Previous Story
3 Japanese teams vs CNMI strikers
|
Posted on Feb 16 2012
By Roselyn Monroyo
Reporter
Reporter
Three Japanese soccer squads are coming over to Saipan to challenge the CNMI Men’s National Team in a series of friendly matches at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.
First up for the Commonwealth strikers are a selection from Japan Soccer College. The CNMI bets and JSC players will collide on Feb. 4 at 6pm. Then on Feb. 28 and March 2, the host will duel the Ehime University Junior Team, while it will be the turn of the Ehime University Senior Team to face the CNMI strikers on March 6.
“We are very fortunate to have these visiting Japanese teams. They are top teams and will give our players good tune-up games. Also, having these teams will give CNMI soccer fans an opportunity to watch great matches,” Northern Mariana Islands Football Association general secretary Ed Salas said in a telephone interview with Saipan Tribune yesterday.
“We hope to can get a full complement of spectators to watch the friendly games,” he added.
The Japan Soccer College is an institution based in Niigata, the northwest coast of Honshu. According to its website, the college is “the school specializing in all aspects of soccer from playing, training, and coaching to soccer business.” The website added that individuals enrolled in its soccer program trained under Niigata Alibrex pros and classes are limited to only 65 players. The Niigata Alibrex plays in the J1. Students, who must enroll in the school for three years, are also allowed to play in the Singapore Professional League.
The women’s and trainer’s program, on the other hands, are limited to 10 and 25 individuals, respectively, and are also a three-year course with both J1 League and Singapore Pro League pro trainers handling the program. The coaching and officials specialist program is a two-year course and gives individuals C-class Professional Soccer Coaching and Refereeing Certification from the Japan Soccer Foundation.
Meanwhile, Ehime University players are from the island of Shikoku. Ehime University has four campuses (Johoku, Tarumi, Shigenobu, and Mochida) and a very active football group composed of local and international players.
