JFA Nadeshiko Hiroba, hosted by “Winning Dog Sports Club,” took place on Wednesday 3 December in Yokohama, Kanagawa. Under the cold winter weather, 11 women, some of them being housewives, gathered at the club and started their workout with the Brazilian stretching to warm up their body. As the participants had been working on so-called integral training by using brain and body at their practices, their “looking around” and “thinking” abilities improved. When it came to “executing,” however, it hadn’t worked well yet. So the theme of this session was set as “the various types of controlling and kicking fundamentals.” To repeatedly go through basic moves, the analytic training method was adopted as players worked in pairs using markers on 15 kinds of controlling and kicking techniques. Their focus was on shifting weight, footwork and controlling the balls with their sole through ample communication and demonstration.

In the 5 on 5 match at the end of the session, the players struggled to “execute” what they trained, because that was their first time to try those newly-learned skills in a match setting. The next Hiroba will be targeted on “executing” the skills with teammates in a flow of the offence. Then the final session will be “executing” against defenders, which will wrap up their activities in this year.

Host Comment

USUI Takahiro, Manager
Even though we have lots of beginners, we don’t usually work on simple drills such as just standing still and kicking the ball to each other in pairs. In many cases, we put various restrictions in drills including having defenders to let them think as they play. Today, after stretching when I asked players to “stretch again particularly on the stiff part of your body,” someone said “that’s our brain!” and everyone laughed. Looking at the adult participants enjoying their time like a child and chasing the ball, I feel this is my mission to keep providing the environment that enables everyone even women to join freely and continue playing the sport.

Participants Comment

- Seven years ago, my sons’ coach said to me “Why don’t you try playing?” I started to play futsal because I wanted to see what my sons were seeing and to understand what the coach was saying to my sons. The activity started with only a few players at first, but now we have lots of peers. I think I’m addicted to futsal more than my sons. This is because of the supports from the coach, who teaches me clearly and patiently, and other peer mothers, who take part in the activity under event hot, even cold or even rainy weather.

- I’m a beginner and was very nervous at first. But under the kind coach, now I am having fun playing and at the same time earnestly chasing the ball. Regardless of my skill level, it’s an important time for me to refresh my body and mind.The JFA

Nadeshiko Hiroba is a "place" and "time" for women, from children to adults, to casually enjoy and continue playing football and futsal on a periodical basis. We are looking for those who can run this event as well.

See more details of Nadeshiko Hiroba (Japanese version only)