Harvest time!

Today, I want to talk about harvesting rice. Not soccer. As you all know I go to school and assist teachers in various classes. I also eat lunch with them, but that's not what we're talking about.

This is part of class for second and fifth graders. Did I tell you this before?

please refer back to the June 15's blog.

So yesterday, Friday 29, we harvested the rice we planted. the kids did some plucking the weeds from the rice paddy.

So here are the pics enjoy

This was before we started harvesting around 9:20

You can see the kids getting busy.
and it took only an hour to finish it off.
And this me with the weapon of choice.

After we cut them, we bundle up them and then we hang it on this. As you can see, this old man is making the hanger.
And we split the bundle in half and then hang them to dry.
We are preparing to eat rice on the paddy we harvest and all the rice is hanged up!
Kids are getting ready to chow down!
Don't forget our teacher and the old man who taught us how to plan and how to cut the rice.

learning curb?

I'm starting to see what is happening in the training. normally I'm just following the ball, but I'm starting to see what is developing and the problem our head coach wants to see.
Next, I need to be able to find the solution to the problem.

Not going to the big dance

I'm not going to Akita Prefecture for the National Sports festival, representing the Prefecture of Okayama. Due to budgeting situation, they are only going to send our head coach and another coach.... I'm bummed that I won't be able to experience the busy game-played-everyday schedule, but I will be here working on the back up. And the accommodation/hotel is 50 km away from the stadium where we are schedule to play.
Less hassle, so I guess, I'll work on my back up and enjoy the autumn weather....

global warming!?!?!?

It has been really hot in Mimasaka for this month, but looks like it is returning to the normal temperature and weather. I was really thinking of Global Warming, because until today cities in Japan were rewriting many record high for September or consecutive days of over 90's or 30's degrees.
Today was much, much cooler and it was very comfortable. Sun still got the heat when he peaked his sunny face from clouds, but thanks to the wind, today felt like autumn.
I have been living in various parts in Japan for the last 5 years, but I don't recall being this hot in September. I spoke to the locals and they all said this year was unusually hot.
By the way, Japan does not have day light savings so day is getting shorter and shorter.

grape hunting??

I went to grape vine farm with local school, Aida Elementary 3rd grade, and got me some grapes!! they were delicious!!

I'm so lucky to be a teacher's assistant!!

By the way, Okayama is one of the biggest producer of grapes in Japan.

Here are the pics.

The hat I got on is the elementary school hat. Cool, eh?

real to the game

Got a good advice and something I new for a long time. That is "Keep the training real to the game." I thought I was doing that, but apparently, I wasn't close to the game.
my problem was I wasn't kicking the ball hard enough - like shooting the ball.
I guess, I was kicking the ball so that the back up can catch it or dive and catch the ball.
So back to my drawing board and work on to keep the training real to the game....

World Cup

So Japan did not make the Quarter final in the Women's World Cup.... Bummer because they played their hearts out and still couldn't progressed. England game was the deciding factor.
The girls have returned to Japan and taking 7 days off. They sure need the break.
I am very proud of them!!!

