The CFA’s Ernie Brennan was invited to watch the children of F C Basara play some games that clearly left an impression; ‘I have watched many children’s soccer coaching sessions and this one was right up there with the best.’ With over 10 years experience F C Basara’s head coach, facilitated games that were fun, non formal and always inclusive. The club has over 300 children with 10% girls playing at the club. The gender balance is slowly growing in the right direction. The club has a bright future with Shinji Okazaki (2016 Premier League winner with Leicester City) one of the driving forces directing F C Basara.
There is an incredible appetite for grass roots empowerment to grow and meet social responsibility half way; to galvanise intergenerational relationships in a land steeped in tradition. Mr Tanaka Tomokiyo (Board Memeber United Nations Association of Japan), said, The Peace Field Project will be embraced by many children, parents, teachers and educationalists from diverse communities in Japan.’ ‘Play is a foundation of childhood. Societies across Asia and the rest of the world need to be reminded of this’. ‘I believe we can support the Peace Field Projects and grow this important network for our childrens children to benefit from. A modern legacy celebrating peace is a much needed concept in today’s world’
Ryoma Adachi, AS Laranja, Academy Soccer Coach, is a very popular and well respected practioneer across Kyoto, He facilitates many coaching sessions for boys and girls of all abilities. He says, ‘Keeping the children’s activities fun makes my job happy. They have a lot of energy and all they time they are learning. There is so much happening in just one session that when games are the focus I have to make sure that the result does not make the priority.’
(Centre) Ryoma Adachi, AS Laranja, Academy Soccer Coach