Volleyball’s Absolute Ace and Passionate Captain – Sarinai Koga’s Quest to Surpass Saori Kimura at the Paris Olympics

The most dynamic player in the championship showdown was the captain of the Japanese national team.

In the final match of the V1 League Women’s Volleyball held on March 3rd, NEC, ranked 2nd in the regular season, defeated JT, ranked 1st, with a score of 3-1 to clinch the championship.

“The driving force behind this victory was undoubtedly the ace, Sarina Koga (27). She recorded the highest score of 26 points in the final and also won the season MVP,” said a sports newspaper desk editor.

Despite making her debut for the national team at the young age of 17, Koga has been a powerhouse in the Japanese women’s volleyball scene for nearly 10 years. Known for her charming smile showcased in variety shows and commercials for the bento chain ‘Hotto Motto,’ Koga has led the team to victory with her bright personality. However, it is said that she also has a ‘demon face’ that she only shows during gameplay.

“During practice, she continued to provide strict guidance to her teammates, to the extent that she herself admits to constantly putting stress beyond the matches. Her impressive fiery coaching style, scolding even for minor mistakes with phrases like ‘That was unacceptable!’, left a lasting impression. It’s likely that this passionate coaching contributed to the team’s victory,” said a representative of the Japan Volleyball Association.

Koga’s role model is Saori Kimura (37), who also joined the national team in her teens and served as both ace and captain. In this summer’s Paris Olympics, she aims for the pinnacle of the world, a feat even the great predecessors who made four appearances in the Olympics couldn’t reach.

From the March 22, 2024 issue of FRIDAY