It's not sumo

それは相撲じゃな

 

日本語を下に書きました    There are many opportunities for   interscholastic athletics available at ASIJ.  (American School in Japan). MS and HS.  These are sports that the students practice three times a week after school, then generally compete with other Kanto Plains International schools on Saturdays.  Besides athletics, there are so many other options, such as putting on a school play, chess club, yearbook, jazz band, etc. etc.  All these activities are led by excellent teachers and coaches.  It is a fine opportunity for the young people to try out new activities, some which may develop into life long interests. 

Last year, Monica did volleyball and soccer.  This year, she has been doing athletic training (medical) and scorekeeping for the boys football, basketball and soccer teams, but on Sundays she attends a soccer clinic.  When the next season starts, she'll try out for girl's soccer, and hopes to get a spot on the Varsity Team.  Good luck, Monica.

During his stint in Middle School, Jonah has been in the school play once, cross country three times, baseball, and now wrestling.  Yes, wrestling.  When he first came home and told me he planned to do wrestling, I groaned inside.  Wrestling!  Oh, no, he might get hurt!  He's smaller than the average boy in his class, but in wrestling, with the different weight classes, that doesn't matter, as he'd be wrestling boys his own size.  The training is intense.  Really, the sport is all about becoming stronger and healthier.  His coaches give very good advice and the boys really listen.  They run, they do exercises, they learn safe moves, and they watch their diet and get enough sleep.  They want to do their best individually and as a team.  Here's photos of Jonah wrestling.

 Of course, they think about the competition.  In cross country, Jonah was always essentially competing against himself, trying to improve his own time each week as he ran the 2.1 mile course.  With wrestling, they generally have three matches at an all-day tournament.  Other international schools attend the tournament, but since ASIJ is such a big school, our boys are often paired with wrestlers from their own school.  No problem.  There is a healthy competition between the students and the schools, but there is no animosity.  Everyone is just trying to do their best.

This week, Jonah went on a a ski trip to Naeba, Japan, with his entire class, returned Friday night, only to get up bright and early today, Saturday morning, for his fourth and final wrestling tournament of the season at one of the US military bases.  So far, he has come in second, first and third place, respectively.  He was very excited when he won the gold medal the week he got first place, but whenever he loses a match he doesn't berate himself.  He just tries to think about what he can learn from it.  What a great attitude.  I think a lot of that comes from the coaches, Coach Loveman and Coach O'Brien.  They are just super.  Thanks for everything.  BTW, today, he went 2 and 1, and came in second in his weight class for another silver medal.  Good job, Jonah.

Martin has really enjoyed taking photos at the wrestling tournaments.  It's a chance to improve his technique because indoor sports photography is quite challenging.  I think his photos are getting better and better.  I've put a few of them up on SMUGMUG.  These are photos from the 1st tournament and from the 3rd tournament.

これは要約です。物語るはジョナのレスリングについてです。 子供の学校で、対校試のスポーツをすることの機会があるので、毎学校年に三つの時季です。いろいろスポツがあるので、スポーツの外にもの活動もある。大体、子供は決め手あとで、毎週、三回学校の後で、スポーツのトレインイングをして、土曜日に他の関東の国際の学生と試合があります。

去年、モニカはバレボールとサーカーをしました。今年に、いつも学校の後で、スポーツの練習と試合に出席をして、プレイアーの医療ことをします。あれもバスケとボールとサーカーのスコーアキーパーもします。でも、次の時季に、モニカは女の子のサーカーをしたいですが、バセティチームを上げたいけど、難しいです。今度、毎週の日曜日にサーカーのクリニクに行って、練習をして、改良をやってみます。がんばって、モニカ。

今ジョナは８年生の中学生だので、この３年間に一回学校の劇をしてので、それは面白い経験でした。その以外毎時季に、スポーツをしました。クロスカントリーは毎年の秋に参加して、毎年の春は野球をして、今彼はレスリングをしています。初めて彼は私にレスリングをするつもりと言ったときに、私は心配だから、オーノーと言いました。でも、いつも同じサイズの生徒とレスリングをしてから、大丈夫です。コンデイチョンイングはとてもいいです。二人のコーチもいいです。ジョナは強くなって、楽します。この写真のグルプは全部はジョナが参加するです。

もちろん、競争も大切のポイントです。クロスカントリをしてながら、   毎週3.5キロメートルのコースを走りながら彼は自分の一番の短い時間はゴールです。そして、自分の競争でした。レスリングには、ちょっと違います。毎週三回学校の後に、チームはコーチとトレイニングをします。土曜日に他の学校と会って、トーナメントは一日中がかかります。各自の生徒は３番のマッチをします。ＡＳＩＪは大きい学校ので、時々自分のチームの人は相手です。問題じゃないだから、皆は一生懸命です。

今週ジョナは学校のクラスと苗場にスキーをしに行きました。金曜日の夜に帰ってけど、今朝すごく早いに起きて、最後のレスリングのタノメントを参加しに、アメリカの軍の所に行きました。ここまでに三つのタノメントで、最初は２位、次は１位、次は３位に入れた。勝ったら、負けたら、ジョナはいつもいい態度があります。今日二つを勝った、一つを負けたので、も一回２位があるので、も一つの銀メダルをもたらしました。

マーティンはレスリングの写真を撮ることを楽しました。彼の趣味だので、屋内のスポーツの写真を撮る事は特別チャレンジです。これは最初のタノメントから、これは３番のタノメントからです。見たら、多分あなたも面白いと考えると思います。

Comments

[Al]

Thanks for posting this. We are still hoping to move to Japan this year. We will likely have our kids in TIS, instead of ASIJ, given its location and the possibility of my wife getting a job there.

It's nice to see all of the available activities (I assume they are the same or similar at TIS) as my kids are into sports and plays.

[Pamela]

TIS is a much newer school, smaller, but growing and with a good reputation. They only go up to grade 8, but I know they compete with the other international schools in at least swimming, and true, the location is handier than ASIJ.

[Robin]

great photos! remind me not to mess with Jonah the next time I see him!