Marcelo Mendes, head coach of the Beach Soccer Japan National Team, held a two-day clinic on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April at Beach Stadium Tokyo Bay (Ota Ward, Tokyo).
This was the first time to hold a clinic by Coach Mendes. It consisted of the lecture and skill practices in which nineteen players from all over Kanto region participated. They all play in the Kanto League or East Japan League.
The first day started with a film session where they watched the films from the national team's training camp and the world cup. Along with the films the lecture on fundamental skills and positions was given. Then they moved on to skill practices. They worked on drills including passing floating balls, which is the most important skill in beach soccer, and setting up attacks from a throw by the GK.
On the second day, after the instruction on some different formations in both offense and defence, they engaged in intra-squad matches. In every break between matches, advice was given to each team. The matches were designed for each team to play various formations so that players could experience different styles offensively and defensively.
All the participants tried hard not to miss a single word of the coach's valuable instruction and took notes in details. They all seemed determined to take this experience back to their own clubs.

Comments From Marcelo Head Coach

I was the head coach of the UAE National Team, but I didn't hold a clinic like this there. So it was a good opportunity for me to get to know the current level of Japan's beach soccer. Some of the participants were very talented, but most of them have only one or two practices a week. So I could see we don't have a good system in place yet for the sport. They all were highly motivated and worked very hard. I hope they will take what they learned back to their club and spread it to players around them. 

Comments From Participants

KAWAMURA Keiichiro（TOKYO LEQUIOS BS）
I was very happy to have an opportunity to try the same practice as the national team. It was a valuable experience to get instructions directly from the national team head coach, so even after I get back to the club I will review what I learned here. And I will keep working hard to get invited to the national team. Some of other players seemed not to practice enough in their everyday life. So I hope they will play beach soccer more seriously and the Japan's level will get better. 

Nabeshima Fumiteru
Not many people play beach soccer in where I live (Ibaraki). I just learn and train all by myself. This clinic was very informative because I could learn a lot from Coach Marcelo about how to practice and game strategies.
First I was worried whether I would be able to perform at the level the coach expected. But his instruction was detailed and easy to follow, so I could understand well. I took a lot of notes in the lecture, too, so after I go back to the club, I will use them a lot in the practice.

OKUYAMA　Masanori
I could learn skills and strategies that I had never been taught before, so it was full of good information. We listened to the lecture first and then did skill practices later. So I could organize all the information and that made it easy for me to get out to the practice. I was very motivated because it's an opportunity that the national team head coach directly coaches us. I want to give what l learned back to my team. I will be happy if I can get more opportunities like this. 

YAMAMOTO　Naoki（If Levante）
It hasn't been long since I started playing beach soccer, so I didn't know very well what kind of practice I should do. But this clinic gave me a clear purpose and goal. I could find out what I am missing now and what I need to work on. So I will start working hard on them. It is difficult to increase the amount of time for practice, but even in the limited amount of time, I will remember this clinic and want to keep improving efficiently.