OK Financial Group, a men’s professional volleyball team, has completed the second week of overseas training.
OK Financial Group concluded its training schedule in Osaka, Japan with a practice game on the 17th. The players will rest on the 18th and return home on the 19th.
I moved to Osaka on the 11th. Through the practice game, we had time to check the areas that the team had emphasized so far in real life. In the first week, they played against the Japanese V-League Division 1 Jaytect Stings. In this second week, a practice game was held against the Sakai Blazers.
During the practice match with Sakai, we focused on improving our chemistry as a team. At the same time, we checked the defense that had been emphasized and the completeness of the counterattack process during the rally. Foreign player Sharon Vernon-Evans of Sakai also participated and was able to gain experience in a game close to the actual game.
Ogino Massage, manager of OK Financial Group, said, “I am grateful to the team for going well with the Japan training camp. We will organize the team’s strengths and weaknesses identified through this training camp to ensure that there are no disruptions in preparation for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.”
OK Financial Group Asia Quarter player Bayar Saihan, who played against Japanese teams over two weeks, said, “The Japanese teams definitely had good fundamentals. I felt a lot while watching them,” and added, “I also liked the blocking that Ogi-san (Coach Ogino’s nickname) emphasized so far.” “Through this field training in Japan, I learned it more clearly. I was able to increase my understanding. I also gained more confidence,” he said.
OK Financial Group plans to continue checking its strength for the 2023-2024 season V-League through future practice games.
OK Financial Group ranked 5th out of 7 teams in the men’s division for the past two consecutive seasons. To renew the atmosphere, they parted ways with coach Seok Jin-wook메이저놀이터 and appointed coach Ogino.
Coach Ogino is the third and first foreign manager in the club’s history. He played as a defensive outside hitter for a long time from 1988 to 2010. He competed at the Olympic Games twice (1992, 2008) and the World Championships three times (1990, 1998, 2006).
After retiring from active duty in 2010, he began his career as a manager by taking charge of the Suntory Sunbirds. He was in charge of the team until 2012. Afterwards, he took over as coach of Suntory again in 2017 and led the team until 2019, leading it to the top ranking.