Upon arrival at the school, the principal said in the principal's office, "Many children love soccer, and they always play soccer during recess. There are also many girls who love soccer." Just as the principal said, many children actively interacted, and the event was a great success.
After a brief self-introduction, the first activity was a demonstration. Shōji and Oda each competed with the children in ball control. Shōji kept the ball up with heading, and the children seemed to give up.
The interaction with 1st and 2nd graders was "Janken Train" (Rock-Paper-Scissors Train). This is often done during elementary school visits, but at Yanagawa Elementary School, they danced and played rock-paper-scissors at the sound of a whistle. Shōji and Oda quickly lost and promptly joined the line.
The interaction with 3rd and 4th graders was "Darumasan ga Koronda" (Red Light, Green Light). This is a rare game for an elementary school visit. It seems to be one of the most popular games at Yanagawa Elementary School, and the children were very excited. Shōji implemented a strategy of using children as shields to avoid being caught, successfully finishing the game without losing once. The children burst into laughter at the unexpected strategy.
Since there was still time, they hastily played soccer against each grade. The match between the players and each grade heated up. As the grades went up, the scores became closer, with the 6th graders' final match ending in a 2-2 draw. Shōji showed a surprised expression, saying, "There are many good soccer players here."
Finally, they presented signed boards and pennants, took a commemorative photo, and the interaction concluded. It was a lively interaction filled with energetic children and smiles.
