Teen Ayuyus help train youth clubs

The CNMI Boys U18 National Team’s Joshua Galarion, left, performs drills, while Anthony Fruit waits for his turn during the Teen Ayuyus’ training session late last month at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

In an unprecedented move, Northern Mariana Islands Football Association and its technical director Michiteru Mita have dispatched members of the CNMI Boys U18 National Team to various youth clubs to help them in their training sessions.

Seventeen Teen Ayuyus were assigned to six clubs’ co-ed U12A, boys U14, and girls U15 teams to assist in their practices every Wednesday. Alex Park and Carlson Cruzat are tasked to train MP United’s U12 squad, while Clayton Izuka and Louie Calayag will team up for the same club’s boys U14 crew.

For Tan Holdings’ boys U12A team, it will be Jonathan Capayas, while Ryan Relucio and Mareko Tekopua will take charge of the boys U14 squad. Kanoa’s U12A-2 will be handled by James Ermitanio and Thaiphi Austria, while Anthony Fruit and Joshua De Leon will team up for Paire’s U12A. John Bucayo and Joshua Abragan are the designated players that will train Shirley’s boys U14 crew, while Sunjoon Tenorio and Joshua Galarion will work with Southern United’s boys U12 group. Southern’s girls U15 has Chris Aninzo and Dai Podziewski.

“We have a very good youth league structure and clubs. However, clubs are struggling to find coaches that’s way they can’t have quality training. We could not immediately produce coaches, but we have national team players who have international and on-island experience. I thought if they support club training, they can give the young players great influence, not only on the technical side, but also with their mind set,” Mita said.

“We started this program to improve and support youth development of club teams. We will also try to close the gap between our CNMI and international level,” the NMIFA technical head added.

Teams can have the assigned players as their coaches for the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League, but they have to talk to the Teen Ayuyus involved, NMIFA, and Mita and his coaching staff to formalize the arrangement.

Mita said the program is not only beneficial to club teams, but also to the Teen Ayuyus themselves.

“For the national players, through this program they can develop their sense of responsibility, leadership, and dedication. Our players are always thinking that they are supported by many people in the CNMI, so we also have a responsibility to contribute to the development of soccer here,” the head coach added.

Mita and his assistant coaches Jersh Angeles and Jonathan Takano had a coaching workshop with the Teen Ayuyus last weekend and they learned basic knowledge in conducting a training session. The designated players are then required to submit to the coaching staff their training plan for the day before they are allowed to handle the teams assigned to them.

“They had their first training session last Wednesday and all the national team players enjoyed doing their responsibilities,” Mita said.

Thank you for the support
Meanwhile, club officials were thankful to NMIFA and Mita for “sharing” the Teen Ayuyus to their young players.

“As a new club, one of the challenges we face is the lack of enough coaches, so this support program is very helpful. The players are inspired to learn from our national team members as they someday hope to reach the Teen Ayuyus’ level and play for the CNMI, too,” Southern United’s Ruselle Zapanta.

“They enjoyed their first session with the national team players and have a better idea on how to play their positions, especially our goalkeepers, who train with Chris (Aninzo),” Zapanta added.

MP United, though an established club, has the same problems with coaches, as some of them have already left the island to study so Mita’s program is very timely.

“It is very helpful for us because we struggle in getting coaches this season as our former coaches are now in the mainland to continue their education. In addition, having skilled players showing the kids the proper way and basic fundamentals of the sport will improve the latter’s game overall,” MP United vice president and technical director Norman del Rosario said.