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Yasufumi Nekomata (Japanese: 猫又育史 Nekomata Yasufumi) is the Head Coach of Nekoma High's boys' volleyball club.
Appearance
His face is wrinkled but despite his age, he can walk around perfectly well without a hunched back or anything of the sorts. His hair is a light, blondish-gray, and he is often seen smiling. He usually wears a red jacket, a white shirt and red pants.
Personality
He seems to have a carefree personality as during the game against Karasuno, he made remarks about Hinata while smiling happily even though his team was losing (initially). He can also be competitive and childish, especially when it comes to Coach Ukai. After the match against Karasuno, he insulted Keishin Ukai and made jabs at his coaching skills, stating that the reason for his behavior is because Keishin resembles Ikkei Ukai, his grandfather.
Background
During Ikkei Ukai's time, they were both rivals and friends, and were often encouraging each other to make it to Nationals so they can have a "Battle of the Trash Heap". After a while, both coaches retired, but Coach Nekomata recently came back into work.
Plot
Karasuno High Team Formation Arc
In the conclusion of a training camp held by Karasuno, Takeda is able to plead Coach Nekomata for an arranged practice match between Karasuno High and Nekoma High through countless calls, to which the latter eventually agrees on. Nekomata, together with Naoi, soon meets with Takeda and Keishin Ukai, his rival's grandson and the current coach of Karasuno, at the time of the practice match. Although expressing disappointment that his rival is not around, he merely states that they will not hold back.
Tokyo Expedition Arc
Spring High Preliminary Arc
Tokyo Nationals Arc
Statistics
Nekomata was a capable volleyball player when he was young. In contrast to Ikkei Ukai's brute force style, Nekomata preferred to observe and use strategy in his play. He was especially skilled in receives and saved many of Ukai's spikes when their teams played against each other.
Relationships
Ikkei Ukai
The two met since they were in their 2nd year of middle school during a volleyball match. Since then, they have been competing with each other, with both sides refusing to give up. Hoping that they would soon face each other again on district preliminaries as well as on various practice matches, Ukai declares to Nekomata that he will defeat him next time, with the latter accepting his challenge. On their last middle school tournament, it was revealed that Nekomata had transferred to a school in Tokyo, therefore breaking his promise to Ukai. Years later, as a 2nd year high school student, Nekomata meets again with Ukai in the Nationals, both belonging to different teams, Nekoma High and Karasuno High. However, they were both defeated before they could face each other and they never stood on the Nationals ever since. Both eventually became their respective teams' coaches and sworn to meet at the Nationals again for four years.
Keishin Ukai
Nekoma High
Trivia
- Current Concern: when he goes out drinking with Naoi he gets smashed too quickly so it's no fun.
Quotes
- "The team with strong spikes doesn't win...The team that drops the ball loses, and that's what it means to 'connect'." (Season 1, Episode 13)
- "Your enthusiasm will be returned in kind. If you try hard despite your awkwardness, the students will follow your lead." (To Ittetsu Takeda, Chapter 34)
- "In the end, those who do not want to change will not evolve." (About Hinata, episode 4/ season 2).