Tsukasa Nakagawa had dreamed of playing for the Japanese national volleyball team since childhood. She achieved that dream in 2023, just after graduating from university. Looking back on how she basked in the joy of stepping onto the stage she had long dreamed of, she also remembers feeling overwhelmed by the intense level of global competition.

"I was over the moon when I was selected to play for the Japanese national team for the first time, but once I stepped onto the court, I also felt nervous because the level of competition was far higher than I had imagined. Still, that is exactly why I now feel driven to be selected again and to stand on that court once more."

Nakagawa later went on to be chosen again as a member of the Japanese national team, which came in fourth place at the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship. In addition, the Red Rockets—the team to which she currently belongs—finished in third place in the SV.LEAGUE and came in second place at the Empress' Cup All Japan Championship during the 2025–2026 season. While it would seem that both Nakagawa and the Red Rockets have made steady progress, Nakagawa has mixed feelings in this regard. Reflecting on last season, she says, "Despite knowing there were issues we needed to focus on, we were unable to fully address them."

"The Red Rockets should have finished higher in the rankings, but we couldn't pull it off at the very end. To be honest, at times during the season, I sensed weaknesses in our team's synergy and felt there were areas we should have focused more of our attention. I ended up letting things like this slide because we were winning consistently, but I can't help but wonder if we could have done better if we had faced our issues head-on at the time. This season, whether we win or lose, I would like to maintain consistent communication with fellow team members and improve our performance as a team," says Nakagawa.

"I also lost sight of my goals soon after becoming ranked No.1 in the world for the first time. Up to that point, I had focused on perfecting my practice regimen and tactics to beat the world's top player, but once I claimed that No.1 spot, I realized I no longer had a goal to work toward."

According to Kunieda, who lost sight of his goal after catching up to the competitor he had pursued but still managed to maintain his No.1 ranking for many years, "I was able to stay at the top by shifting my focus from goals directed toward others to facing myself."

"The tournaments don't just stop when you reach the top," added Kunieda. "As you play in more matches, you begin to see the areas where you need to improve. And even if you no longer have a role model, you won't lose sight of your goals as long as you can pinpoint what you need to work on within yourself."

Although wheelchair tennis and volleyball are very different sports and Nakagawa and Kunieda have taken different paths in life, they faced similar struggles after achieving their dreams. If you think about it, perhaps the time spent chasing one's dreams and seeking the next goal is a necessary process for everyone, not just athletes.

"As I think about how I can prepare myself for LA28, I am setting step-by-step goals and doing everything I can to achieve them. One of those goals is to be the setter for the team that wins the SV.LEAGUE championship. I believe that aspiring to win as a team will also help me fulfill my dream of participating in the next Olympics, so I would like to focus on delivering better results this season than last as both an individual and as a team," says Nakagawa.

What keeps athletes going as they forge ahead to overtake the competition and overcome obstacles, even when they feel lost or find themselves struggling, is the outpouring of support they receive.

"My family is always cheering me on, and there are also those who send me words of encouragement after seeing my efforts in the media. Then there are the fans who support our entire team. This support motivates me to give it my all for those who are rooting for me," says Nakagawa.

Kunieda, who also battled through countless matches during his career, offered a passionate message of support to the Red Rockets, saying, "The voices of fellow players sitting courtside and the cheers of spectators are most certainly heard by the athletes. For me, the desire to play for everyone—from those who came to watch me in person to those who cheered me on from in front of their televisions—served as a source of strength for me in many matches. Encouragement from others is what brings out the best in athletes. Please know that I am also cheering for the Red Rockets!"

Once you achieve your dream, new hurdles await. And this is by no means something that applies only to top athletes. Everyone chases after their own dreams, works hard to make them come true, and keeps moving forward even if they struggle along the way. There may be times when you cannot keep up emotionally, or when the future feels uncertain. Nevertheless, if you press on, the next goal should come into sight. We hope that learning about the struggles and challenges Nakagawa and Kunieda faced will give everyone the courage to push forward when they are struggling.