meeting with various minds

So, I've been in Tokyo for few days and I visited many friends and coaches. It was refreshing, stimulating, and interesting. my old club of Suntory was fun as I chatted away with the boys and they allowed me to have dinner at their club house. Everybody looks bigger and fitter, while they told me that I need to gain more weight.
Had a very good conversation with Coach Sawamura, current Kawasaki Frontale youth goalkeeper coach and also assistant goalkeeper coach with the Top team. Mind you last year, he was with the women's National team and Urawa Reds. Although I did not get to see his actual training because today was Saturday and his youth side was playing trial match with a local high school team. Before, during, and after the game we talked and from what I took, we had a similar view and that, at the end of the whole thing, I need to own up to myself and work just harder and be more assertive.
When I say assertive, I don't mean in a athority kind of way, but be engaged in communication and make sure that I listen to her. When I do talk to her, I need to be fully prepared. from training drills to game time activities. Show confidence that I can do it!
This will be the challenge for me for the next two months.
I watched soccer Japan vs. Korea, Asian Cup Third place match, at two different friends house. One was soccer coach and his friends house for dinner and first half of game, then I moved to my friend from UTM who helped me get the translating job at Suntory for overnight stay.
Unfortunately, Japan lost in the shoot out, I picked up stuff watching the game, and as a fan, I am very optimistic of the team. I wish the team all the best.

back in Tokyo, Japan

Back from visiting my old man and mum, and with hardly no effect of Jet lag.
it was nice to see them and was able to catch up with my old friend, good drinking friend while in Fuchu, where I am at the moment.
I am visiting Rugby friends and coached a goalie for my friends team at an university. Always nice to help out and able to catch up with your mates. I miss them and we had some good laugh today. But the weather is so muggy!!
as for coaching, we just worked on the basics. she played basketball, so her reading of where the ball could land, or catch the ball was good. we worked mainly on her diving and rolling down, I reckon in US and UK they call it collapse dive. She is smart and active girl, and I think she will do well.
Tomorrow I will be tagging along with Kawasaki Frontale youth team. Their Goalkeeper coach was National Team Goalkeeper Coach last year with women's. Yes, he coached our goalie..... I am hoping to pick some coaching pointer and good advice. Try to learn as much as possible!!!
I know I can become better everyday, by trying and having a positive attitude!!

against Reds ladies and week off

We were taught a lesson by Urawa Reds Ladies 3-1. We knew they were going to go all out to get the goal in first 15minutes. We had to defend and soak up the pressure if we were to earn a point or dream of winning a game.
That idea was shattered in 5th minutes after corner kick and we failed to clear the ball out. They served an inswinging ball from the right flank and headed the ball before we did, thus 1-0.
They scored again, 15 minutes later from left flank this time not marking up well and letting the ball go over our heads - Lady Reds pounced on it and smashed it pass our helpless GK... 2-1
We caught them napping on a Counter Attack and scored to keep ourselves in the game 2-1 only to give them a cheap foul in the box - resulting in PK
End of the First half 3-1 to the Reds......
Second half was a clinic on how to keep possession of ball and how and when to attack. We couldn't move the ball when we had the ball. It was very painful to watch. As I am writing this, it is bloody painful to write about it.
So we got a week off in a bad way, but I'm at the moment in Portland OR. Nice and sunny. Good to see my parents and got my international Driver's permit. Now I can drive in Japan!!
I also visited Hawaii because I took a Honolulu connection. I was in Hawaii for 12hous!! yes, 12 hrs lay over!!
So I rented a car and cruised the island!! it was beautiful and wonderful! Mahalo and Aloha!!

Tomorrow I return to Japan... What a short stay.... I was able to catch up with my friends via phone. Good conversation it was.
PS for some reason, this computer, my mom's, won't let me correct my spelling. so Please be patient....

