Men’s professional volleyball organization OK Financial Group has named 53-year-old Sunbirds Sunbirds head coach Masashi Ogino as its third head coach.
OK Financial Group announced on the 29th that it has appointed Massa Ogino as its next head coach. Ogino will be the third head coach in the history of the organization, following Kim Se-jin and Seok Jin-wook, and the first foreign head coach of OK Financial Group’s volleyball team.
As OK Financial Group celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, the company considered the appointment of a foreign head coach from a variety of perspectives as a sign of returning to its roots and challenging itself again. After conducting several interviews with leading figures, the group decided to appoint Ogino, who has a strong understanding of Korean volleyball and is strong in basic volleyball, as the right person.
A representative from OK Financial Group said, “We wanted to make an innovative move in time for the club’s 10th anniversary in 2023, and to that end, we selected candidates with a foreign coach in mind from the beginning. We considered a wide range of candidates from Brazil, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan, and conducted written interviews in advance.” “After looking for someone with a high level of understanding and affection for Korean volleyball, we decided that Coach Ogino was the right person for the job. He is also a coach who can fill the gaps in the team’s fundamentals and defensive organization.”
Indeed, Ogino is an “Asian volleyball powerhouse,” a longtime defensive outside hitter who played from 1988 to 2010. Ogino is considered one of the most prominent 토토사이트 names in Asian volleyball, having competed in two Olympic Games (1992, 2008) and three World Championships (1990, 1998, 2006).
After retiring from the game in 2010, he began his coaching career with the Sunbirds, leading the team until 2012. In 2017, he was named head coach of Suntory again and led the team until 2019, when his leadership helped the team return to the top tier.
Ogino is no stranger to Korean volleyball. Having played for the Japanese national team during the rivalry between Korean men’s volleyball and Japanese men’s volleyball, Ogino has a strong understanding of the Korean style of play and performance. Ogino also has a long-standing connection to Korean volleyball, as he continues to interact with Korean national team players he played against during his playing days.
OK Financial Group Volleyball plans to return to its roots with Ogino, who played for the Suntory Sunbirds for many years, a team that is known for its fundamental play.
On taking the helm of OK Financial Group Volleyball, Ogino said, “I am excited to take on a new challenge with OK Financial Group Volleyball. I will do my best to help OK Financial Group Volleyball win the championship again. I am familiar with Korean volleyball and have a good understanding of the game,” he said, adding, “I think free communication is the most important aspect of running a team. I will also strengthen the defense, which is the pillar of the team, and build a system that utilizes all attacking channels.” He also added what he will emphasize as a future coach.
Meanwhile, Ogino arrived in South Korea on the 15th and greeted the players after finalizing his contract. After returning to Japan on the 17th, Ogino plans to complete the necessary procedures such as visa issuance and arrive in Korea at the end of May to lead the team in earnest.