I first became interested in volleyball when I saw a Japanese women’s Olympic match on TV as an elementary school student. I played as an outside hitter (also known as a spiker) in junior high and high school. Even after entering the workforce, I formed a team with my high school club members and continued playing as an outside hitter until I moved to Kyoto. Volleyball doesn’t allow you to hold or dribble the ball, so it requires strong team communication. The best feeling is when everything clicks, and all teammates share the joy. I now work for an industry-academia collaboration, and I’ve always loved connecting people.
During the pandemic, I was afraid of catching COVID-19, but more than that, I feared the loneliness caused by restricted social interactions. I wasn’t sure how long I could endure it. In April 2021, I happened to catch the Final 3 game of the Men’s V-League on TV. I was instantly captivated by the player from an unknown team who was aggressively jumping and spiking from all over the court. Although they won the match, they lost the golden set and couldn’t advance to the finals due to the tournament rules. Many players said they were satisfied because it was a good match. However, that player said he was disappointed to lose, which touched my heart. The more videos I watched about him online, the more I realized he was my first “favorite.” During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, I bought a T-shirt of my favorite player and cheered him on through the TV with all my heart. In 2022, I wore that T-shirt to an international match. To my surprise, I was shown on TV for a few seconds while cheering!
Starting with the 2021–22 V-League season, I joined the team’s fan club, added all the match schedules to my calendar, and attended as many nearby games as possible. At the venues, I bought tons of merchandise, brought fan letters and gifts to the fan club booth, and posted match photos on social media and connected with other fans of the same player. It was all new to me, and I was amazed at myself — “I didn’t know I could do this!”
Watching the matches is, of course, fun, but there are also many events before and between sets. When I won a signed ball from the captain, I was shown on the monitor and got super excited! I wore a T-shirt with his handwritten autograph I got at an event to a fan appreciation festival, and when my favorite player personally said “Thank you,” I was so moved that I trembled when my support was finally recognized. This year, I commented on his post and received a direct reply — I was so thrilled that I couldn’t sleep that night. At the match venues, it’s also fun to connect with other fans, saying things like, “That spike was amazing! Let’s wave our towels together!” I’m constantly squealing with excitement.
Recently, in my class, Professor Toshiaki Furukawa gave a lecture on mental health apps. He said, “When you’re feeling anxious, it’s more effective to activate behavior than to try to relax.” That made me realize that thanks to my favorite, I never lost heart and was able to get through the pandemic. My favorite is really precious.
URL：
Department of Management of Technology and Intellectual Property,
School of Public Health, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine
https://www.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/research/field/doctoral_course/r-148
https://mot.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp/
Photo 1: The winning autograph ball.
Photo 2: Cheering T-shirts and other merchandise.