Score doesn't indicate a rout

We beat the Door mat team of Japan Renaissance Kumamoto 8-1. I actually asked our goalie what would be the final score. She said 12-0 to which I replied 9-1. I just had a feeling we're gonna get score from some weird situation and nobody would be prepared for it.
Our Head coach was going to be late for our pre-game meeting due to her commitments, but the message told by our assistant coach was, "Show the class." Rather than showing off fancy skills and difficult plays, play simple and to the point which is go attack the goal with minimum effort. Rather than possessing the ball around and dribbling around, try to make things complicated, make the decision quickly and move the ball toward the goal.
And the game started fairly good for us. Immediately, we attacked the left flank with quick pass twice, but we were let down by the finishing touch (1v1 with goalie and we hit a week shot AT her....)
After the first 10 minutes of pressure the soak it up will and we looked like we're in for a long first half.... Only to be rescued by a lucky cross that found one of our players at the end of the cross. I wish I could write goals then came in like a flood, but it took another 10 minutes and this on was from corner kick. And it started raining and things went wet.... And that was it for the first half.
Kumamoto was here for a moral victory and it looked as they were going to get that. They were "Genki" Japanese for Energizer Bunny, and ran and tackled with purpose. And they were going to get rewarded on second half.
I didn't get in on the half time talk as I warmed up our back up. I felt like there would be a small, small chance that she could play, so was on the field working with her. Mind you we only had three players for subs, and one is goalie, so go figure on our depth..... Second half started well, but we couldn't find the back of the net, and first goal of second half came from set piece on the 20th minute. They scored!!! Our goalie said that the ball was out when they kicked but still no excuse, ball was found its way to the far post after contesting the ball in the middle only to be picked up by Kumamoto player who took a shot which hit the cross bar only to land in front of the goal with another opponent by herself. There was no Belle players to be found as they were rushing out of the goal mouth. she only had to volley softly to the goal as she tapped it in uncontested. So there you go, a weird situation for them to score.
I guess that finally woke our players up and we scored 6 goal to make it 8-1. One short of my prediction. Our head coach has been talking to our player that each one should score at least a goal. The score doesn't show that all 11 scored and we allowed them a moral victory!!! They are second division door mat team and you cannot possibly allow them to score!!
So our Cup games are over as we won't progress so next week will be just training.....
Just for the information, I'm not sure Iowa losing to lowly Iowa State and Spurs losing another heart breaker to Arse-nal was some kind of indication that we were gonna struggle..... I'm not so sure.
FYI my favorite football team is IOWA and Tottenham Hotspur
Come on you Spurs!! gotta win the derby!!

Field Day and practice

As I have mentioned before, I go to elementary school and be a teacher's assistant. And second trimester (September to December) began with schools getting ready for Field Day. Field Day in Japan is Not like the one in US, where it is hosted on like last few days of school year. Instead it is hosted at the end of September with all the pageantry. The opening ceremony to all kinds of races and even presentation of cheer leading (not the kind of US cheering) and dance by each grades. And they practice their dance, their cheering and even marching! I grew up in Japan and in that environment, so the practice just brings me back all the memories; all the fun and the scolding by the teachers....
Each schools will host its Field Day on 23rd. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend because, I have soccer......

2 world cups

Just to mention there are many events that put World Cup to its title, but for me there are two sports that shares its same birth, but separated after few years and now they have grown into two separate sports. Football (soccer) and Rugby.
Women's World Cup Final is played in China and Rugby World Cup is played in France. Both has USA and Japan participating in each Finals.
From working with rugby, I know few guys that are playing for Japan, so I am keeping an eye on how they will do. I know a good friend, actually he is more like a Mentor to me is an assistant to South Africa, the Boks, so I also want him and his team to do well.
As for the current record in the world cup, Japan and USA has no win in the Rugby, and Soccer both teams drew their first game. What a Coincidence, eh?

crashed out

We lost to our closest rival INAC 3-0 A comprehensive lost that took us out of the Cup Semi. Now we have one more game against Kumamoto, a door mat team of Japan.
Another lost which again 3-0 was the final score, but what was worst was our first half display. Needing victory to have any chance of advancing, we allowed them to score less than a minute into the game. Poor clearance allowed them to be 1 on 1 with our keeper who had little chance of helping teammate out.
Second goal came again from poor clearance and this time the INAC player beat out two of our player before slotting the decisive blow. Just when INAC needed second goal to assure themselves that they are in control of the game.
But when looking at possession of ball, we had the advantage, and so did the number of corner kicks. However, when it came to finishing, they were much lethal than us. Then came the third goal and the game was over. I wouldn't say the rout was on, because all of their goal came from counter attack and we did a poor job of defending. Loose ball was won by them and they quickly passed it on to forward. They were hungry for the goal and the game. The ball was knocked into a space - loose ball situation and they quickly snatched the ball and attacked toward the goal, and she was given a space which she took and took a shot. Our goalie, U-19, had little chance and the ball was back into the net.
Poor first half doomed us and we did better, and scored a consolation goal at the end of the game, but that was it.
The day belonged to INAC and we are now officially out of the Cup. We have one more group phase game, but it is a meaningless game.
It is now up to players to decide whether this game is going to be a meaningless win or something productive and something that will lead us to better second half of the season when league matches resume in October.

