Soccer Girls

サーカーの女の子たち

 
School's out, as of today, so its time to finally finish this post and put it up.  I wasn't an athlete in high school, and never had the experience of playing a sport for an audience, let alone fans.  （下に日本語で書きます。） Not so Jonah, who enjoyed football in the fall, and wrestling in the winter.  During both of those sports seasons, Monica helped Iku, American School in Japan's wonderful Sports Trainer, and learned a lot about preventing and dealing with injuries.  Finally, Spring came, and it was time for Girls' Soccer.  Monica was pleased that she had advanced her skills via a soccer camp last summer at Hope College in Michigan, USA, and a few Sunday soccer games this winter with Coach Andy here in Tokyo, but mostly that she had stayed in shape by running and working out even while not doing an organized sport.  So, she made the Varsity team, and starting way back in February, began training with the team.  After going to school all day, those practices were tough, and then after the long bus ride, the girls wouldn't get home until about 7:30.  This was also a challenging time academically, with AP tests, Honors classes, and the SAT to study for. It's Junior year, after all.  I'm happy to say that she stepped up and did her best.  I've noticed that she has studied far more this season, goes to bed earlier to get more sleep, drinks more water, and sometimes even denies herself facebook in order to get her homework done.

In the meantime, her father has continued to work on his photography skill, learning ways to improve his action shots, and even purchased a new lens which may prove better in lower light.  Even with his busy work travel schedule, Martin was able to make it to several of her games to take pictures.  Each time, he would try his best to go through the pictures that very night, eliminating the blurry and redundant ones, and putting them up on his photo sharing site as soon as possible.  I would inform the other parents, who would enjoy seeing the photos of their daughters whether they had attended the game or not, and Monica would share the photos with her teammates on facebook, where they would laughingly critique their moves and download pictures for their own facebook pages.  Here's the whole album on PIXBYMARTIN.com, many photos from the five games that Martin attended during this year's soccer season.

So, in May, Monica went with her team, Coach Carlos, and Iku, to Okinawa, where they played in the Far East Tournament.  This year, there were twelve teams involved, several are high schools on American military bases in Japan and Guam, as well as international schools in Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Hong Kong.  Some of these teams were very strong, and even though ASIJ Girls Varsity won the Kanto Plains division title again this year, the tournament title was not within their reach, and they came in sixth place.  They worked hard that week, playing in the rain and extreme mud in the early part of the week, then came some sun which is more what you'd expect in Okinawa.  Team sports give the student that special experience of dealing with other people on and off the field, and traveling with the team brings an additional dimension.  Probably good practice for college and beyond.  Plus, she's made some friends for life within this group of girls, as well as profiting from a very skilled and experienced ex-pro soccer player turned coach.  Monica had a great time, but came back very tired, with lots of bumps and bruises and even admitted to being a little homesick.  High School sports is quite an experience for the athlete... and the family.  Thankfully, we have Martin's photos to always remember this season.

今日は子供の学校年の最後の日から、ついにこのポーストを終ります。現在インラインスケートすることが好きですが、高校ころにスポーツをしなかったです。ジョナは違うので、今年は彼の高校最初の年生だので、秋にアメリカのフートボールをして、冬にレスリングをしました。その間にモニカはスポーツをしなかったが、いつもスポートをしました。スポーツのトレーナに手伝ったので、チームプレーヤーの危害を防止してみて、医療も勉強しました。遂に、春は来たから、女の子のサーカーをできます。モニカのサーカーの手腕は中かから、去年の夏に２週間のサーカーカンプに参加したので、 冬に調布にコーチアンディといくつの日曜日の試合を遊びました。それは役に立つと思います。もう、ヘルシーになってみたので、十分の眠りをし、ラーニングし、ジムも使います。そして、３月から、チームは一緒に練習をして、殆ど毎日に、学校の後に練習するから、大体７時半の夜に帰ります。なお、その間は１１年生だから、学科はすごくチャレンジだから、モニカはもっと勉強しました。いろいろ試験のため勉強してながら、サーカーもすることができました。

その間に、マーティンは写真術の趣味をがんばります。新しいレンスを買ったので、薄暗い状態があるときに、そのレンスはよくなると思います。マーティンはたくさん主張だから、試合にあまり見に行かないですが、この春に５つ試合に行った、写真を撮りました。いつも、できるだけ早くに写真を分類して、悪い写真をなくなって、いい写真を載せます。他の両親はいつも教えて、たぶん試合に行ったかどか行かなかったも、写真を楽します。 モニカのチームメートも写真を頼むと思うので、Facebookで話して、笑って、自分のに載せます。５つの試合の写真はマーティンのサイトにあるので、Pixbymartin.com に見てください。

そして、今週にモニカとチームとコーチカロスといくさん（スポーツトレーナ者）も沖縄に行きました。それはFarEastTournmentです。（遠い東の大試合？）今年に、１２つのチームは参加します。チームは地域の高校から、アメリカの軍用基地は日本で、グアムで、日本や韓国やフィリビン諸島やホンコンも国際学校からチームは参加しました。ASIJは今年も関東の師団に一番プレースを勝ったが、他のチームは強いですので、沖縄に６のプレースになりました。　今週の沖縄の天気はチャレンジだから、最初の分に強い雨が降ったで、泥はすごいなったが、最後の二日はやはり晴れ渡りました。チームのスポーツはいい機会だので、チームと旅行も面白い経験と思います。　他の人に処理することの練習は大学とか生活のためいい機会です。今週に、何回もモニカと電話で話したので、彼女は大丈夫ですが、すごく疲れただし、たくさんいろいろ打ち身とかがあるし、少しホームシックなるそうです。高校のスポーツはプレアーのため、家族のためもいい経験です。

Comments

[Diane]

Thanks so much for sharing this and please tell Martin thank you for all of the photos!!! Rachel also had a fabulous experience being part of the Varsity team this spring! Good luck to all the graduates! See the rest of you next year.

Have a great summer! xo Diane