Yuki Ishikawa's message to the children and future players who saw an Italian team play for the first time:
"Since I’ve never played for a Japanese team, I can’t directly compare the two environments, but playing overseas has both its advantages and its challenges.
I think everyone watching this time—especially seeing the foreign players in person—could really feel the physicality, the size, and the intensity that we bring.
If watching that inspires even a few kids or young players who are currently playing volleyball to think, “I want to try going overseas someday,” that would make me really happy.
Of course, playing abroad isn’t everything—there are great experiences to be had in Japan as well—but there are definitely valuable things that can only be gained by playing overseas. I hope this event became an opportunity for them to realize that.
Whether someone ultimately decides to go abroad or not depends on the individual, but if this helps expand their sense of what’s possible, that alone would be meaningful. That’s something I keep in the back of my mind whenever I’m playing overseas.
Since this match was also broadcast on TV, I hope that the kids who watched it on screen will feel inspired or curious about volleyball beyond Japan.
It was a great opportunity to come here, play in Japan, and show our volleyball directly to the people watching."
@BlueStar1407 Coz of 2nd lead syndrome, happy that there's Heartstrings. Then discovered that they used Yonghwa's real singing voice in that drama. Been fangirling for more than a decade now. 😁
Only CNBLUE could make me feel all these sorts of emotions. The happiest, the saddest. I just feel everything. Forever I’ll be thankful to them for never giving up on music. For the highs & lows, the cries & tears of joys, it was all worth it. Let’s do this a lifetime, shall we?