The Japan Football Association (JFA) held the Goalkeeper Level 3 Coach Training Course Module1 from Tuesday, April 5 to Thursday, April 7, and the Goalkeeper A Coach Training Course on Monday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 12 at J-Village, Fukushima Prefecture

The Goalkeeper Level 3 Coach Training Course is designed to develop coaches who can coach goalkeepers for universities, senior teams, etc., and at the same time, to develop leaders of goalkeeper coaching in Japan. The content of the course is equivalent to the UEFA GK-B level, with lecturers including Frans HOEK, JFA GK project advisor and legend in the world of goalkeeping, KAWAMATA Noriyuki, goalkeeper project leader, and KATO Yoshio, OHASHI Akiyoshi, and SASAKI Osamu, members of the same project. Lectures and practical training sessions were held over three days. Since the same course was cancelled last year due to Covid-19, this year two courses were held at the same time, including those who were confirmed to participate last year.

As the first Goalkeeper A Coach Training Course was held online, this was the first time for the participants to participate in an onsite group program. The participants actively communicated with each other through face-to-face group work, discussions, and coaching practice, making the two-day group training very meaningful.

The two courses were the first time for the participants to meet face-to-face in person, and they engaged in lively discussions with each other. The time spent in the classroom was also very productive, as it provided an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the content of the lectures through practical instruction, which is not possible through online training.

Instructors' Comments

Frans HOEK
<Goalkeeper Level 3 Coach Training Course>
The 1st JFA GK level 3 (= as UEFA GK B) with 2 groups and 4 tutors has started. A 3-day meeting module 1 (2 and 3 will follow). The group adapted quick to this new way of teaching. Game related, reality based and with many group meetings in which the participants have to discuss, work in a group (as the technical staff), explaining the opinion with arguments. Theory but also many hours on the pitch to focus on the practical side with clear explanation of the aim and the choices made. Enriched with a lot of new information, these participants are now home fulfilling their assignments in their situations. A great start for the participants, the tutors, and the administration. Looking forward to the next module!

<Goalkeeper A Coach Training Course>
The 2nd JFA GK A course the absolute top level course for specialists has had its 1st "live" meeting and in total 2nd central meeting:　2.1 & 2.2. The participants need to work in groups, fulfill quite a few assignments in theory and in practice on the field. They really worked hard (and smart). The start for them to become a better GK coach, in this completely new way of approaching GOALPLAYING. They adapt very good and it was a fruitful time together again. Now they have to fulfill many assignments and also a micro group meeting in the next central meeting. We as tutors are looking very much forward to that one already!

KAWAMATA Noriyuki
<Goalkeeper Level 3 Coach Training Course>
Starting in 2022, GK Level 3 has undergone a major content change with the introduction of the UEFA GK-B License curriculum. The course structure has been changed from a two-phase system (first and second semester) to a three-phase system, and the study in between is designed not just to practice coaching, but to develop a profile of the GK to be coached, analyse the game, develop a training plan, and practice coaching on that basis, in order to improve the skills required in actual coaching situations. It is designed to help students improve their abilities required in actual teaching situations.
We are also taking on the new challenge of holding two courses at the same time, although this is a limited measure only this year. Within the course, we are also sharing more experiences and experiences than usual by, at times, holding joint lectures for the two courses. In addition, the precise advice given by Mr. Frans Hoek was valuable not only to the participants but also to our tutors. Although what we shared this time covered a wide range of topics, we hope to support the participants' learning so that they can come back to the second group training session with an even higher level of learning through individual assignments and in-between sessions.

<Goalkeeper A Coach Training Course>
The group further exchanged opinions based on individual assignments from the Module1 (online), activity reports from the first micro-group meeting, and game analysis assignments. The participants were also challenged to create a coaching practice plan based on the results of the game analysis, with the roles of coach, assistant coach, and GK coach being assigned, and to put the plan into practice on the field. The process of preparing for the next game is important. While it is difficult to take a scene from a game and recreate it with FPs to improve it, it is also an opportunity to work on improving communication (understanding the situation and working with allies) and decision making, which cannot be improved by training with GKs alone. We, the tutors, hope to support the participants in their learning so that they will be able to further improve their skills for the 3rd group training by working on these reality-based efforts, the in-service training at the club level, the micro-group meetings, and the new individual tasks that were given to them this time. And here again, I would like to thank Mr. Frans Hoek for his support in facilitating our growth.