Must win Game

So this week's training is over and we have a game tomorrow. A must win game for the league cup's group stage. Win this game and we'll have a life line, lose then game after this becomes insignificant.
As for this week's training, we have tried something new and for that, we scrimmaged high school boys. We looked okay. Lots to work on and there will be risk for trying, but our head coach puts it "how we play this game could predict how we will play when our National team players return." We are short on players and that is our situation we can't control. Depth is our weakest link and we are trying to see if others can play other position, if something happen.

For the Goalie training, I would say it was okay. I was able to do drills of my choice did okay with my skills. Tomorrow, do what we have to do in order to perform well and I need to be on top of the things so that the players can concentrate on game.

cavity....

I'm very disappointed that I have not only one cavity, but grand total of 3. Luckily, they are very small and it won't take much out of my money, but I have THREE!!!!!?????
The dentist was very kind to show me the small cavity I had on my bottom right hand side. He said it's the 5th one. not sure what that means, but when he pointed out my cavity, he showed me there was a small hole and discoloration; you could understand where it was.
Quite a shocker for me as I have been proud of my teeth.
I haven't gone to a dentist in like year and a half, and perhaps, that was the downfall.
To you all, just a reminder, make sure go to the dentist semi-annually. And while I'm at it, I might as go to see doctor and see if my body is okay.
I get to see him again next Tuesday!! yipppeeee.......

Bitter pill

We lost our first game back from Summer Break, 3-0. The opposition looked very hungry for win and they deserve the win. As I have mentioned before, our starting GK is in China getting ready for the Women's World Cup. So we brought in U-19 GK who is specially designated from JFA to play for our team. It's a bummer for our back up, but she doesn't have the trust of the team, so.... This team is playing for win and belong to the top division of Japanese Women's Football League. Win is priority.

I had one week in August to work with U-19 girl before, so the week's training leading up to the game went well. She needs to relax, but that will solve itself with time. It's a bummer for her to allow 3 balls pass by her. As a GK coach, I have to be objective and critique her, but if I were a fan, I'd say, she did well for her debut. 1st goal, if our defender's angle of pursuit was better, she wouldn't have been blown away and allowing her to penetrate into the box. 2nd goal, if our defender were alert and make sure you defend goal side, then they wouldn't get behind our defense line and again penetrate into box. both goal came after deflection (1st by GK, 2nd by DF) and if others did their job by tracking down or simply hustle back, goals could have, perhaps, saved. 3rd one was questionable call - offside, as the assistant ref all day did not look like she new what the hell she was doing. They beat the trap and 1 on 1 with GK and placed the ball calmly into the ol' onion bag.
We could have scored, too, but lost our nerve and hit the post. I don't quite understand one thing is that, our players train against Numero Una of Japanese GK, so they should able to think, " hey, it's not her, so I have better chance of scoring!" better confidence to attack. Oh well.....

So now we're are in a do or die situation. Must win situation and need others help. Should be interesting how we bounce back. At the moment, I don't think we have a leader.... I hope they prove me wrong.

season resumes

Tomorrow, our soccer season will resume after summer break. We had one week off and rest of the time was spent on working the basic individual tactics; 1v1, 2v2. Working on these drills also work on your fitness.
We will be playing with out our two world cup participants, but we should do fine.
The season resume with Nadeshiko Cup, a league cup, without our world cup players. There is a group stage (4 groups) and winner of each group will play semi-final and winners will play the final.
Looking forward to it!!