MP United to play in Japan

MP United Boys’ U14 Team will be leaving for Japan this morning for friendly matches against Vivid Blue Japan and two junior high school teams.

The Japanese youth strikers are based in Numazu City, Shizouka and have been frequent visitors of Saipan. The group, which had its recent visit here in March this year, have been bringing youth and adult players on the island for cultural and football exchange programs. In its last visit, Vivid Blue hosted free clinics for the youth and had its players participate as guests in MP United Training Programs. Now it’s time for the Japanese to return the favor and play host to young CNMI strikers.

“The kids are excited to play in Japan. They’ve been preparing for this since January and it will be great to see how they will put into use what we practice during our training sessions the past several months,” coach Katie Peters said.

Peters, who is a member of the CNMI National Women’s Team, is at the forefront of MP United’s U14 Team’s twice-a-week training session since the club held a series of tryouts in December last year.

Sixteen young strikers made the grade in the tryouts and will get to experience playing in Japan. They are Chris Park, Andrew Johnson, Bo Barry, Neri Gutzweiller, R.J. Knecht, Evert and Jasper Van Der Maas, Angelo Jones, Jehn Joyner, Jack Sharer, Enrico Del Rosario, Kennedy Izuka, Dakota Hall, Jake and Aaron Lee, and Joon Lee.

“These kids hope to gain experience and bring their skills to the next level when they play in Japan,” Peters added.

According to an MP United media release, the team was created initially as a pilot program aimed at providing a structured learning environment for individuals and parents looking for a year-round program to develop skills. MP United believes programs such as these are vital to identifying players with potential to train and develop into future national team players. The program was made possible through fundraising activities and support of parents of players of MP United Typhoon.

MP United Typhoons will be leaving for Narita at 6am today and will be riding the Vivid Blue Bus for a three-hour trip to Numazu City. Tomorrow, MP United strikers will be playing three short friendship games against Vivid Blue and on Sunday, the visitors will compete in two games against junior high school teams in Numazu.

Beside playing several games against Japanese players, MP United Typhoons will also visit Syuzenji (temple), Katsuragi Park, Numazu Imperial Villa, Hakone, and Izu Penninsula.

MP United Football Club wished to thank its main sponsor, IT&E, for making the trip possible and for consistently helping the club’s program. MP United also acknowledged the assistance of The Brothers Oriental Medical Clinic, Topnotch, Bobby Cadillac’s Pizza, DFS, Shell Marianas, Mariana’s Maid Service, Pacific Islands Club, AON Insurance, 360 Restaurant, The Set, and Loyola Sports Promotions for donations to MP United’s Fund Raising Raffle and Booster T-Shirt Sales.

Meanwhile, MP United is hoping to implement the same program that led to the forming of the boys’ U14 team to boys’ U12 and girls’ U14 players.

MP United Football Club boasts of 145 youth players and 40 adult players. It has several age group teams competing in the 2009 NMIFA Spring Youth Football League.

For more information about the upcoming program and tryouts, contact Sue Knecht at sueknecht1@yahoo.com.