The SV.LEAGUE has grown into an international and multicultural volleyball league where personalities and nationalities clash and where volleyball styles from around the world are on show. A player’s teammates might not only be Japanese, but also Polish, Italian, American, Thai – the list goes on as the league expands and brings world volleyball to Japan.

So, having a teammate from your own country is a blessing. For Sabrina De Jesus Machado, coming to Japan this season meant teaming up with fellow Brazilian Rosamaria Montibeller, a superstar international player now in her third season with DENSO AIRYBEES. It meant she had a sensei to help her cross the cultural divide.

“Getting to play together is a one-of-a-kind experience,” Machado says. “I respected her for so long on the Brazilian national team and it's amazing that we get to share our energy with each other. Our entire team feels her presence and her energy. I'm just so happy to be able to feel that energy directly.”

For Montibeller, Japan has changed her views on life and volleyball, and she is passing on her knowledge to Machado.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, both in volleyball and in this culture,” Montibeller says. “I believe, somehow, it will change how she views life in a good way. There is a lot that Japanese culture can teach us.”

The two Brazilians recognize that the pace of life is different from frenetic Brazil. People react in different ways and the volleyball is also different – faster, more technical, more depth.

“Volleyball here is so deep,” Montibeller says, adding that this will help Machado. “As an athlete, it can only help her grow, so I encourage her to be open to new experiences. It's so different from the country we grew up in. I tell her to have an open mind and to be able to reflect on what you learn.”

It’s a common theme among foreign players that Japanese volleyball is just different. While many national teams start with power and then concentrate on technique, in Japan, it’s the opposite. Japan has strong players, but most can’t match the power of Brazilians, Italians or Poles. So, they play a different way.

“Japanese volleyball, including the SV.LEAGUE, is known to be very skilled,” says the 31-year-old Montibeller, who found herself learning new techniques and strategies from the Japanese game. “I asked myself: How do I evolve as an athlete? So I chose to come to Japan where I can challenge myself. I feel that my defensive techniques and my analysis skills have improved compared to before, and I feel I have evolved in the last two years”

Despite having two strong Brazilians in the team, DENSO has struggled this season, lying 10^th out of 14 teams with nearly half the season completed. Montibeller has shown her power with her team. At the SV.LEAGUE awards last May, she was named the “Most Impressive Player” and selected as the Regular Season Best6 Outside Hitter after averaging over 21 points per game. She is among the top 10 scorers this season with more than 16 points per game.

But she still feels she can improve more, particularly on speed, a key element of the Japanese game. "In regard to technique, I still wonder how everyone can react so quickly to the ball,” she says. “My teammates are constantly a fraction of a second ahead of me. My teammates make it look so easy; I feel they are one step ahead of me. I'd like to learn how to acquire that speedy reaction.”

As she improves, she also sees the league and the Japanese players growing stronger. “Japanese volleyball is always such a beauty to watch,” she says. “The long rallies make the matches a cut above the rest, technically speaking. That's why if [fans] are interested in strategic and technically high-level volleyball, it's a league that's definitely worth paying attention to.”

“The SV.LEAGUE is becoming more and more competitive every day. I personally thought it was a balanced league to begin with, but it's even more so this year. As a result, the Japan championship is much more competitive. The players are becoming stronger every day; you can see that in the Japanese national team. I feel strength from the offensive side and you can see their intellect in their offensive technique, not just their defense.”

Machado agrees with her compatriot. “When I train with our teammates, I often find myself having to keep up with their high level of defense,” she says. “I learn so much from them technically.”

The culture of Japanese volleyball goes hand in hand with the culture of Japanese society, something both are adapting to. “When I arrived here, I was so busy and always rushing,” Montibeller says. “I thought I needed to accomplish everything immediately. But then I realized, there's no need for that. Things are done differently here and that changed how I view life.”

“Culturally, Brazil is a very fast-paced. I didn't handle things with courtesy, but that part of me changed after coming to Japan. Now, I handle situations. There's no need to do things in a rush. In fact, it's a waste of time.”

The lesson has rubbed off on the 29-year-old Machado. “Rosamaria often talks about patience,” she says. “With Japan's defenses, they never lose the ball. That's when she says, ‘Patience.’ She says patience is a part of the culture and this is how they do things here. When I look at Rosamaria, I always see how calm she is.”

Montibeller emphasizes that, even as a veteran, she can learn from those younger than herself. “I constantly watch how my teammates act, how they train and their individual qualities,” she says. “I absorb from them what I can. I try to learn from their positivity. No matter how tired they get, they're always motivated to grow and absorb new things.”

Both on and off court, Montibeller says she has gelled with her teammates. “We're always laughing on and off the court. They made me feel welcome. We have a mutual understanding with each other, which is key. We interact a lot on and off the court. I just love the positive energy from each of the girls. I have a tendency to overthink things, but all the other girls are so easygoing.”

As a newcomer, Machado also feels comfortable here. “It's been amazing,” she says. “I'm new to Japan, so there's still so much I don't know, but I’ve had no problems so far. The transition has been smooth and my team has been very welcoming. Japan is awesome.”

*Statistics referenced in the articles are based on data available as of January 8, 2026.

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