16 Jan Players, Coaches Set for Shizuoka Youth Tournament
[July 23, 2018 – Yona, Guam] – Nine youth players and three coaches from the Wings FC will be flying to Shizuoka, Japan later this week to compete in the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament, an 8-vs-8 tournament, beginning Friday.
“Every year, we always look for tournaments, particularly in Japan, for youth players in the summer so they stay competitive even when domestic leagues are on a break,” said Marvin “Ike” Iseke, Wings FC President. “Thanks to Coach (Tetsuo) Yamamoto, we’ve been fortunate to provide this for our players. We stopped temporarily a few years ago after the tsunami hit northern Japan, but after, we wanted to restart and continue this tradition, which also serves to prepare the young players moving up into the Guam national program traveling for larger tournaments. The players become accustomed to requirements for travel, see the level of competition outside of Guam, and they develop into ambassadors of Guam through soccer, among other things.
“This year, we’ve organized this annual trip to coincide with our summer clinic. Over 20 players, from different youth soccer clubs, participated in the six-week soccer clinic and we hope that we can continue to grow this activity in the future,” Iseke added.
The nine players on the Wings FC roster for the Shizuoka tournament are Raito Atsuta, Gavin Baker, Aaron Bejado, Levi Berg, Nicolas Chargualaf, Ashenafi Lom, Riku Meyar, Raif Sablan, and Paul Webb. The coaches accompanying the team are Tetsuo Yamamoto, Duane Pahl, and Ralph Awa.
All nine players took part in the Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic & Japan Off-Island Competition, which concluded Jul. 21 at the LeoPalace Resort Guam.
The summer clinic culminated with the 2018 Clinic World Cup, with the participants divided into four teams – Team Guam, Team France, Team Japan, and Team Russia. Team Japan managed to win all of its matches to claim the 2018 championship. Players received prizes from sponsor ExpressCare and also mini Japan Football Association banners during a short closing ceremony.
The traveling players were also officially presented during the closing ceremony.
The Shizuoka tournament features 13 other teams from Japan – 10 teams from Kanagawa, two teams from Tokyo, and one team each from Saitama and Guam. The teams from Kanagawa are: Minato FC, Toumonzen Fighters A, Toumonzen Fighters B, FC Soreiyu, Nakayama Shounen, Oosone Sports Club W, Miyura Asahi SC, Sekiya SC A, Sekiya SC B, and Toyama Soccer Club A. Tokyo teams are Oosone Sports Club V and Toyama Soccer Club B. Misugidai Tougyaza SC represents Saitama.
The Wings FC play the first match of the tournament at 12:30 p.m. Japan time Friday against Oosone Sports Club W and again the same day at 2:10 p.m. Japan time against Toyama Soccer Club A.
Wings Football Club players set to compete in the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament later this week in Shizuoka, Japan pose for a group photo during the closing ceremony of the Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. In the photo are, from left to right, Aaron Bejado, Ashenafi Lom, Raito Atsuta, Gavin Baker, Raif Sablan, Riku Meyar, and Levi Berg. Not in the photo are players Nicolas Chargualaf and Paul Webb. Accompanying the team to Japan are coaches Tetsuo Yamamoto, Duane Pahl, and Ralph Awa (not in photo).
Youth players and coaches from the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam pose for a group photo during the event’s closing ceremony. Nine players and three coaches will be traveling to Shizuoka, Japan to compete in the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament later this week.
Wings FC’s Riku Meyar runs to get in position to take a shot during the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. Meyar is one of nine youth players who will be traveling to Japan this week for the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament – an 8-vs-8 youth tournament in Shizuoka.
Wings FC’s Raif Sablan (center, in blue vest) tries to keep opponent Gavin Baker (in orange vest) away from the ball during the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. Both Sablan and Baker are part of a nine-player squad who will be traveling to Japan this week for the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament – an 8-vs-8 youth tournament in Shizuoka.
Wings FC’s Levi Berg races to the goal with ball during the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. Berg is one of nine youth players who will be traveling to Japan this week for the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament – an 8-vs-8 youth tournament in Shizuoka.
Wings FC’s Aaron Bejado keeps possession of the ball as he looks for passing options during the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. Bejado is one of nine youth players who will be traveling to Japan this week for the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament – an 8-vs-8 youth tournament in Shizuoka.
Wings FC’s Raito Atsuta stops a shot by Riku Meyar at the goal line during the recently concluded Wings FC 4th Annual Summer Clinic and Japan Off Island Competition Saturday at LeoPalace Resort Guam. Both Atsuta and Meyar are part of a nine-player squad who will be traveling to Japan this week for the Nakaizu Winery Hill Cup Junior Tournament – an 8-vs-8 youth tournament in Shizuoka.