On Thursday, July 31, the Antlers Youth team achieved their first-ever victory at the 49th Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18). Behind this success lay a series of preparations and decisions. From a tsunami warning on the eve of the final to the evacuation to Mercari Stadium, what did this emergency reveal about the club's collective strength?
A Tsunami Warning the Day Before the First Youth Championship Victory
The warning sirens echoed throughout the Kashima Antlers clubhouse. "Can we really play the match?" While it seemed like a day destined for chaos, the entire club rallied together to set the stage for their first-ever youth championship victory.
At 9:40 AM on Wednesday, July 30, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning (estimated height of 3m) for Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The youth team, currently in the middle of training, was forced to make immediate decisions. Academy Manager Shuto Suzuki reflects on that day.
"The day before the Club Youth final was originally scheduled for training at 9:00 AM. First, a tsunami advisory was issued at 8:10 AM. By around 9:00 AM, it had been upgraded to a warning. Anticipating that something might happen, I had already prepared a microbus at the time of the 8:10 AM advisory."
The players and staff immediately evacuated to Mercari Stadium by microbus without taking their personal belongings. Thanks to the consideration of the stadium staff, the interview room used on match days was opened up for them. They were provided a secure, isolated space to take refuge. With lunch difficult to arrange, they urgently procured food from a supermarket to ensure they had the bare essentials. Behind this swift response was the influence of Academy Advisor Mitsuo Ogasawara, who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and dedicated himself to recovery efforts.
"Mitsuo-san gave me various pieces of advice. He told me to have the microbus ready just in case, suggested that it might be dangerous to return to the academy house while the warning was still in effect, and advised that it would be better to act as early as possible before traffic got congested. It was my job to make the final call, but because I was able to follow his advice and make decisions quickly, everything went smoothly."
The ability to respond without major confusion, despite the warning, was due to early preparation and calm decision-making. It wasn't just the club staff who provided support; the top team, who evacuated with them, also showed great consideration.
"The youth team should train with us. It’ll be tough since you have the final tomorrow, though," said Top Team Manager Akira Oniki.
The words of Manager Oniki provided immense relief to the youth team's coaching staff and players. Knowing that others were looking out for them, that sense of security helped ease the tension in the air.
The Calm Born from an Unexpected Strategic Move: Staying Overnight
They waited for the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1:00 PM press conference, but as the situation remained unchanged, the top team's practice was canceled. The youth team ended up holding their training at the Mercari Stadium sub-ground from 2:00 PM.
With the tsunami warning still in effect, it was deemed dangerous for the youth players to return to their dormitory, the Academy House. Upon receiving a suggestion from Youth Manager Nakano to "stay overnight nearby," Manager Suzuki consulted Football Director Koji Nakata, who immediately approved it. Club executives Yohei Kasuga and Akira Murata arranged the conditions for the overnight stay and encouraged the team, saying, "Go right away," leading to an instant decision. The accommodation arrangements began with a single phone call to the Antlers DMO, which handles the club's tourism business.
"The first contact came just before noon on the day before the final. We got the call exactly when the warning was out and we had to evacuate. They said, 'Given the situation, we’d like the youth team to stay overnight. Rather than having them stay in Kashima, we want them closer to the match venue near Yokohama. Please find us a place to stay.'"
The venue for the final was Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Although it was a last-minute request, they started searching around the match venue to ensure the players were in good condition for the final. However, Yokohama F. Marinos were playing Liverpool in Yokohama that day, so all the hotels in the city were fully booked. Combined with tourism demand, they couldn't find any vacancies, even in Tokyo.
"There was nothing available near the match venue. So, I expanded the search area. I remembered a hotel in Kawasaki I used to use frequently for Kanto away games in my previous job. I checked, and they happened to have vacancies. Moreover, the fact that we could push back the checkout time was huge. The final was at 6:00 PM. If we had been kicked out at 10:00 or 11:00 AM, it would have been a problem before the match."
The move was a "flash of inspiration" born from previous experience.
"Making a phone call is easy, but deciding where is possible and how to prioritize who to contact—that's where my past experience really paid off."
The players stayed overnight with peace of mind, while the rest of the members spent the night at the top team's dorms or their own homes.
"We were originally scheduled to arrive on the day of the final. But by being able to stay over, the players' condition actually improved. The fact that we were able to face the final so calmly is all thanks to the club staff. I truly felt the 'club power' of Antlers."
In the stands at the final, Top Team Manager Oniki, Top Team Coach Atsushi Yanagisawa (who had been coaching the youth team until last year), Top GK Coach Junya Sogahata, Top Physical Coach Ryosuke Ito, and other staff and players from the top team came to watch. The result was a 3-0 victory. With their work rate and the individual brilliance shown on the pitch, they overwhelmed Vegalta Sendai Youth. The collective support piled up by the entire club led them to victory. Manager Shuto Suzuki wore a look of relief as he looked back on the "club power" that defined their title.
