Northern Mariana Island Volleyball Association in a statement said that the annual sports event also attracts professional beach volleyball players and even a sports magazine reporter from Japan and Korea.
Aoki Shimpei, Yasuo Nakaya, Shinako Tanaka and Hiromi Suzuki are scheduled to help conduct the free kids’ Clinic on March 5 at PIC’s Volleyball Courts, before they will participate in the exhibition games on March 6 from 5 p.m. and play in the main event on March 7 to 8.
Similar to the U.S. volleyball stars, the Japanese pros will be raffled off to play with an amateur.
Yasuo Nakaya, 29 of Osaka, Japan stands 6’2” and ranks 5th in Japan. He began his professional volleyball career in 2004 and his favorite pastime is billiards.
Shinako Tanaka, 33, of Saitama, Japan stands 5’8” and started her sports career in indoor volleyball, having played for the women’s national team. Tanaka finished first in a 2006 FIVB tournament in Phuket with partner, Eiko Koizumi and together they also won the Silver medal in the women’s team competition at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.
Aoki Shimpei, 28, of Ashigarashimo-gun, Japan, stands 6’1” and is currently ranked 11th in Japan. Since his pro career in 2003, he has had 10 world wins and 100 in Japan. Mr. Aoki enjoys reading historical novels and plays Sepaktakraw on his free time.
Hiromi Suzuki, 30, also of Saitama, Japan stands 6’1” and started playing volleyball in high school. She joined the Ito Yokado volleyball team in 1997 and was selected as a member of the national team for the World Championships in 1998. In 2006, Suzuki made the switch to beach volleyball and joined the professional beach volleyball team, the Leopalace Winds. She partners with Satoko Urata.
The NMIVA thanks all the sponsors for contributing to this worthwhile, international event. Sponsors include: Aon Insurance, Aqua Resort Club, Chong’s Corporation, Delta Management Corporation, Glooay Mai Thai Spa, Gregg Elliott Artworks, Hertz, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Apparel, IT&E, KSPN2, LISS, Marianas Eye Institute, Mariana Resort & Spa, Marianas Medical Center. Marianas Trekking, MVA, Microl Corporation, No Ka Oi, NWA, PDI, Pacific Eagle Enterprises, PIC Guam, PIC Saipan, PTC, Saipan Grand Hotel, Seafix Inc., Shell Marianas, Star Sands Plaza, Stars & Stripes, Law Offices of Stephen J. Nutting, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Topnotch, Traders Insurance, Triple J Wholesale, WDI Saipan (Tony Roma’s & Capricciosa’s).
