Struggling at the moment. I am improving but slow. Gotta keep working....
Keep it simple and build up momentum. I got a new kits to assist me in coming up with drills.
And watch more games!!
2007年8月29日水曜日
2007年8月23日木曜日
Winning the region, but....
So we won our region, Chugoku, by winning all 4 games. However, we struggled against opponents of "have beens," and young players (high school and even Jr. high girls!!). Our head coach and assistant coach was not happy at all. I can understand their feeling. We were too confident and too cocky. No respect to the opponents at all. And when things did not go our way, instead of being composed, we rushed and panicked. We even had a player suspended for getting two yellow card (separate games) and a red card (two yellow in one game)!! We had no class.....
As for me, it was a wonderful experience to be part of the team and go through the schedule. It was very unique. In one pre-game, we weren't allow to use balls to warm up!
Luckily, I had an assistant, sort or, partner of goalie coach. He had experience playing in these type of games, so he was able to help me and the team to get ready. He was very professional the way he coached and conducted himself, and gave me lots of tips here and there. I only wished that I prepared more.
Good learning experience.
Now onto the real tournament in Akita come October.
As for me, it was a wonderful experience to be part of the team and go through the schedule. It was very unique. In one pre-game, we weren't allow to use balls to warm up!
Luckily, I had an assistant, sort or, partner of goalie coach. He had experience playing in these type of games, so he was able to help me and the team to get ready. He was very professional the way he coached and conducted himself, and gave me lots of tips here and there. I only wished that I prepared more.
Good learning experience.
Now onto the real tournament in Akita come October.
2007年8月19日日曜日
one more game
We beat Hiroshima and Tottori to almost rapped up our regional Championship, thus allow us to play in the Big tourney in Akita Prefecture October. Now if we beat Yamaguchi then we're in.
Hiroshima was the only team that could challenge us and they gave their all. We looked sloppy at times and played like we deserved respect and feared. But when you play sloppy for too long, it only gives other team confidence that you can compete, and last 20 minutes were just nightmare. Couldn't control the ball, pass the ball, or retain possession of the ball. And so all we did was kick the ball. WE were by far the better team, yet at the end of the day, we were lucky to get a win. We were great for 1st 20 minutes, rest were just ordinary.
Second game against far lesser opponent Tottori was just boring, period. Even i was yawning. Our Head coach gave a very stern lecture to the players, but we actually struggled. We had rested some of the key players, but we had to put them into the game in order to secure a win. Yes, we were only up 1-0 and could have won it with that score line, but our head coach had none of it.
When you are the top dawg, everyone comes at you at 100 mph. Gotta be ready no matter what. Give the proper respect, but still gotta have that instinct to finish the game and not drop to their level, or go after individual glory by shooting too much or ball hogging for too long.
It only gives opponents chance to get back into the game and possibly stun your team in the end.....
Hiroshima was the only team that could challenge us and they gave their all. We looked sloppy at times and played like we deserved respect and feared. But when you play sloppy for too long, it only gives other team confidence that you can compete, and last 20 minutes were just nightmare. Couldn't control the ball, pass the ball, or retain possession of the ball. And so all we did was kick the ball. WE were by far the better team, yet at the end of the day, we were lucky to get a win. We were great for 1st 20 minutes, rest were just ordinary.
Second game against far lesser opponent Tottori was just boring, period. Even i was yawning. Our Head coach gave a very stern lecture to the players, but we actually struggled. We had rested some of the key players, but we had to put them into the game in order to secure a win. Yes, we were only up 1-0 and could have won it with that score line, but our head coach had none of it.
When you are the top dawg, everyone comes at you at 100 mph. Gotta be ready no matter what. Give the proper respect, but still gotta have that instinct to finish the game and not drop to their level, or go after individual glory by shooting too much or ball hogging for too long.
It only gives opponents chance to get back into the game and possibly stun your team in the end.....
2007年8月18日土曜日
4 games in 3 days
We just finished our first of 4 games. Won comfortably 8-0 Tomorrow we face Hiroshima, who will be our toughest opponent. Their forward is a Nadeshiko leaguer with good speed. They tend to attack wide and against Tottori, they used left flank often. Fairly balanced team. After the game, we have another in the afternoon. So one in the morning around 10am and second game is at 3pm. Heat wave has hit the western Japan so it is really hot. Today was up in 35 Celsius degrees, which roughly translate to about 95 degrees. There is a chance of thunderstorm, but I doubt it. Would be nice for a rain, because it will cool down the muggy Hiroshima. Can't worry about the weather or opponents. Prepare for everything and be ready for the worst situation. And come back victorious.
2007年8月17日金曜日
Hiroshima
So here we are in Hiroshima getting ready for the Qualifying rounds for National Sports Festival.