Tsuyu - rainy season/monsoon

This Monday the weekend forecast was sunny. We play away game at Urawa, which is Tokyo area. Well, Japan is in the wet, rainy season. Tsuyu, is what the Japanese call the rainy season. And we just had Typhoon pass by and dropped heaps of rain. I figure the rainy season was over, but the weather people has yet to call the end of Tsuyu and sure enough, weather for this weekend has changed to rain..... And today we had to train in the Gym because, 30 minutes before training, buckets were flipped and next two hours rained and rained....
Training went okay, but you could tell everyone wanted to train outside.... If it were yesterday, more likely we would have trained outside for short and sharp. Oh, well.

As for my other personal life, Japanese school is out for Summer!!! And you'd think I don't have to go to school, but no.... you have to go and do something...... lots of chore I guess....

new shade

Thanks to our corporate sponsor - Kinyodo, a part jewelry, part eye glass shop that decided to sponsor us.
So, now I have a new pair of sunglasses! Oakley it is!! nice shade, mate. It sure is!!

pic to follow

Motivation

Asia Football Cup is going on at the moment and Japan has been favorite to win the Cup. If they do win, it will be their fourth and third successive title. Quite amazing when you look at Japanese soccer history, but that is something to write on different occasion.
Current Manager Ivica Osim, a Sarajevo Native has been coaching in Japan for over 5 years. He has transformed a lowly, JEF United Chiba-Ichihara to Title contenders - They have won the Nabisco Cup Two successive years, but not this year, they were ousted in the group stage of the League Cup. Now he is the Manager of the National team, second year, and they are through the group stage of the Asian Cup - top of their Group.
He is famous for his quotes, not because they are good and valuable, but also with A LOT of Sarcasm. For Japanese it is bit too hard to grasp but I had a chance to hear his interview live when he was still a manager at JEF and to me, he is just too smart for some of the journalist here. He answers questions with questions, when the team wins, he bemoans about lack of something, and when loses, he praise certain things. Of course, he do get critical.
One comment I have been curious and he's been saying this quite a lot and it is about "motivation." Motivation of opponent, looking to dethrone Japan, Motivation of home team. Japan have to match its motivation to opponents' level. Heaps of Mental aspect of the game. Kind of reminds me of JoePa of Penn State. Humble, ready to praise opponents.
In listening to Ivica, I think of our team and our lost to Tasaki. You could say that Tasaki's Motivation to win and continue their winning streak alive, compared to ours.
I heard before that in a close game little things counts; skills and tactics, but what kind of mentality you have can be decisive. I guess, we weren't committed to win the game. We were rather happy to see the draw.
It would be interesting what motivates our players for Urawa Lady Reds.

shouda woulda coulda

1-2 to Tasaki.
About 3 minutes left in the game and they score to end up winning.
Middle of the second half, I had a bad feeling but it went away, and as I was thinking, "it's going to be a draw," they scored and we end up losing.
There was no ill effect of Typhoon Man-yi, as it was sunny and windy. The field was wet but surprisingly firm. And I knew it was going to be muggy on the pitch. All the moist coming up from the ground was going to suck the energy out of the players and that was true. Second half was hot and muggy and both teams looked tired.
Both teams were riding winning streak of their own and the goal from Tasaki was team effort as they broke down our right side flank in and served a lovely ball in the box and they converted as a player who was on the other side ran on to the cross and put it pass our goalie near post.
But we scored from an individual brilliance who has a 4 game scoring streak, by our National Team Member, Aya Miyama. As we labored to get into their left corner of the opposition's 18 (Penalty area), she received a pass, put the ball to her right foot as she looked up and strike a perfect shot to the far post to even the score in the first half.
Second half we had three clear chance to score and get ahead of the game, but we couldn't. We should have scored, but we didn't. Second half was bit of long ball, and both teams were tired and both team would have a point, but it wasn't to be. I guess it showed us why they are the top of the league with no loss, no draw. Technically and tactically, Belle hold its own and you can say we're even, but mentality was the difference I suppose.
We were going to be happy with a point for drawing the game, and they weren't.
They carry on the momentum they have been building on and we have to regroup and get the ball going for ourselves.

Playing soccer in Typhoon?

