After checking out it was once again a short bus trip to the Hachioji Coerver park to play a tournament with teams from different schools round the district. The boys/girls were much more relaxed today and had finally found their feet after being a bit shell shocked, drained and surprised by the heat of the day before.
Grant played his first game of the day in goals (which they lost 2-0) and the next two as
It's been very difficult for our kids, playing on teams with players that they've never played with before and in positions they may not usually play in. The teams they're versing play together all the time and work so well together. (Similar I guess to when the Socceroos come together for big tournaments). Having said that as the day went on, we were starting to put plays together and some of boys skills were there for everyone to see.
We were lucky enough to have one u9/10 team make it into the grand final and one u11/12 team. Both teams finished second, but were very happy to have made it so far against such formidable opponents. The u11/12 final was a great moment in Australia/Japan relations with many of the Japanese getting into the Aussie spirit and cheering loudly along with the Aussie boys and girls watching to Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, Oy oy oy, the cookie monster chant, turn up the
Between their last match and their play-off it was a joy to see an impromptu game between some of the Japanese coaches and Grant out on the field. After watching for a while, a few more of the Aussie boys joined in and by the time Grant's team had to get ready for their final match, the pitch was covered in Aussie boys and Japanese coaches having the time of their lives. Again, a defining moment for the trip and what this tour is all about. Again, I'll try post some video footage later if I can.
I had the opportunity to talk to many coaches and directors of Coerver schools in and around this district as well as around the surrounding districts. They were all extremely approachable and obviously love what they do. Unfortunately I was called upon to do a bit of translating during the opening ceremony and let me tell you rusty just doesn't quite cut in when describing my fluency of Japanese, luckily there were very few people in attendance that knew how much I left out or mis-translated. ;-) On the other hand, being able to communicate with them in Japanese was a bonus as Grant was invited to play at several schools while we're here which made his day when I told him.
The games were all played on futsal size fields and five a side games and 6 min games no halftime.
One thing I omitted to mention earlier was the Chickenpox breakout! Yes, as Spike said, we were greeted at the 2nd hotel at 8.30 am by many parents and children swapping buses to ours with the news that one of the boys had come down with the Chickenpox and was going to be quarantined. There was at least one boy who hadn't had or been immunised for chickenpox and after getting the ok from a team of Japanese and Aussie doctors, our trainer gave the ok for the boys to continue playing. The Japanese are routinely immunised, and the tournament was given the all clear to go ahead, unfortunately minus one of the boys. We all felt very sorry for him and his parents and hope the spots will heal over soon so that he'll be given the all-clear to play during the tour.
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