Took a bus and made it in about 3 hours.
We trained in the morning and had a meeting in the evening after the meal. Training and the meeting was regarding Set Pieces and for me it was very good and informative. We also have a spot coach, a goalkeeper coach, for the duration. He is younger than me, but he is playing for a semi-pro team - 4th division team in Japan. He is also Goalkeeper coach for his team. He has such a way with word that I am learning a lot about coaching on the run. He obviously has more experience thus he can communicate better with the player. Because he is playing, he can also talk about the obvious things such as order in which how to defend a corner kick. It would take me a second and go over on a paper, perhaps rehearse the meeting, but he doesn't have to. That is definitely to his advantage. I can only can admire his way of communicating with the players. I am sure I can do that in a long run. In a way, I am going over about coaching and he is allowing me to catch up, and letting me know that what I know is right.
You can see confidence oozing out from his skin. I can only admire that. One day I would be like that.
sorry for the grammer....
Took a bus and made it in about 3 hours.
We trained in the morning and had a meeting in the evening after the meal. Training and the meeting was regarding Set Pieces and for me it was very good and informative. We also have a spot coach, a goalkeeper coach, for the duration. He is younger than me, but he is playing for a semi-pro team - 4th division team in Japan. He is also Goalkeeper coach for his team. He has such a way with word that I am learning a lot about coaching on the run. He obviously has more experience thus he can communicate better with the player. Because he is playing, he can also talk about the obvious things such as order in which how to defend a corner kick. It would take me a second and go over on a paper, perhaps rehearse the meeting, but he doesn't have to. That is definitely to his advantage. I can only can admire his way of communicating with the players. I am sure I can do that in a long run. In a way, I am going over about coaching and he is allowing me to catch up, and letting me know that what I know is right.
You can see confidence oozing out from his skin. I can only admire that. One day I would be like that.
sorry for the grammer....
2007年8月12日日曜日
Mini Kokutai
It has been really hot in the hills of Okayama lately, and today was no exception. And today, we trained on Astro turf field, at 3pm hottest time of the day, so yeah, it was quite a workout.
We have a Mini Kokutai, National Tournament Regional Qualifier in Hiroshima, next weekend. Today was intra-squad trial match. I officiated. My goodness, the girls can dish out some words to me!! But I just kept going on.
Last few days of GK training, our back up has been doing really well. So I had fairly good expectation of today's training. However, I was somewhat disappointed. You could put some blame on me, as I could have done better warm up. She is not so good in 1 v 1 situation such as break away. I should have spent little more time on that instead of working on crosses.
So, I learned a good lesson, which I knew from my rugby days. And I was able to experience it first hand so I know I won't do the mistake again.
That is, spend little more time on things you've worked on for a week in the warm up. The player has been working on that so it gives her target for the game.
next week.
We have a Mini Kokutai, National Tournament Regional Qualifier in Hiroshima, next weekend. Today was intra-squad trial match. I officiated. My goodness, the girls can dish out some words to me!! But I just kept going on.
Last few days of GK training, our back up has been doing really well. So I had fairly good expectation of today's training. However, I was somewhat disappointed. You could put some blame on me, as I could have done better warm up. She is not so good in 1 v 1 situation such as break away. I should have spent little more time on that instead of working on crosses.
So, I learned a good lesson, which I knew from my rugby days. And I was able to experience it first hand so I know I won't do the mistake again.
That is, spend little more time on things you've worked on for a week in the warm up. The player has been working on that so it gives her target for the game.
next week.
2007年8月11日土曜日
Keio University
Keio (K-O) University player came and joined us in training for three days. Strong right foot for a girl. Keio's head coach is a friend of my from my days in Matsuyama. He was very good player and in a way, I looked up to him as a soccer player. Unfortunately, I never got to play along side with him, but when I was in Tokyo, I helped him with coaching goalie, and got to play on his Futsal team. We have a good friendship.
He brought a player who he thinks could play at the next level. She brought with her an injury on her foot and she wasn't able to train well, but she did have a solid kick on both of her feet. can kick it for a distance.
Best of luck to her as she goes back to her team and I hope she can share the experience with others.
And best of luck to Keio for their up coming fall season.
He brought a player who he thinks could play at the next level. She brought with her an injury on her foot and she wasn't able to train well, but she did have a solid kick on both of her feet. can kick it for a distance.
Best of luck to her as she goes back to her team and I hope she can share the experience with others.
And best of luck to Keio for their up coming fall season.
2007年8月4日土曜日
Kokutai - National Sports Festival
Kokutai is similar to ODP, but the difference is that there are three divisions, Youth - Boys, Adults - Men and Women's.
