Mizumachi Taido (24), a player for the Wolfdogs Nagoya, is known for his cheerful personality and clear, loud voice, making him a highly approachable athlete. In the volleyball world, no one speaks ill of him. His optimistic nature seems to bring good fortune. Each successful play lights up his face with a broad smile, energizing the entire team. He is like a “sunshine” player who generates energy all by himself.
When Mizumachi was told this during an interview, he responded with a grin:
“I think I’m a very positive person. I rarely become negative, not just in volleyball but in everything. My smile is my best asset? Well, that’s just what I say myself!”
The question was how this innate cheerfulness would manifest in the decisive battle.
On May 9, in the first match of the SV League Championship semifinals, the Wolfdogs Nagoya faced the reigning champions, the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, and suffered a straight-set loss (3-0). With a best-of-two format, they were immediately put on the back foot.
However, when Mizumachi entered the interview area, he was not downcast.
“We were blown away in the first set (25-12), so I felt liberated. As we saw in the second set (lost 25-22 but kept it close), we have the ability to catch up. We just need to win by snatching close games, one or two points at a time,” he said in a lively tone, adding, “Today we let the point gap widen, forcing us to take risks. We went aggressive on serves, but that led to a lot of errors. For example, we couldn’t execute short serves followed by a block-defense setup to reset the play.”
After the first day, Mizumata focused on resetting his mindset. He was incredibly positive. Many players struggle to escape the spiral of “if only” after a loss, so his optimistic attitude is a testament to his professional talent.
A reporter asked: “On the first day, Suntory’s varied serves put you on the back foot. Could your serve be the turning point on the second day, Mizumachi?”
He responded with a steady gaze:
“It comes down to whether I can score crucial points. I see my role as seizing momentum with my serve. I think I need to serve at over 100%—maybe even 120%—to energize the team.”
In the regular season, Mizumachi posted a serve effectiveness rate of 15.0, topping even foreign players and ranking first. His serve has been key to flipping offensive and defensive flows for his team.
On the second day, Mizumachi’s serve indeed became the barometer of the match.
In the first set, his serve shone brilliantly. In a tight battle, his service ace tied the game at 9-9. Later, his serve disrupted Suntory’s reception, leading to a block by Miura Kento and a direct spike for a 9-11 lead. Though they couldn’t pull away, Mizumachi scored the 24th point from 23-23, turning the tables as if repaying the previous day’s debt.
Reflecting on the strategy, Mizumachi said: “After the straight-set loss, the coach told us to play with pride and think about what pride means before sleeping. So I pondered what pride meant to me… With teammates set to leave, and so many Wolf Family (Wolfdogs fans) traveling to support us even on the road, I felt I had to give everything.”
That effort paid off in the first set, where his all-out play created momentum. Though he is relatively short for an attacker, his incredible jumping ability and sense allow him to spike into unreturnable areas.
“Until last season, I was told to aim for rebounds against high blocks—how to evade tall blockers. But this season, the coach demanded I go aggressive and score points. I think I’ve been attacking a lot more. After all, scoring that crucial point really fires up the team,” Mizumachi summarized his season.
Against Suntory, the second day was perhaps the fullest expression of his abilities.
In the end, the Wolfdogs lost the second and third sets, conceding the match. But Mizumachi remained undaunted.
“I think I gave 120%. Today was my best game all season. Yet we still lost. So next season, I’ll aim to give even more,” he said with a refreshing clarity.
Though the championship slipped away, his spirits remained undimmed. The sun will rise again.
“Beach volleyball season is starting soon, so please be sure to mention that too!” he added cheerfully at the end of the press conference, promoting his continued double pursuit of indoor and beach volleyball.