Imabari Shimanami Sports Club, a non-profit organisation based in Ehime, held the JFA Nadeshiko Square on Saturday 21 June in Imabari, Ehime together with the F-League’s Shriker Osaka, which were in their training camp in the city.

Shriker’s head coach, Kogure Kenichiro, taught participating elementary school kids as a special instructor. There were many who had no or little previous playing experience and they looked nervous in the beginning. However, as they went on from an activity to activity, for example ones called Rock-Paper-Scissors Game and Ball Feeling, chasing a ball with a smile on their face became a familiar sight found on the field. In the end, they engaged in exhibition matches where there were cheers and applauses when somebody scored. It turned out to be a great time out for the kids.

Comments From Organisers

IGAUE Tetsuaki, Club Manager, Non-Profit Organisation Imabari Shimanami Sports Club
We have been working together with Shirker Osaka since seven years ago on doing their regular season matches and training camps in Imabari. This time they were in the middle of their camp, but they answered for our request of holding the Nadeshiko Square and we could make this happen. Also the board of education helped us, too, in distributing our fliers.
This time Coach Kogure took time to teach kids, and it was a great opportunity for the kids to interact with a top-level individual. We will keep making something like this happen as much as possible and try to provide girls with a place to play football daily basis.

KOGURE Kenichiro, Head Coach, Shriker Osaka
We had a wide range of age group this time from first graders to six graders, so I tried to make sure to give them right questions and to use right words. Participating kids paid close attention to us when we spoke. Regardless of being capable of doing it or not, they tried hard to understand and execute what we taught. It will be great if more and more girls become interested in football through this JFA Nadeshiko Friends Square and start liking football. Also through playing soccer, I want them to learn the attitude to work hard and teamwork. I hope there will be girls out of this group who eventually try hard to play on the future Nadeshiko Japan.

Comment From Participant

SHIMIZU Himari
Futsal has a little different set of rules from football, but I could score a goal in the match and it was fun. I could have a good time with girls from different schools, and we got along pretty well!

"JFA Nadeshiko Friends Square" is the "place" and "time" for women to start, enjoy, and continue football in their daily lives. We welcome both children and adults. We are also looking for managers.