Typhoon Man-yi, in Japan they call it by the number, this one is #4 is about to hit Japan.
And there is a potential that the game could be canned. Last few days, we've been training in the rain. Because we play in the rain!! But, we don't know if we'll play under that condition.
It should be interesting if we play. We will play against the table topping Tasaki http://www.tasaki.co.jp/what/perule1.html The company is a Pearl jewelry company and they haven't lost a game since the season began in late April.
http://www.tasaki.co.jp/english/top/index.html Their English website do not show any soccer stuff, but for you ladies and guys who are thinking of buying, have a look.
We lost to them last time in the rain, and we were leading 1-0 in the first half, only to be equalized at the injury time of first half. Then on second half, as the rain became heavy, so did their attack and conceded two goals and finished 1-3.
Tomorrow's game will be same condition, with add wind to it. It could get postponed, and if it does get washed out, we should be playing the next day. Monday is a national holiday.
I personally would love to get it done and with a win. we are riding on 4 game winning streak.
wish us good luck!!

Not having a Darn Computer

So, I didn't have my computer for few days. Actually, the place I went for my clinic did not have Internet. Actually they did but it was old fashion, dial-up, and the coaching clinic went on late in the night and studying for test and making drills for the on-field activities. Yes, after the seminar, there was get-together-session among the coaches - few alcohol was brought in. But me being the early bird, I missed one session so I can get a good sleep because I had to give two on field activities. And I didn't bring a bloody camera!!
Three day course was very good for me, it was more of a review, but with more clear defined ways of coaching Goalkeeper; a proper ways and terms in coaching.
I wanted to post it asap, but I had to lend my computer for something regarding connecting (long story so I won't go into details), so here I am today able to post it.
Tomorrow I'll mention about our team.

Today, one of my English friend is going back to US. New one should be here in September.....

Going to a clinic

So, Tomorrow, I am heading to J-Village. If you wondering what is J-Village and what is it, it is a Japan's soccer residency place and it is located on Prefecture of Fukushima. http://www.j-village.jp/english/index.html
And finally a site with English, too.
There will be Goalkeeping Clinic from 6th to 8th of July. This is C-level, which is the first one to take. Then there will be B and A to follow.
I am looking forward to the clinic and learn more about soccer and meet interesting people who loves soccer. I am bit disappointed that I will miss our game and training, but I got the feeling it might do some good.

Winning ugly - 3 straight

So the game against INAC was about who had the confidence in their ability and strong mind in tough situation. Final score was 3-2 to the Belle. We came back from 2 goal deficit. INAC is a team who like to play direct style of play; long ball behind the defense line with speedster and a Brazilian who can hold the ball so other players can run on to the ball.
We wanted to play possession game, but we showed lack of confidence in that area where we should feel confident. Seriously, we do have the skills to do, but for some reason, we lack the confidence and either we give up the ball easily, or end up kicking the ball to the forwards.
And first half, the confidence was the difference. INAC, at the start of the game sitting on second place, and they confidently, soaked our attack and in return scored from 2 decent counter attack. We sure looked lost out there, and I don't want to use the excuse of using J-league stadium that had a very small warm up area with tight rules for usage of the game pitch. Field was bit wet and grass was long, but INAC was in the same situation. They were using the stadium for the first time, too. Confidence in themselves was the difference until, we were able to up goal back from long range by our National team player, Aya Miyama. That gave us a chance and tide was slowly turning to our favor. Second half we ditched our possession style and reverted to long ball tactic. Our head coach Does Not like this, but to get the win, you have to do whatever to make the change to give the team chance to win.
And it paid off. 2 goals, one from good counter attack and another by their mistake gave us necessary 3 points - Maximum points. Third goal was scored by our newly added player, Cynthia, the Brazilian. I guess you can say, Japanese players do not like foreign player and pressure put on by Cynthia was enough to make that mistake and she duly capitalized on that mistake.
Game was honestly, boring, lots of kicking and chasing, but we were able to get the important "W" in the win column. Great learning experience for me, and I hope the girls will keep working hard and gain confidence that they can do it and win games. It must be hard to swallow this loss for INAC, as most of the players were lying on the pitch after the game.

We'll take the win, no matter how ugly it is. Now let's aim for 4 straight.