The tournament consisted of 30-minute matches (15 minutes - 5 minutes break - 15 minutes), with each grade playing two rounds of a round-robin format with 5 teams, totaling 8 matches over three days.
Since this was an overnight tournament, the children had a unique experience of group activities with their teammates, not only in terms of soccer but also in daily life.
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Meals at the lodging, both breakfast and dinner, were served buffet-style. On the first evening, one child was only eating their favorite foods. After some advice, on the second day's breakfast and dinner, they started to eat more balanced meals on their own.
For the tournament results, the 6th-grade Amigos team achieved an impressive victory. We will work hard to win across all grades next time!
6th Grade Team Amigos
3rd and 4th Grade Team
5th Grade Team
6th Grade Team Espirito
6th Grade Team Amigos
[Comments from Coach Ito, 3rd and 4th Grade Team]
In this tournament, our combined 3rd and 4th grade team participated in the 4th grade tournament. I was anxious because there were many children who had never met before and communication was difficult, but once they started kicking the ball, they actively asked each other's names and started various conversations. Over the three days, the team's sense of unity grew. In the matches, our theme was "playing without giving up until the very end." I believe they learned the frustration of matches that didn't go as planned or losses, and the joy of winning together in victorious matches. I hope they will apply the diverse experiences from these three days, such as helping each other across different grades and engaging in group activities, to their future soccer and daily lives.
[Comments from Coach Asano, 5th Grade Team]
For the three days of this tournament, I conveyed to the children the theme of "actively taking on challenges." On the first day during lunch, when I told them to "remember their teammates' names and interact with them," they were already getting along by the time they prepared for their first match. However, since many of the children were playing together for the first time, they struggled to actively challenge themselves in the matches. As they played more games, and through post-match meetings and discussions among themselves, they gradually started to show more challenging attitudes. I believe it's unique to a tournament like this that the children could experience for themselves what they could and couldn't do when challenging unfamiliar opponents. Over these three days, they played in various conditions, including heat, rain, and strong winds. I think it was a good experience for the children to learn how to choose plays based on the day's weather and pitch conditions. I hope they will take on the challenges they experienced and identified in this tournament in their regular practices and participate in many more tournaments in the future.
[Comments from Coach Shiba, 6th Grade Espirito Team]
In this tournament, when they were struggling to win, the players themselves discussed what they needed to do to win. Their desire to win was clearly conveyed through their actions. While winning is important, I also believe that such an attitude and taking initiative are crucial. During this camp, they also did things they don't usually do in daily life, such as hanging laundry, preparing meals, and waking up at a set time in the morning. So, in addition to soccer, the camp was very fulfilling in other aspects as well.
[Comments from Coach Saiki, 6th Grade Amigos Team]
In preparing for this tournament, I coached the children with the theme of "making them think for themselves." As 6th graders, the goal of this theme was to foster independence, to make them think and act on their own, and to realize what they could do without relying on adults. Therefore, when giving instructions to the children, instead of giving detailed directions, I intentionally gave broad instructions and used many questions over the three days. As the final day approached, more and more children started to think about what to do next and act without the coach's instructions. By the final day, everyone was coordinated in cleaning their rooms and organizing their belongings. I am proud of how much the children grew in such a short period. On the first day of the tournament, there were many children who had just met, so their play showed some tension, but they managed to win two matches. In the meeting before bedtime on the first day, we clarified the team's strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and each child set their own goals for the next day. On the second day, they won four matches, making it six consecutive wins, leaving only the final match for the championship. We held another meeting that night to prepare for the next match, but on the final day, we had one draw and one loss. Although we won the tournament, there was still some regret. However, I believe we gained a lot. These gains vary for each child who fought for three days in this team, but I hope they will not forget the regret they experienced, what they felt during the matches, and all of it will serve as nourishment for their future soccer careers, helping them to grow. Also, if we have the chance, let's fight together again!