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Uniqlo Soccer Kids held at elementary school in quake-hit area for first time - Kesennuma, Miyagi

19 November 2014

Uniqlo Soccer Kids held at elementary school in quake-hit area for first time - Kesennuma, Miyagi

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

Name of event JFA Uniqlo Soccer Kids in Kesennuma, Miyagi
Date Sun. 16 November 2014
Schedule Gate open 10:00 Opening Ceremony 10:30, Game 11:00-12:30, Closing Ceremony  12:35
Venue Kesennuma City Kesennuma Elementary School (3-1 Sasagajin Kesennuma City Miyagi)
Game format 8-a-side mini soccer festival
Size of pitch: 30m×15m (Total of 6 pitches)
Number of games per team: about 3 games    Playing time: 1st half 5 min, 2nd half 5min
Target participants Preschool age children 6 years old or younger
Host organizations Japan Football Association and Miyagi Football Association
Special sponsor Uniqlo Co., Ltd.
Associate sponsors Miyagi Board of Education / Kesennuma City Board of Education / KAHOKU SHIMPO PUBLISHING CO./ HIGASHI NIPPON BROADCASTING Co,Ltd./ TOHOKU BROADCASTING CO LTD / Sanriku Shimpo / Sendai Television Incorporated / Miyagi Television
Special guest Mr. KOJIMA Nobuyuki(former Japan International)/ TEGURAMORI Hiroshi, National Training Centre Coach in charge of JFA Reconstruction Support Project
Guest SUGAWARA Hidetoshi, General Secretary Miyagi Football Association /Mr. OE Masahiro/Deputy Mayor of Kesennuma City / Mr. YOKOHAMA Jun, Group Executive Vice President at FAST RETAILING CO., LTD. / AKAIZAWA Kyohei, Store Manager of Uniqlo Kesennuma Branch
Support staff Total of 49 staffers including staff of Kids Committee of Miyagi Football Association / Kesennuma High School / Toryo High School / Kesennuma Sharks FC
Mascot support Hoyaboya (PR Character for Kesennuma City Tourism)
Application period Mon. 26 September to Fri. 31 October, 17:00  *extended to Thu. 6 November
Application by Uniqlo soccer kids application form available on JFA Official website

Soccer families

 TeamsMenWomenTotal
U-6 age group (team participation) 9 70 19 89
U-6 group (individual participation)   75 9 84
Total   145 28 173
Spectators 450
Staff 49
Soccer families total 672

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

Sun. 26 January 2014 Osaka Kyocera Dome Osaka
Sun.  8 June 2014 Fukuoka Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome
Mon. 21 July 2014 Aichi Nagoya Dome
Mon. 15 September 2014 Tokyo Tokyo Dome
Sun. 5 October 2014 Iwate Iwate Sports Park Athletic Field
Mon. 13 October 2014 Toyama Toyama Athletic Recreation Park
Sun. 19 October 2014 Ibaraki Kashima Soccer Stadium
Mon. 3 November 2014 Hokkaido Sapporo Dome
Sun. 16 November 2014 Miyagi Kesennuma Elementary School
Mon. 24 November 2014 Saitama Seibu Dome
Sat. 29 November 2014 Kumamoto Kumamoto Sports Park Auxiliary field
Sun. 7 December2014 *changed on 10/6 Okayama kanko Stadium
Sun. 21 December 2014 Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Kirara Memorial Park
Sun. 25 January 2015 Osaka Kyocera Dome Osaka

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.

Special Sponsor
ユニクロ

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