We trained with local players who attends college and we did some selection training and trial match. Unfortunately, our national goalie and the U-19 has National duties so they won't be able to participate, but we have two goalies, our lovely, back up and the college player. We had decent trainings and we are meeting this weekend again to get ready for the Kokutai Qualifier - Chugoku region.
We should progress to the National Festival, but we shall see. Chugoku region consists of five prefecture; Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane, and Tottori.
Since our players are amateurs, they can play.
Wish us good luck.
We trained with local players who attends college and we did some selection training and trial match. Unfortunately, our national goalie and the U-19 has National duties so they won't be able to participate, but we have two goalies, our lovely, back up and the college player. We had decent trainings and we are meeting this weekend again to get ready for the Kokutai Qualifier - Chugoku region.
We should progress to the National Festival, but we shall see. Chugoku region consists of five prefecture; Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane, and Tottori.
Since our players are amateurs, they can play.
Wish us good luck.
2007年8月3日金曜日
U-19
Japan's Under 19 Goalkeeper is training with US for the week. She's tall, 5-6ish compared with our other goalies. They're 5-4 and 5-5.
She has been bit nervous for few days, but I think she is starting to being herself more.
She has done well in training, too. For me, she is very fluid and her reaction time is very good. I have very easy time throwing balls to her in session. I wish I could kick the ball better and to the area I want to kick.
Must keep improving....
She has been bit nervous for few days, but I think she is starting to being herself more.
She has done well in training, too. For me, she is very fluid and her reaction time is very good. I have very easy time throwing balls to her in session. I wish I could kick the ball better and to the area I want to kick.
Must keep improving....
2007年8月1日水曜日
departure
Well, one of the veteran has decided to leave the team. Best of luck to her, but she left the team in somewhat disappointing matter. She has been part of the team since the inception and obvious leader.
With her age past 30 and her strength obviously and visibly dropping, she worked hard to find her playing time on the team. Without her, the team average age drop to about 22.
She wasn't getting stronger, and team was going younger, her playing time diminished considerably. But with her experience, she was still valuable player and made some good impact when she came on. Yet, she didn't try to work on the area, which the head coach told her in order to get more playing time.
So she in a way abused her seniority (big thing in Japan) to intimidate and manipulate to get her way. As the season went on and she wasn't getting her way, she became somewhat critical of our management. And finally after the season was suspended for Summer and World Cup, she told the team that she was leaving and transferring.
It's her life so best of her luck, but very unprofessional in my view. She has a vast experience and knowledge of the game, and the history of the team. She's been here since the beginning!! So she could just work it out until the end of the season and show a true professionalism by working hard and show good example to the younger player... but what she did was contradict what she has been saying and doing. I'm sure the players will be thinking differently, but that's the norm. I'm sure the head coach will talk to the team when the time is right.
I was personally looking forward to working with her, because she had a strong relationship with our goalie. I wanted to improve myself and rapport with goalie and I saw her as someone I can talk to and get pointers. We had a chat once and this departure really contradict with what she told me. So I am disappointed with her action. I think she made the mistake, and with her age, I am not so sure if there will be a team that will take her and another thing is I am not sure if she will find a decent paying job that would accommodate her soccer career. Unless her family is loaded....
life goes on.
With her age past 30 and her strength obviously and visibly dropping, she worked hard to find her playing time on the team. Without her, the team average age drop to about 22.
She wasn't getting stronger, and team was going younger, her playing time diminished considerably. But with her experience, she was still valuable player and made some good impact when she came on. Yet, she didn't try to work on the area, which the head coach told her in order to get more playing time.
So she in a way abused her seniority (big thing in Japan) to intimidate and manipulate to get her way. As the season went on and she wasn't getting her way, she became somewhat critical of our management. And finally after the season was suspended for Summer and World Cup, she told the team that she was leaving and transferring.
It's her life so best of her luck, but very unprofessional in my view. She has a vast experience and knowledge of the game, and the history of the team. She's been here since the beginning!! So she could just work it out until the end of the season and show a true professionalism by working hard and show good example to the younger player... but what she did was contradict what she has been saying and doing. I'm sure the players will be thinking differently, but that's the norm. I'm sure the head coach will talk to the team when the time is right.
I was personally looking forward to working with her, because she had a strong relationship with our goalie. I wanted to improve myself and rapport with goalie and I saw her as someone I can talk to and get pointers. We had a chat once and this departure really contradict with what she told me. So I am disappointed with her action. I think she made the mistake, and with her age, I am not so sure if there will be a team that will take her and another thing is I am not sure if she will find a decent paying job that would accommodate her soccer career. Unless her family is loaded....
life goes on.
登録:
投稿 (Atom)
