The JFA will introduce the activities of each prefectural football associations with the 12 themes, Senior, Grade One, Grade Two, Grade Four, Kids, Women, Futsal, Beach Soccer, Referees committee, Facility committee (environmental management) and Technical committee. This is a good opportunity to get to know what kind of activities that they are doing across the nation, so please read it.
The JFA will have four-part series to introduce the activities of the technical committee.

*The article below also runs in "REGIONAL NEWS’" section in the March, 2015 edition of the JFA news.

Activities of technical committee at Saitama Football Association

SAKANIWA Izumi  Head of technical committee
"Aiming at steady developments"

The numbre of the registered teams for the football association of Saitama Prefecture are: 386 Grade One teams, 184 Grade Two teams, 460 Grade Three teams, 559 Grade Four teams, 74 women's teams and 39 senior teams. The numbre of the registered coaches: 26 S-class coaches, 60 A-class coaches, 205 B-class coaches, 2,288 C-class coaches, 3,305 D-class coaches, 531 kids leaders (that includes ones that have other licenses).

Some 20 years ago, while the technical committee of the JFA proceeded their activities in the development of their national teams, growth of the youth generations, training of coaches, and promotions, our prefecture raised the training of coaches as our biggest issue. Of course, we were actively working on our selective teams and activities at the training centres. But we thought that unless the coaches didn't make progress at their own clubs that they would usually coach, we would not carry out the philosophies of the JFA. Also, comparing with the numbre of the overall teams and games, it was inevitable that each team would make its own progress.Looking at the numbre of the teams inside the prefecture, we need to increase the numbre of the coaches of the B-class or above. In order to have more of those who understand the meaning of being involved in the JFA activities, it's vital for us to increase the numbre of the registered coaches.

Towards the objective, we have included our kids leader training workshops in the trainings at correspondence schools and nursery schools, not just carrying them out at regular assemblies. Also, in addition to the assemblies that we have done, we have increased the opportunities to take the refresh workshops as we have held them at the training centres and federations while we have also had them at local governments like Saitama, Sayama, Fujimi, Niiza and Fukaya, so more people would have an interest in football.

We believe that our prefecture's youth development and promotions have gone into the right direction, if not rapidly, but gradually. As the overall football-related events have increased, it is a little difficult for us to plan our own events for the coach trainings. But we would like to actively be involved in it so it will lead to the developments of the Japan national teams from the older category of the youth generation.