# Osaka Blazers Sakai

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

### Emperor's Cup

* Runner-up (2): 2007, 2021

## Current roster

The following is team roster of Season 2023–2024.
| 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

Team roster – season 2022/2023 :
| 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 In | (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 |
| 7 | Takashi Dekita (c) | (1991-08-13) August 13, 1991 (age 33) | Middle blocker |
| 8 | Naoto Akima In | (2000-09-19) September 19, 2000 (age 24) | Middle blocker |
| 9 | Hiroshi Sakoda | (1996-05-01) May 1, 1996 (age 28) | Outside hitter |
| 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 | (1994-07-21) July 21, 1994 (age 30) | Setter |
| 17 | Akihiro Fukatsu | (1987-07-23) July 23, 1987 (age 37) | Setter |
| 18 | Rintaro Umemoto | (1998-04-09) April 9, 1998 (age 26) | Middle blocker |
| 20 | Tomohiro Yamamoto | (1994-11-05) November 5, 1994 (age 29) | Libero |
| 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 ||||

## League results

Champion Runner-up
| League | League | Position | Teams | Matches | Win | Lose |
| V.League |
| V.League | 1st (1994–95) | Runner-up | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 |
| V.League | 2nd (1995–96) | Runner-up | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 |
| V.League | 3rd (1996–97) | Champion | 8 | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| V.League | 4th (1997–98) | Champion | 8 | 21 | 17 | 4 |
| V.League | 5th (1998–99) | 6th | 10 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| V.League | 6th (1999-00) | 4th | 10 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
| V.League | 7th (2000–01) | 5th | 10 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| V.League | 8th (2001–02) | 3rd | 10 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
| V.League | 9th (2002–03) | 6th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 |
| V.League | 10th (2003–04) | 4th | 8 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| V.League | 11th (2004–05) | 6th | 8 | 28 | 11 | 17 |
| V.League | 12th (2005–06) | Champion | 8 | 28 | 17 | 11 |
| V・Premier | 2006-07 | 6th | 8 | 28 | 9 | 19 |
| V・Premier | 2007-08 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 |
| V・Premier | 2008-09 | Runner-up | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 |
| V・Premier | 2009-10 | Runner-up | 8 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| V・Premier | 2010-11 | Champion | 8 | 24 | 19 | 5 |
| V・Premier | 2011-12 | 4th | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 |
| V・Premier | 2012-13 | Champion | 8 | 28 | 17 | 11 |
| V・Premier | 2013-14 | 3rd | 8 | 28 | 19 | 9 |
| V・Premier | 2014-15 | 4th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 |
| V・Premier | 2015-16 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 |
| V・Premier | 2016-17 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 |
| V・Premier | 2017–18 | 7th | 8 | 21 | 7 | 14 |
| V.League Division 1 | 2018–19 | 6th | 10 | 32 | 16 | 16 |
| V.League Division 1 | 2019–20 | 5th | 10 | 28 | 15 | 13 |
| V.League Division 1 | 2020–21 | 7th | 10 | 36 | 17 | 19 |
| V.League Division 1 | 2021–22 | 5th | 10 | 36 | 24 | 12 |
| V.League Division 1 | 2022–23 | 4th | 10 | 39 | 24 | 15 |