KATO Yoshio
<Goalkeeper Level 3 Coach Training Course>
After two years of delay due to Covid-19, we were finally able to hold two JFA GK Level 3 Coaches Courses at the same time. We are very happy that we were able to hold both courses at the same time in J-Village, with participants who had postponed their courses from last year and new participants this year. We also introduced the UEFA GK curriculum this year, upgrading from the previous Level 3 curriculum. In the first group training session, Mr. Frans Hoek gave a lecture on modern football playing style and positional roles, evolving from goalkeeper to goalplayer. For the coaching practice, the participants were assigned to a coach, an assistant coach, and a GK coach. The "learning in between" for the second group training is an important initiative to improve the skills of the coaches. We, including the tutors, would like to move forward to further improve our coaching skills.

<Goalkeeper A Coach Training Course>
This time, we were able to hold Module2 at J-Village in a group format for the first time. The participants were asked to prepare their own session plans in response to the game analysis issues raised in the "in-between study" from the first session to the second session. On the second day, each group gave a presentation and then conducted a pitch session. The participants were asked to observe the organising aspect, the collaboration between the coach, coach, and GK coach, and the coaching aspect of the GK coach, and to prepare questions and opinions. After the practice was completed, the whole group discussed it with the tutors. During the course, we also received a lecture from France Hook and feedback on the students' presentations. Although the course was held in Corona, we were able to reaffirm the significance of face-to-face discussions in a group training session.

<Generalise>
We would like to thank the participants, their teams, and J-Village for their understanding and cooperation in making the 2022 JFA GK Level 3 and GK-A Coach Training Course possible in a group format under the Covid-19 situation. We would also like to thank the Shoshi High School and Futaba Mirai Gakuen High School soccer clubs for their participation in our coaching practices. The face-to-face lectures and practical training at this time of the year allowed us to feel the enthusiasm of the participants in their discussions and interactions. Of course, the course was conducted with the cooperation of the participants while taking infection control measures. We were also very grateful for the direct lectures, reflections, and Q&A sessions from our advisor and course tutor, Frans Hoek. We will be "learning in between" both for the second session of Level 3 Course and for the third session of GK-A Course.
We hope that they will make the most of this opportunity to further improve their teaching skills in their daily work. We, the tutors, would like to continue our preparations for an even better course.

In order to help more people understand the GK project, we have set up a Q&A section below. If you have any questions, please fill out the form below.
https://forms.gle/JUgs6n9NyErTpjTB7

Participants' Comments

Mr. NISHII Ryuichi
I would like to thank for organising this training course even under Covid-19 situation.
I attended this course to learn about GK coaching and to expand my knowledge to become a better GK coach. However, when you first mentioned the change to GOALPLAYER instead of GOALKEEPER, I found it both agreeable and disconcerting. I am excited to think that the GOALPLAYER name will be changed and its role and importance to the team will increase as soccer continues to evolve, but at the same time, I feel a sense of responsibility as a GK coach.
The content of Module 1 is still very large and I have not fully digested it, but I will make good use of the study time in between to prepare well for Module 2.

Mr. TANIGUCHI Tsubasa
This time, the course was conducted with a drastic change in the way of doing things, and it was evident that not only the students but also the tutors were searching for the best way to conduct the course. For Japanese people who only know the top-down approach of education, it was a place that made us constantly wonder if we are doing the right thing. I would like to open up my own way of thinking and doing things without worrying too much about evaluation, and I would like to rethink my way of thinking and grow.

Mr. SANO Tomoyuki
Thanks to the careful preparation of everyone involved in this course, we were able to safely hold our second Central Meeting in a group setting, despite the Covid-19 situation. Although online training has its advantages, we were able to recognise once again how meaningful it is to exchange information and discuss real opinions through group training.
Although the two-day training was very short, we were able to learn a lot from the three tutors and gained many insights and suggestions. Structure and process are important in analysis, and conclusions should be based on objective facts. I realised once again the importance and difficulty of analysing references based on conclusions from multiple perspectives and providing players with easy-to-understand information about the conclusions drawn. Although I have not yet organised the puzzle in my own head, I hope to improve these skills and apply them to my daily work.