Under clear winter sky, U-19 Japan Women’s national team started their first training camp this year in Kagoshima. This team eyes for winning a berth for FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2015 in AFC U-19 Women’s Championship in August.

All the members of 25 players and eight staffers got together before the training and held a meeting. Head coach Takakura led the meeting saying ”I am not going to select player unless she is willing to act for the team and showing her aspiration for improvement on the pitch. Our goal is to win through last three in AFC U-19 Women’s Championship and earn FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup berth. For reaching that goal, I want every one of you to become a player who can proactively think about what needs to be done to make yourself much competitive and a better team and act accordingly on and off the pitch.“

This day’s training started off with testing physical fitness of players. Dividing them into three groups, they were tested on 40 meter sprint, bounding and endurance. In testing the endurance, they did 20 meter run round trip along with signal sound from CD but not that they keep running and they take a rest for a while after making one round trip. They start running at first signal sound and they have to complete running 20 meter before the second signal sound.

It started with slow speed in the beginning and the intervals between two signals gradually gets shorter. They were tested if they had been in time for the second signal and she is out of this testing if she failed to make it in time for second time. It was repeated until nobody left. SHIMIZU Risa(Nippon TV Beleza) made it to the very end of the testing this time.

After physical fitness test, players formed two-person group and worked on technical training such as lifting, long kick and finished the training with playing mini game.

At the meeting after the dinner, they shared the goal and what they are aiming for by watching the video of FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup held last year in Canada.

Players Comments

SUMIDA Rin(Nippon TV Beleza)
As it was the first day of the training, we had a physical fitness test and mini game made me think a lot. I was surprised to see individual player of Germany, France and Nigeria who has technique, speed and power when I watched the video of FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup held last year. Japan might be behind those countries in terms of speed and power but we have to focus on training to brush up technique, judgment speed and mental strength and raising that level one by one to face up those countries to beat them. I realized I should use time outside of training much efficiently to raise my performance. In this short training camp, I want to talk to many players and exchange ideas during the training and game and know each other well.

KANESHIGE Sari(Yanagigaura High School)
As this training was the first call up for me to the national team training camp, I was bit nervous in the first day of training. I was not sure how to express myself in the training and not comfortable in talking to other players. Trying not to hesitate, I am going to fit in the team proactively early as I can. As head coach Takakura said in the meeting, I felt I need to make all-out efforts to enhance both physical and mental strength, technique, judgment speed to be able to compete comfortably in the world. For becoming the world champion and selected to be a part of the national team, I am going to give a challenge to my limit for the rest of the training.

KITAGAWA Hikaru(JFA Academy Fukushima)
Training camp started today in Kagoshima. In the training, I was tested in physical strength and played mini game which made me think a lot. There were some events in physical fitness test exceeding previous time and ones fell below the previous results. I am not so confident about my physical strength and I am going to focus on that point in training and independent training. Given the smaller body, I suppose I have to play cleverly to win through the championship if we compete favorably with overseas players. I realized again it is really important to play not only by body but with thinking a lot. I am going to play aggressively in the training camp to make most of my strengths. Watching the video of the previous FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, I was surprised to see the physical strength and pass-centric team the play style similar to Japan. I fully realized they are the team who is not easy to play against unless we hold daily training according to the world standard.

ICHISE Nana(Tokiwagi Gakuen High School)
After taking a physical fitness test, I worked on pass and lifting practice and played 6-on-6 mini game. I realized I was bit weak at speed and physical strength after taking a physical fitness test and made me think it would be difficult to play as an international cap bearing Japanese flag. It was fun playing 6-on-6 as it is not possible to win the game without thinking a lot. My team could score a goal but we conceded goals for the other side’s counterattacks. In this training camp, I want to promote myself and find something to improve for me to play better. I am going to keep myself focused on the training including mental perspective when I go back to my club.

STAMBAUGH Hannah(JFA Academy Fukushima)
I had training mainly on physical fitness test today. The result wasn’t good as before and realized many things to improve. Following the physical fitness test, I played mini-game which made me think a lot. The mini-game required us to pass around three balls at the same time and shoot them. It took me a while to understand the rule but it was very fun. I am going to take up training programs seriously the rest of the camp and work on day by day.

SEIKE Kiko(Urawa Reds Ladies)
I watched video of some games from FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup held last year at the night meeting. I was very impressed to see the goal scoring scenes and excellent players. In addition to their physical strength, I felt they have a high quality of technique and tactical mind. I realized I have to develop as a team as well as a player at the same time to compete favorable in the World arena. Personally, I am going to commit myself to training to get me closer to the world standard.

Schedule

*The schedule is subject to change due to condition of the team, the weather, etc.