JFA Elite Programme U-13 Japan Women's Selection make a trip to Korea, which is their third activity of the JOC Japan Korea Joint Sports Project for Enhancing Playing Skills. A total of 20 players assembled at the Haneda Airport around the noon time of 5 November. Some of them will participate in their third straight activity after May's Canon Girls Camp and September's Imabari training camp, while some will be taking part in it for the first time.

Before their departure, they took a lecture on communication skills. Each member introduced herself, then move to a question and answer game, composition, and then challenged to complete a poem cooperating with all of them.

After a flight of two hours and a half to get to Korea, they took a four-hour bus ride to arrive at Mokpo National Training Centre, which is the site for this activity.

They will begin their training from the next day. They are scheduled to play a pair of matches with the U-13 Korea Republic Women's National Team.

Coach and Players' Comments

YODOGAWA Tomoharu, Coach (JFA National Training Center Coach)
Some of our members make their first trip overseas. I'm observing them to see what they can do in a place that's different from their normal circumstances. But I want them to be able to do a lot of different things both on and off the pitch. 

We have games to play against Korea for a couple of times, but we have many players who'll play against foreign teams. I think that they'll come with a different level when they fight for the ball, so I want to see how they get it and shake it off. I have high expectations for their growths in these six days.

TABATA Haruna (Viento FC Toyono/JFA Academy Sakai)
I would like to tackle different things during this Korea trip. Regarding football, we'll play against Korean players, so I would like to try a lot of things to see what I can and what I cannot do, while I want to improve my issues during our practices so I can play against anyone. 

Off the pitch, I think that I have many things that I don't know, so I want to ask the Korean people in English and challenge other things. I would also like to communicate with other people and make some friends.

WATANABE Sakura（Albirex Niigata Ladies U-15）
I have a goal that I want to achieve through this Korea trip. When I play football, I want to do my best keeping taking my position. In order to do that, I want to change my position every time the ball moves, take positions that I can get the ball, and make actions or talk to my teammates so I can receive the ball. 

When I'm not playing football, I want to study as much as I can so I'll get better scores in tests at school because I'm away from school. To make the goal happen, I think that it's important to use our transportation times.

Schedule