Osaka Blazers Sakai is a men's professional volleyball team based in Sakai city, Osaka, Japan. It plays in the V.Premier League.

Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers
Short nameNippon Steel Sakai BZ
Founded1939
GroundSakai City, Osaka, Japan.
Manager
Head Coach
Japan Mikiyasu Tanaka
Japan Shinya Chiba
CaptainJapan Takashi Dekita
LeagueV.League Division 1
2021–225th place
WebsiteClub home page
Uniforms
Home
Away

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.[1] In 1969 the volleyball section split and moved to Sakai.

On October 2, 2023, the club changed its name into Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers.[2]

Honours

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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
Emperor's Cup
  • Runner-up (2): 2007, 2021

Current roster

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The following is team roster of Season 2023–2024.[3]

No. Player Name Date of birth Position
1   Yoshihiko Matsumoto (1981-01-07) January 7, 1981 (age 43) Middle blocker
2   Yuki Higuchi (1996-04-27) April 27, 1996 (age 28) Outside hitter
3   Kosuke Yasui (2000-12-08) December 8, 2000 (age 23) Outside hitter
4   Naoya Takano (1993-04-30) April 30, 1993 (age 31) Outside hitter
5   Tomohiro Horie (1997-06-23) June 23, 1997 (age 27) Libero
6   Aiki Mori (1998-04-19) April 19, 1998 (age 26) Libero
7   Takashi Dekita (1991-08-13) August 13, 1991 (age 33) Middle blocker
8   Naoto Akima (2000-09-19) September 19, 2000 (age 24) Middle blocker
9   Hiroshi Sakoda (1996-05-01) May 1, 1996 (age 28) Outside hitter
10   Cole Hogland (2000-04-06) April 6, 2000 (age 24) Middle blocker
11   Shigetome Hyuga (1999-10-25) October 25, 1999 (age 25) Outside hitter
13   Sharone Vernon-Evans (1998-08-28) August 28, 1998 (age 26) Opposite hitter
14   Shohei Yamaguchi (c) (1994-07-21) July 21, 1994 (age 30) Setter
18   Rintaro Umemoto (1998-04-09) April 9, 1998 (age 26) Middle blocker
21   Yutaro Takemoto (1995-02-21) February 21, 1995 (age 29) Middle blocker
22   Akahoshi Shinjo (2000-01-19) January 19, 2000 (age 24) Setter
23   Yukiya Uno (1996-06-28) June 28, 1996 (age 28) Outside hitter
Head coach:   Shinya Chiba


Former roster

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League results

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  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

References

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  1. ^ チーム沿革 (in Japanese). Japan Volleyball League Organization. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  2. ^ "日本製鉄 釜石シーウェイブスRFC、堺ブレイザーズの名称変更について | 日本製鉄株式会社". Digital PR Platform (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  3. ^ "堺ブレイザーズ2023-24シーズン体制・スローガンについて". July 3, 2023.
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