Day 4 - Coerver Academy and Tokyo Verdi match

After a very early breakfast, we were on our way over to the Coerver Academy centre for training for the kids to have a special training session with the trainee coaches at the academy. Unfortunately it was a wet and cold day here and the session was outdoors (right next to the shinkansen line which was exciting for the kids to see). The trainee coaches were all incredibly enthusiastic and seemed to be having as much or even more fun out there in the rain than our kids were. While the ozzie kids were warming up, the adults got to sit in on a lecture with Alf Galustian International Director of the coerver method which was interesting and informative. I was impressed by the lecture, but even more impressed (should I be saying this? ;-)) with the coach who was simultaneously translating Alfs lecture into Japanese for the trainees. Man he was good! I asked where he studdied or lived overseas, and found out he'd spent 14 years in Singapore. That said, he was still impressive and I enjoyed listening to him. Something to aspire to! ;-)

We were on our way back to the hotel to have lunch and for the kids to rest before their big match when Grant told me he had felt his groin injury again. I couldnt believe it! What rotten luck. We thought that all was well in that department after a long rest and having the last two days of soccer go by without any problems, but now with the big match against Tokyo Verdy U/12 academy, only hours away, I wasn't sure what to do. I spoke to the trainer and he said he'd have a look at Grant when we got back from lunch. We iced it and after a quick chat it was decided that he would play with strapping on but only play half a game and see how he went. We still have one match against Yokohama Marinos (some special training and one last tournament)which they wanted Grant fit for (or as fit as possible), so they wanted to rest Grant, but still wanted to give him this once in a lifetime opportunity. Of course Grant was furious that I'd told the trainer at all and was upset at the thought of missing out on playing in this big match. Once again, Mum was the baddie!

At 5pm we drove about an hour away to the top of a nearby mountain and the Tokyo Verdi training ground which is right next door to Yomiuri land, a Tokyo theme park, here since well before Disneyland as I remember. It continued to rain the whole evening and the matches were very tough, as we expected. These are the top kids in Tokyo/Japan and as Grant wasn't at his best, he was put on the second team and had half a game (short games only 10 min halves). He found it hard and seemed to be running poorly, and in the second match only played 5 mins. He was very disapointed at not only having a short time on the field, but he had to admit at the end of the day that his groin was sore and had meant he couldn't play anywhere near his best. Thank goodness the next two days are soccer rest days and he'll be able to ice and rest it!

Back at the hotel, we iced his groin and quickly got something to eat from down at the Family Mart in the hotel foyer, for dinner before heading off to bed. Again a late night for the kids, back at the hotel by 10pm, but thankfully our first fee day tomorrow and a sleep in YAY!