THE Philippines' footprint in Japan's prestigious SV.League isn't getting any smaller, and Brian Castro is making sure of that.
Fresh off completing his two-year UAAP stint with Ateneo, the 24-year-old Fil-American middle blocker has signed with newly-promoted Fragolad Kagoshima for the 2026-27 season, becoming the latest talent of Filipino descent to take his game to one of the world's premier pro volleyball leagues.
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Castro becomes just the fourth player of Filipino descent to play in Japan after fellow former Blue Eagle Marck Espejo and National University standouts Bryan Bagunas of Osaka Bluteon and Leo Aringo of Saitama Azalea.
With Espejo now moving to Taiwan, Castro joins Bagunas and Aringo in carrying the Philippine presence in the SV.League starting on October.
Kagoshima will make its first-ever appearance in the SV.League after earning promotion, with the new season set to open in October.
Standing on the shoulders of giants
Still in his hometown of Glendale, California, Castro spoke to members of the media in an online interview on Friday and said he is expected to leave for Japan as early as next month to begin training with his new club.
For the ex-Ateneo standout, the opportunity is one he owes in part to Bagunas and Espejo, whose success in Japan convinced him that Filipino players belong on the sport's biggest stages.
"They've always inspired me ever since I watched them back in their UAAP days. I actually got to play against Kuya Marck [Espejo] last year during our training camp in Osaka when he was with his Japanese team, and it was such a great experience," he said.
"It was also super inspiring to see that Kuya Marck and Bryan have shown that we can all play overseas volleyball. I'm really excited to follow in their footsteps, represent them, and, most importantly, represent the Filipino community."
Castro's move was made possible through his representation, VP Global Management, after its general manager Mark Salamat connected him with an FIVB-accredited agent who helped facilitate negotiations with Kagoshima.
The former Blue Eagle knows the jump won't be easy, given the elevated playing standards that kept Japan among the undisputed benchmarks of international volleyball.
"Here in the Philippines, it's a lot faster pace of volleyball. In Japan, it's even much, much faster. The SV.League, it's Division 1, so it's the highest league in Japan and it's going to have really one of the best talents in the world," he said.
"I'm really there to learn as much as I can, take in everything, be a sponge, and just take in really any information I can from all the players, all my teammates, all the coaches and just really get into the culture."
Castro said Ateneo's return to the UAAP Final Four in Season 88 gave him a much-needed pat in the back as he turns pro overseas.
"I'm not a student-athlete anymore. I'm a full-on professional. Resilience is going to be the biggest thing that I'm going to take away from being an Atenean. We don't give up. We're always there to climb that hill," Castro said.
All according to plan
In hindsight, the move to Japan was exactly how Castro envisioned the next chapter of his career.
"Before I left the U.S., I was telling myself that my plan is to play for Ateneo for two years and then play overseas. And I specifically said to myself, I'm going to play in Japan. No matter how long it takes me, I'm going to play in Japan. To do it right after Ateneo, it's a surreal experience," he said.
"I'd like to represent this country well and represent, you know, everyone, the volleyball community, the sports Philippines community. I'm going to be there to represent you guys as much as I can."
Castro now hopes to do what Bagunas and Espejo did before him: prove that Filipino players can not only reach the SV.League, but thrive in it.
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