1. Overview
Taishi Onodera (小野寺 太志Onodera TaishiJapanese, born February 27, 1996) is a professional volleyball player from Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Primarily playing as a middle blocker, Onodera has become a pivotal member of the Japan men's national volleyball team, occasionally serving as its captain. He has achieved significant success both at the club level within Japan's V.League and on the international stage with the national team, earning multiple individual awards and team medals. He currently plays for the Suntory Sunbirds club.
2. Early Life and Background
Taishi Onodera's journey into volleyball was deeply influenced by his family's strong ties to the sport, though his initial interests lay elsewhere. His formative years saw him grow rapidly in height, which eventually led him to embrace volleyball under the encouragement of his parents.
2.1. Family and Childhood
Born in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, Onodera comes from a family with a profound connection to volleyball. His father was a student volleyball player who attended Tohoku High School and Tokai University, while his mother was a prominent player for many years with Fujifilm's women's volleyball team in the Japanese League. Despite this background, his parents did not strongly push him into volleyball. Onodera himself was initially interested in baseball, a sport he pursued until the summer of his third year in junior high school.
His height increased significantly during his childhood, reaching 67 in (170 cm) by the sixth grade and 77 in (195 cm) by his third year of junior high. Recognizing his potential, his father suggested he participate in the Miyagi Prefectural Selection Tournament for the National Prefectural Middle School Volleyball Tournament. This marked Onodera's official transition to competitive volleyball. In 2010, he participated in the main tournament of the National Prefectural Middle School Volleyball Tournament and was selected as an Olympic promising player.
2.2. Education and Youth Career
In 2011, Onodera enrolled in Tohoku High School, his father's alma mater. Despite his limited knowledge of volleyball rules at the time, he quickly secured a regular position and participated in the Spring High V-Ball tournament that very year.
His talent soon earned him international recognition at the youth level. In October 2012, he was selected, alongside players like Yūki Ishikawa, for the Asian Youth Volleyball Championship held in Tehran, where the team won a bronze medal. He continued to represent Japan at the World Youth Championship in Mexico in 2013.
Onodera then advanced to Tokai University in 2014. The university's volleyball club director, Kazuaki Sekiyama, described him as "a very skillful player, which is rare for someone over 6.6 ft (2 m) tall." In June 2014, he was chosen as a member of "Team CORE," a group of promising players designated for strengthening towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. His youth national team career also included participation in the Asia Junior Championship in 2014 (finishing 5th), the World Junior Championship in 2015 (finishing 14th), and the Asian U23 Championship in 2017 (winning a silver medal).
3. Professional Career
Onodera's professional career began with a rapid ascent through the Japanese club system, culminating in his status as a key player for the national team on the international stage.
3.1. Club Career
In December 2017, while still a student, Onodera received an internal offer to join JT Thunders Hiroshima of the V.LEAGUE Division 1. Upon his registration as a provisional player, he immediately secured a regular position, playing in all V.Premier League matches (the predecessor to the V.LEAGUE) from January 2018 onwards. He formally joined JT Thunders Hiroshima for the 2018-19 season.
After several impactful seasons with JT Thunders Hiroshima, Onodera announced his decision to leave the company (JT) on August 31, 2021, to transition to a professional volleyball player, continuing to play for JT Thunders Hiroshima as a professional from September 1, 2021. He spent five seasons with the club, contributing to their success, including winning the Emperor's Cup.
On May 31, 2023, Onodera officially left JT Thunders Hiroshima. The following day, on June 1, 2023, it was announced that he had joined Suntory Sunbirds, another prominent club in the V.LEAGUE, where he continues to play today.
3.2. National Team Career
Onodera received his first call-up to the Japan senior national team in April 2015. He made his senior representative debut at the World League Kunshan tournament in 2017.
He has been a consistent presence in major international competitions for Japan:
- Nations League**: Participated in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 (winning a bronze medal), and 2024 (winning a silver medal).
- Asian Championship**: Competed in 2019 (bronze medal), 2021 (silver medal), and 2023 (gold medal).
- Olympic Games**: Represented Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) and the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Japan finishing 7th in both tournaments.
