F.C. Tokyo (Tokyo) sponsors the JFA grassroots development programmes, ‘No need to retire (Always Enjoy♫)’, ‘No one left behind (Everyone Play!)’, and ‘Football for the disabled (Everyone Join In♪)’. The team held a ‘Deaf Football Clinic’ at Tokyo Gas Musashino Garden Ground (Kodaira-shi in Tokyo) on Monday 29 August.

These programmes aim to give children a broader vision of the future, and hopefully help them to communicate more proactively beyond language differences or disabilities by enjoying football together, and removing the barriers faced by the disabled. 

Twenty-three pupils from schools for the deaf in Thailand and twenty-four from Japan joined thirty third-to-sixth graders of F.C. Tokyo football school at the clinic. After playing football together, they enjoyed some cross-cultural exchanges at a barbecue. HASHIMOTO Kento, an F.C. Tokyo player, joined the beginning of the event to surprise the children. 

F.C. Tokyo are eager to continue to spread smiles through football in the future, especially in terms of diversity.

Coaches' Comments

Mr. KUJIRAI Kenta（F.C. Tokyo Soccer School Coach）

Football is for everyone. I saw the strong potential of football.

No matter when or where, one ball can bring so many smiles to people. I experienced that once again. 

Some of the participating pupils from our school, who had learned sign language to prepare or who tried to communicate proactively, impressed me a lot. I hope they learned from this experience for the future.

Mr. AIHARA Yutaka (Yutaka Football Academy Coach/Bangkok, Thailand) * Leading the staff of pupils from Thailand school for the deaf

Rather than their physical disadvantage being their defining characteristic, I hope disabled children will improve their abilities and develop their distinct personalities first, which will help them overcome their handicaps. And only then, for the first time, can ‘having a disability’ be something unique to them. I hope children can find that kind of individuality. 

Physical disadvantages cannot be an excuse to give up on your dreams or anything. I became a professional football player despite my disability and still make my living coaching football.

I’ve been continuing my activities, hoping to deliver my experience to disabled children. 

Comments from Guardians of F.C. Tokyo football school pupils

・I was really impressed by the level of football, which hardly showed any impairment. Pupils encouraged each other through this experience, which made me smile. I was also touched to see friendships among them at the final send-off. Thank you so much.

・Even though children might not immediately sense its importance, I hope this experience will make them realise something when they grow up. 

・ The disabled children played football just like others, trying so hard despite their impairment. I believe this experience inspired and broadened children’s perspectives by learning there are diverse friends, who try hard.

・Thai children stayed really vocal, which surprised me. Although not all of the school pupils were proactive enough, it was good to see some tried hard with body language. It was a great event. I do hope there will be another one soon. 

・My child regretted and was almost embarrassed not being able to do as he wanted. However, I believe thinking or feeling in that way meant something to him. I was moved by the last speech from coach AIHARA. Both of us, as parents, had tears in our eyes. We realise the preciousness of life.

・I think it was such a precious experience for children to play with physically challenged friends. I’m grateful to have this wonderful opportunity. 

・It was my son’s first opportunity to communicate with people from foreign country and it was a great experience for him.

・It was impressive that the pupils tried harder than usual to play football with deaf children and used body language.

・It was really good to join this event, as everyone seemed to play football so happily!

・Children are the same all over the country – keep smiling, but play football seriously. They love football. It was an excellent opportunity for me to see the children’s flexibility, strength and kindness to become friends easily through the ball regardless of nationality or physical disabilities. Thank you.

・Children came together by enjoying football! It was a great and meaningful opportunity for my family. Despite our concerns, the nationality differences and disabilities didn’t seem to mean much to the children. There were smiles everywhere while playing football, which was the most decisive evidence. The last speech from coach AIHARA moved me deeply. My son felt something in his own way. Thank you so much for holding this inspiring event.

・It was striking that all the children showed positive expressions and smiles while playing football.

Comments from F.C. Tokyo Football School Pupils

・It was great. I learned some sign language.。

・I was chuffed that my sign language worked properly. Whether or not you can hear, it was great to become friends through football! I practiced my name in sign language. When I tried it with friends from schools for the deaf, they corrected my mistakes.

・It was such fun. It was the first time I’d met deaf children and a coach without a left arm, but all of them played football much better than me. It was incredible. I learned sign language from them, but I wish I could learn more. The barbecue was nice, too.

・I could communicate somewhat through gestures. During the break, I pretended to drink with a cup, and a friend showed me the direction (to get the drink). When I was asked my name by a Japanese child during the barbecue, with help from an interpreter, I wrote it down to show them. I also became friends with other graders through a conversation about how to pronounce ‘Sevilla’, KIYOTAKE’s team. 

・Although I felt nervous at first, I enjoyed myself a lot.

・It was great to have a barbecue together, as well as playing football.

・I was pleased to communicate in sign language.。

・It was good that I could communicate with gestures, looking into friends’ eyes. 

・I thought playing football without verbal communication was difficult.

・After experiencing deaf football, I found that it was the same football as ours. We can pass or receive the ball to our teammates without looking at them thanks to our voice, whereas you need to grasp the situation much more in deaf football. Also eye contact is vital. It was a precious experience. 

・It was interesting. I played with deaf people and many performed excellently. It was difficult for me to express myself through gestures as verbal communication didn’t work. 

・It was my first time to meet deaf friends, play football with them, and get to know Thai.

・It was amazing!

・The barbecue was delicious and full of fun!!

・Although I didn’t know sign language and I couldn’t communicate well, they understood me through my gestures. They were no different from us playing football. This experience made me think about how to communicate.

・The performance level was equal. I tried to think carefully how to communicate with them. An exaggerated hand beckoning gesture worked well.

・I couldn’t communicate well at the beginning due to nerves. Having said that, I gradually did better during the matches. I enjoyed myself in the end.