his business as usual, unperturbed. Win or lose, his post-game analysis is spot on, and he never raises his voice.

It was the same then.

Japan's national team's red and white match at Takasaki Arena on May 9. After the game, Yanagida appeared at the press conference after receiving a request from the media. He calmly and clearly described his position and the challenges he faces in the (+)

(+) fierce competition for a spot in the Tokyo Olympic team.

[ "Of course, I was frustrated." ]

It was only a few hours later that his participation in the Tokyo Olympics was effectively cut short. In order to be included in the 12 players going into the tournament, they (+)

(+) must be among the 17 players registered for the Nations League, which started on May 28 in Italy. However, on the night after the red and white game, Yanagida was told by the team that he would not be a part of the team this time.

It's a tough world and any outcome is possible. However, it must have been a shock indeed. I asked him about his feelings at the time. After all, Yanagida was calm.

"I couldn't even go to Ariake (the friendly match against China at the Arena), and the result was everything. (+)

(+) I knew that just because I had been on the national team before didn't mean I had a sure ticket to the Olympics. I couldn't improve my condition, and I knew that I couldn't appeal to the audience. I couldn't show off my good points when I should have, because I wasn't (+)

(+) good enough. Of course, the desire to remain was strong, but since the result cannot be overturned, we can only take a positive view. I thought to myself, this kind of thing can happen in the midst of a career."

"Of course, I was frustrated."

He moved to Germany in 2017, Poland the following year, and then back to Germany again. Whenever I interview Yanagida, who had made steady progress in his 3 seasons in Europe, the topic of conversation always turned to the Japanese national team.

The high level of the players in each league and the current situation of the Japanese players. There were always a lot of factors that he wanted to improve his awareness and skills as a representative of Japan, and above all, he was strict with himself.

There was a scene like this in Germany.

Even when other players were playing soccer for fun as a warm-up, he would quietly do his bodyweight training in another place because of the risk of sprains and other injuries, and stimulate his core with movements using tubes.

I've never seen Yanagida compromise on this level before. Never satisfied with the current situation, he has always searched for what is lacking and worked hard to define issues that need to be overcome.

[ Anxiety about the "challenge" ]

In the '19 World Cup, while Japan's national team progressed to fourth place, Yanagida's opportunities to play were limited. In preparation for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, he vowed to improve his skills and set himself the task of improving (+)

(+) not only his offense, but also his defense, mainly his serve-receive.

"In Suntory (Sunbirds, where he returned in the 20-21 season), I moved into a position where I didn't do serve-receive. Of course, there are team tactics, and it is natural to play a role in those (+)

(+) tactics, but in a corner of my mind, I also had a sense of 'how should I play when the national team starts next?'. Some people can switch quickly when the situation changes, but this is not the case for me. Getting on the court and getting results in a game is a great (+)

(+) way to gain confidence. It's a repetitive process, so I was more than a little worried that I hadn't cleared that up."

They finished the season in the best possible way, winning the league championship, and joined the national team training camp. If you only look at his (+)

(+) track record, many people thought that "Yanagida was a sure bet", but in reality, his condition did not improve and he was not able to appeal to the public.

After another year of postponement, a new group of teenagers and people in their early twenties joined the team.

Watching them steadily demonstrate their strength in game-style practice, he discovered something new, beyond the vague assessment of youth and vigor.

"The level of defense is generally high, and Takahashi (Ran) in particular is very accurate in his reception. (+)

(+) Ishikawa (Yuki) has also been at a high level since he came in as a college student, but he's a different type of player. My image of Takahashi is that he was aggressive when he was young, but as he gets older and more experienced, he becomes more defensive, (+)

(+) but at his age, he has the same style of play as a player with a long career, and he still scores. I don't think there are many players who can suddenly stand on such a stage and show that much at the age of 19."

On May 20, the 17 players who were registered for the Nations League were announced. There were many who objected to Yanagida's removal. But it was Yanagida himself, of all people, who took the process of reaching that result more calmly than anyone else.

"The results are only as good as the last year. If you want to represent your country, you have to produce results on the spot, and I think that's why I've been given so much value in this world. If we are in a world where we are chosen because we have worked hard or because (+)

(+) we were the captain, then our value will not increase no matter how long we do it. How to stand in that place. I think I've been able to get on the court because I've been able to show off my strengths and produce results to stay in the team, and I couldn't this time (+)

(+) because I was unable to do that. Now it's simple. That's all I can think of."

Yanagida is already looking forward to getting results in the next season. He also bought a pass to see all the matches in the Nations League at FIVB and watched his colleagues fight.

As for the 12 athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Olympics, he said, "No matter who is selected, they are all the best individuals. I'm sure they will carry the weight of those who have fought so far and were not selected, including me, on their shoulders."

However, he did not immediately accept and said "I understand" after his dream was cut off. The night after the Red&White game. He also told Tatsuya Fukuzawa, who was in the same room with him, that he was no longer a member. Kunihiro Shimizu joined there and talked for a while.

As for the 12 athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Olympics, he said, "No matter who is selected, they are all the best individuals. I'm sure they will carry the weight of those who have fought so far and were not selected, including me, on their shoulders."

"Both of them have been through a lot, so I won't talk too much about it. But they said, 'We have to affirm in our future actions that the process of getting to this point itself was important. I think that's what we can do now.' That alone conveyed a lot to me and gave (+)

(+) me support. It was because of what those two said that it became clear to me, and it gave me the opportunity to move forward and say, 'Yes, you're right.' While watching the Nations League, I want all the players, Fukuzawa-san, and Shimizu-san, to do their best. (+)

(+) I look at the two of them in a slightly different way, with respect for the fact that they have made it to that point."

Yanagida wrote his thoughts on his blog and Instagram after the official announcement was made more than 10 days after the Red and White game.

It was painful that I couldn't respond to their expectations and couldn't say anything (until the official announcement)," he recalled. But as he read through the messages from friends and acquaintances, as well as the comments on social networking sites, he felt it again.

"I felt that I still wanted to play volleyball and that I could do my best. Being in the Olympics is important, and of course I still feel the attraction of the Olympics. But I'm grateful to have realized that I wouldn't have been able to aim for the Olympics if it weren't (+)

(+) for the people who supported me, and it wouldn't be fun to play volleyball while being dragged along by the Olympics forever. When to move on is different for each person, but I think there are things I can do for myself. So now I'm only looking forward."

"Look forward" in response to frustration and disappointment. As always, Yanagida was unfazed.

[end]