- World Championship**: Played in 2018 and 2022.
- World Cup**: Participated in 2019.
- World Grand Champions Cup**: Played in 2017.
- World League**: Part of the team in 2016 and 2017.
During the Tokyo Challenge 2021, a friendly match held in May 2021, Onodera notably served as the captain of the Japanese national team in the absence of regular captain Yūki Ishikawa.
4. Playing Style
As a middle blocker, Taishi Onodera is known for his formidable presence at the net, excelling in both blocking and spiking. Standing at 6.6 ft (2.01 m) (80 in (202 cm) as noted in some sources), he weighs around 214 lb (97 kg) (or 216 lb (98 kg) from other sources), possessing significant reach and agility. His spike height is recorded at 136 in (346 cm) (some sources state 135 in (343 cm)) and his block height at 127 in (323 cm) (some sources state 128 in (325 cm)), with a finger-tip reach of 103 in (261 cm).
His coaches have lauded his technical proficiency, with the Tokai University volleyball club director describing him as "a very skillful player, which is rare for someone over 6.6 ft (2 m) tall." Onodera is right-handed, utilizing this to deliver powerful spikes and precise blocks. His consistent recognition in individual awards, particularly "Best Blocker" and "Best Spiker" in the V.League, underscores his all-around capabilities in his position. He is a key defensive and offensive asset for both his club and the national team.
5. Achievements and Awards
Taishi Onodera has amassed an impressive record of achievements and individual accolades throughout his career, reflecting his consistent excellence in both club and international volleyball.
5.1. Club Achievements
While playing for JT Thunders Hiroshima, Onodera contributed to the team's success, including their victory in the Emperor's Cup.
5.2. National Team Achievements
Onodera has been instrumental in securing multiple medals for the Japan men's national volleyball team:
- Nations League**:
- Silver Medal: 2024 (Łódź)
- Bronze Medal: 2023 (Gdańsk)
- Asian Championship**:
- Gold Medal: 2023 (Urmia)
- Silver Medal: 2021 (Chiba/Funabashi)
- Bronze Medal: 2019 (Tehran)
- Asian Youth Championship**:
- Bronze Medal: 2012 (Tehran)
- Asian U23 Championship**:
- Silver Medal: 2017 (Ardabil)
- Asian Cup**:
- Bronze Medal: 2016 (Nakhon Pathom)
5.3. Individual Awards
Onodera's individual performance has been recognized with numerous awards:
- National Prefectural Middle School Volleyball Tournament**: Olympic Promising Player (2010)
- V.League Division One**:
- Best 6: 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2023-24
- Best Blocker: 2019-20, 2020-21
- Best Spiker: 2019-20, 2023-24
- Fair Play Award: 2021-22
- Asian Championship**: Best Middle Blocker (2023)
6. Personal Life
Taishi Onodera has publicly shared details regarding his personal life. On April 3, 2022, he announced on his social media accounts that he had married his long-term girlfriend. Later that year, on September 26, 2022, he revealed on social media that his wife had given birth to their first child, a son.
7. Anecdotes
An interesting anecdote related to Taishi Onodera concerns the popular volleyball manga series, *Haikyuu!!*. Onodera has speculated that the character 百沢雄大Hyakuzawa YūdaiJapanese might be modeled after him. This theory stems from the fact that Hyakuzawa is also a player from Miyagi Prefecture and shares a similar height of 79 in (201 cm) with Onodera.
8. Legacy and Impact
Taishi Onodera has firmly established himself as a prominent and influential figure in Japanese volleyball. His consistent performance as a middle blocker, characterized by exceptional blocking and spiking abilities, has made him indispensable to the Japan men's national volleyball team. His long tenure with the national team, coupled with his multiple individual awards and contributions to team medals, solidifies his legacy as one of Japan's leading players of his generation.
Onodera's leadership qualities were evident when he served as captain of the national team, demonstrating his reliability and importance beyond just his technical skills. His journey, from a reluctant start in volleyball to achieving significant success at both club and international levels, serves as an inspiration for aspiring young athletes in Japan. He continues to play a vital role in elevating the profile of Japanese volleyball on the global stage.