JFA KIRIN Ladies/Girls Soccer Festival is a football event for women of all ages. Participants experience mini games (with a limited number of players) and enjoy practicing shooting, passing and dribbling at each skill station on a pitch. This programme is intended to provide such activities for female players of all ages and all experience levels so that everyone can enjoy herself, improve her skills and get to know each other.

The total of 769 people including 216 beginners took part in the morning session or the afternoon session at Kashima Bokudennosato Sports Park in Ibaraki on Saturday 18 October. Participants worked up a good sweat enjoying the programmes along with the special guest Shikata Nao.

In the closing ceremony, Shikata, the ex-Nadeshiko Japan player, offered the “Ladies Award” to a woman who played hardest, the “Girls Award” to a girl who played hardest and the “Festival Award” to a participant who enjoyed her time most. From the Special Sponsor KIRIN group, “KIRIN Award” was presented to all participants.
The Ibaraki event concluded the series of the festivals that had held at the five locations scheduled this year.
The total of 3,424 people took part in the festival throughout the year.

Event Outline

Location: Kashima Bokudennosato Sports Park, Ibaraki
Date: Saturday 18 October 2014
Fee: Free
Morning session: Registration 8:00-8:30, Opening ceremony 8:30, Festival 9:10-10:40
Afternoon session: Registration 10:30-11:00, Opening ceremony 11:00, Festival 11:40-13:10
Eligibility: Female players only of all ages
Application: Via the online form on the JFA official website
Application Period: Friday 25 August 2014 to 17:00 Sunday 5 October 2014

Comments

TAKAYASU Wakana (2nd Grade)
I really enjoyed kicking the ball and trying for lots of things with many players. We put the ball in the goal and we all kicked the ball to score as a team. I got many goals. I was very happy.
I don’t usually play football, but I want to take part in the event if I have a chance again.

OHWADA Ken, Executive Director (Ibaraki Football Association)
While the Japan Football Association’s 100th year anniversary is coming up soon, it appears we couldn’t predict such a development of women’s football 100 years ago. During the course, the J.League has been developed and the JFA has intended to hold various women’s football activities throughout the nation. Today, all the women’s football teams in Ibaraki took part in the event. I hope this activity will be spread out to older generations like senior women and our grandmothers start talking about football in their daily life. The Ibaraki Football Association will have various activities for the further development of women’s football.

Soccer Familly (Total participants in 5 venues)