Clinics, 1v1 Ultimate Champion tournaments, and a grand athletic meet were among the diverse events held, with a total of approximately 250 players participating!
Please see below for details of the events and what happened on the day.
[October 15 (Sat) Defense Clinic]
A defense clinic was held for 3rd to 6th graders. Over 50 players participated.
We trained on how to win the ball in 1-on-1 situations and techniques for winning the ball.
Initially, players struggled to win the ball, but as they continued training, they gradually became more adept at it, and the intensity of their fierce competition for the ball was truly impressive.
In the final 1-on-1 training session, players challenged themselves with the defensive skills they had acquired, and many intense battles for the ball were seen.
We hope that the knowledge gained from this defense clinic will be utilized in daily training, matches, and various other situations.
We will hold another defense clinic, so we look forward to your participation.
[October 16 (Sun) 1v1 Ultimate Champion Tournament for 1st and 2nd Graders]
The second 1v1 Ultimate Champion Tournament for 1st and 2nd graders was held.
More than 40 players participated, surpassing the number in the first tournament.
On the day, the participants were divided into 1st and 2nd graders, and played in a preliminary league and a final knockout tournament.
Every player played with body-on-the-line defense and feints to deceive opponents, all in pursuit of victory.
The winning player received an "Antlers Towel Scarf".
Many players were determined to win, leading to many tense matches, and it was particularly impressive to see players who, even when losing, never gave up and bravely took the offensive.
1-on-1 skills are very important in soccer, so let's continue to hone our skills and aim for victory!
The next tournament will also be held, so we look forward to your participation.
[1st Grade Winner: Rua Kurahashi]
[2nd Grade Winner: Ryota Ushiki]
[October 22 (Sat) 3v3 Tournament for 1st and 2nd Graders]
A 3v3 tournament was held.
This was the fifth tournament of the year, with 8 teams participating.
After a preliminary round for the 8 teams, the winner was decided in a knockout tournament.
The winning team in this tournament was "Super Tiger," which achieved its fifth consecutive victory this year.
*Kiran Takai, Naoto Suzuki, Ryota Ushiki, Ryuki Kimura
The winning team received "shin guards."
With each tournament, the quality of each team improved, and many exciting matches were seen in this tournament as well.
By experiencing matches where winning was paramount, the players showed various developments in their play, such as expanding their range of play and thinking strategically, as well as their attitude towards soccer and their overall performance through the events.
[October 23 (Sun) 2v2 Ultimate Pair Tournament]
The October tournament of the 2v2 Ultimate Pair Tournament, which started in April this year, was held.
Since it's a 2-person game, unlike 1-on-1, it requires not only personal attacking skills but also the ability to utilize teammates and techniques to break down the opponent as a pair.
With each tournament, every pair devised strategies for attacking and defending as a duo.
The winning pair received "Antlers gloves."
The next tournament will also be held, so we look forward to your participation.
【Winning Pair: Kazuki Kodama (left) and Ryusei Kubota (right)】
[October 23 (Sun) Kashima Antlers School Autumn Sports Festival in Namegata]
The "Kashima Antlers School Autumn Sports Festival in Namegata" was held at the Namegata City Aso Sports Ground multipurpose field, for children from kindergarten (ages 4-5) to 3rd grade.
140 players participated on the day!
In addition to classic sports day events like "obstacle course," "tamaire" (ball-toss game), and "tug-of-war," we also held a total of 7 events, including original games like "soccer bowling" and "water carrying relay."
In the tug-of-war, divided into red and white teams, everyone pulling the rope together with all their might was truly powerful to witness.
In the relays held by grade, there were players desperately cheering for their own team and players running their hardest to overtake opponents, making for a very heated competition!
Although many players were meeting for the first time, coming from different grades or different schools, we saw significant growth in the players through the sports festival, such as working together to win and cheering for their team's victory!
[October 30 (Sun) 1v1 Ultimate Champion Tournament]
The October tournament of the 1v1 Ultimate Champion Tournament, which started last year, was held.
This tournament was to determine the ultimate champion of "1-on-1," which is extremely important in soccer.
Many players participated for the first time in this tournament.
They utilized the skills they practiced in training, employing various feints and observing the opponent's weight shift to execute counter-moves.
In defense, closing the distance with the opponent and the speed of their approach were remarkably fast, making every match exciting to watch.
The winning players received an "Antlers Uniform Knapsack" and the right to challenge for the "Championship," where champions from each month will gather at the beginning of the new year to determine the true 1-on-1 ultimate champion!!
This tournament also featured many intense matches, and the desire to win was palpable. Winners were beaming with smiles, while losing players shed tears of regret, clearly showing their earnest approach to the competition in this October tournament.
The November tournament will also be held, and we look forward to many players challenging themselves.
【3rd & 4th Grade Winner: Kazuki Kodama (left), 5th & 6th Grade Winner: Hiroto Miyauchi】