JFA Uniqlo Soccer Kids is a series of fun football events where any children aged six and under can enjoy football. A total of 173 kids consisting of 84 individual participants and 89 players from nine different teams were welcomed to enjoy the day on Sunday 16 November at Kesennuma City Elementary School in Kesennuma, Miyagi. The kids came to join the event along with their parents not only from the host city Kesennuma but also from Sendai and Iwate’s Ofunato and Ichinoseki.

The special guest, former Japan international, Kojima Nobuyuki and the JFA reconstruction support coach Teguramori Hiroshi joined games with participating kids. Kesennuma’s mascot character Hoya Boya were posing for photos with kids and cheering for kids on the pitch.

In Kesennuma, there are a lot of elementary schools and junior high schools devastated by tsunami at the Great East Japan Earthquake and still plenty of people who live in temporary housing built on school fields. Despite the limited space for football fields, the Miyagi Football Association played the central role in planning this event at the school field on one of Kesennuma’s hills. The project became feasible thanks to the generous support from Kesennuma City.
The Uniqlo Soccer Kids will continue its festival throughout the nation as it is currently scheduled at 14 venues such as major domes and football stadiums.

Event Overview

Soccer families

Message from Organiser

SUGAWARA Hidetoshi, General Secretary of Miyagi Football Association
You all did a fine job today. Did you enjoy the Soccer Kids today? Did fathers and mothers also enjoy? Your kids were energetic until the end thanks to your support. There was a kid who cried because he didn’t touch the ball. Would everyone here like to play football when you enter elementary school? I hope you keep playing football in your elementary school as well. Get the ball and run with energy. I’d like thank fathers and mothers for coming along. I hope you will continue to watch over and support your kids so that your kids enjoy playing outside.

Message from Guest

Mr. AKAIZAWA Kyohei, Uniqlo Kesennuma Store Manager, Uniqlo Co., Ltd.
Did you enjoy your time today? What did you enjoy most? You had fun playing football, right? I hope you all keep up playing football together with the shirt on today. Thank you for taking part in this event today.

Message from Special Guest

TEGURAMORI Hiroshi, JFA Reconstruction Support Coach
You all did a good job today. When I was watching you playing a game, I got the itch to play football together and then joined you. It was really fun. I first thought many goals wouldn’t be scored on the packed pitch with many players, but I saw a lot of goals. That reminded me nothing is impossible. I assume you still have difficulty in your life in Kesennuma, but hopefully you believe things will get better and keep it up toward the reconstruction. I hope future J.Leaguers and Nadeshiko Leaguers will come from here. Well done everyone today and take care.

Comment from Participant

ITO Sawaki, Son of SHISHIORI FC’s ITO Junichi (age: 6)
I enjoyed so much today at the football event. I worked hard on chasing the ball and I’m happy to get lots of balls into the net. I want to be a football player when I grow up.

Event Schedule

Besides these events, the event in Kanagawa is planned after January 2015.  The information will be available on JFA official site once the detail is fixed.

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