Volleyball Star Turns Down Million-Dollar Offer
Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Sarina Koga, former captain of the Japanese women’s volleyball team, declined a highly lucrative contract from Turkey’s top volleyball club, VakifBank. The offer, reportedly worth 140 million yen (approximately 921,000 USD), came as Koga prepared for her retirement.
VakifBank’s Efforts to Recruit Koga
In an interview, Koga revealed that VakifBank reached out shortly after the Olympics. Initially, they offered her 100 million yen, but increased it by 30-40 million yen after she mentioned her retirement plans. “Money isn’t everything, but I appreciate the recognition,” Koga said. She added, “If this offer had come a year or two earlier, I might have accepted it. But with my retirement decision, I had to decline.”
Prior Interest from International Volleyball Leagues
This wasn’t Koga’s first international offer; in the years following the Tokyo Olympics, she received multiple offers from top leagues in Turkey, Italy, the United States, and other nations. Even American star Andrea Drews personally invited Koga to join a new league in the U.S. However, Koga remained committed to her goal of retiring after Paris 2024.
Reasons Behind Declining International Offers
Koga explained her reasons for staying in Japan, stating that while playing abroad could improve her skills, she found the language and cultural adjustments challenging. She prioritized focusing on her development in Japan to be fully prepared for the Olympics.
Future Plans to Inspire the Next Generation
Looking ahead, Koga hopes to create specialized volleyball training programs for young enthusiasts. “I want to offer a unique training class for those genuinely committed to improving, not just a general class. My goal is to teach techniques like defensive positioning and targeting opponents’ weaknesses,” she shared, outlining her vision to nurture the future of Japanese volleyball.
