NECESSITY, as they say, is the mother of invention — or in this case, ingenuity.
ZUS Coffee’s Japanese guest import Tamaru Asaka might already be on her second Philippine stint, but language barriers still hinder the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference champion and best outside hitter.
READ: Petro Gazz quick to burst bubble of new-look ZUS Coffee
Back in 2023 with her Japan club Kurashiki Ablaze, Asaka held court in PVL post-game interviews with an interpreter to translate her answers in Nihonggo to Filipino.
But at least in their opening match, this wasn’t the case as Asaka faced the local media alone following a straight-sets debut defeat to reigning Reinforced Conference champion Petro Gazz, where she led the young Thunderbelles with 17 points on 15 attacks, two blocks, eight receptions and five digs.
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Her on-court exploits did all the talking in terms of what she can bring to her new PVL team, but after the game, it was a different kind of talking she had to do.
Inventive, ingenious interview
In the confines of the Philsports Arena’s media room, four questions were tossed to the 25-year-old Japanese native after the defeat.
As the opening query on her PVL comeback was asked, Asaka took out her phone to signal her intended use of a translator app to respond to the press’ questions.
In turn, media members would key in their questions in her phone which would instantly present the query in Nihonggo.
Questions were typed into her app, but Asaka’s responses were done through real-time voice translations in which she’d record her answers in Nihonggo and present the corresponding English translations to the media flashed on her phone screen.
Her entire post-game interview ran for roughly four minutes.
Asaka embraces change
From her partner Shota Sato now head coach for ZUS Coffee’s sister club Farm Fresh to playing for a new team altogether, changes were aplenty come Asaka’s second coming in the PVL.
For the time being, such stark differences between playing for a Japanese team and a Philippine team aren’t quite comparable just yet.
“It’s difficult to compare playing for a Japanese team and playing for a Philippine team because the feeling is different, but there are many differences from the Japanese volleyball style, which can be confusing,” Asaka said.
Two of her new teammates stood out early for Asaka — multi-awarded College of St. Benilde hotshot Gayle Pascual and reigning NCAA Season 99 MVP Cloanne Mondoñedo.
“Each of us plays so well, so it’s hard to choose just one. But I’d say the setter (Mondoñedo) and the opposite (Pascual).”
One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the love and support she received from Filipino volleyball fans in her comeback.
“(I missed the) support from fans in the Philippines. I was able to do my best because I received a lot of messages of support from my fans in the Philippines on Instagram. It was a lot of fun.”
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