Activities for National Training Centre U14 will take place in four regions from 22 May to 25 May. 215 players in total started these training activities under instruction of national training centre coaches and its staff in each region. 

Training venues:
East Japan including Hokkaido and Tohoku: Nakasatunai Koryu-No-Mori
Kanto: Toki-No-Sumika Sport Centre
Middle Part of Japan including Hokushinetsu, Tokai and Kansai: Wakura Spa Multipurpose Ground in Nanao City
West Japan including Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyusyu: Football and Rugby Ground at Oita Sport Park

From today, we will report training activities of each venue. The first report is from Kanto.
At the first guidance session, 20 Selected players for each U14 and U13 age groups were encouraged to give 100% effort through an opportunity to listen to the mission of the Training Centre as well as what they need to do considering the advantage that they can learn well especially at their age.

At night, Top Referee Instructor OKADA Masayoshi gave them a lecture about referee’s work such as the training required and difficulties of becoming a top referee. He also held a quiz about rules of football. At the Q&A session, players asked about referee’s salary and some rules of throw-in.
On the afternoon of 24 May, U14 players will have a game with U15 Singapore which is visiting Japan.

Comments

KIMURA Kokichi, JFA National Training Centre Coach, Chief of Kanto Region
With some feeling of tension of the first day, the players did their best in listening to Training Centre Coaches as well as in playing on the pitch, trying some high-level plays. This training programme is planned for the players to be independent thinking players both on and off the pitch throughout the 4 days of training. We are looking forward to the training sessions from tomorrow.

DAIMON Akira, Kanto National Training Centre Staff
After yesterdays series of preparation sessions by staff, we have just finished the first day of the training and it was good to have range of to-dos in this training with such nice players and staff. I found some players who were still nervous at the first day, I am happy to offer any support for them to be more open-minded and to learn as much as possible.

SAKAKIBARA Keigo, U-14 Player
It has been a good experience for me to have the training with high-level players. I was told by coaches that it is important to observe surroundings during the game to think what will happen next. That is exactly what I have been told usually at my team training. Even though my body is not big compared to the other players, I will do my best paying attention to what I was told by coaches, getting into good positions, and making good use of my advantages such as dribbling and passing. We will try hard to win the game against Singapore even though their bodies can be bigger than us.

TAKAHASHI Kodai, U-13 Player
I enjoyed today’s training sessions. Coaches taught me detailed things such as about adjusting my position slightly to one side by the size of a football. I am looking forward to the coming training sessions from tomorrow to improve my play by listening to coaches very well.