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CAMP LESTER, Okinawa – The coaches of Kadena and Kubasaki girls soccer teams said they’re grateful for a chance to visit Tokyo and face Kanto Plain international schools this weekend.
They’ll be seeing different faces than what they’re used to, and play teams they’ll face later in the season in the Far East Division I tournament.
“We ran into difficulty getting games this season,” coach Saleem Malik of Kubasaki said. The Japanese school year ends in late March, so those soccer teams were graduating their seniors and undergoing the rotation of coaches and new players into the lineup.
“It’s really hard to match up our schedules,” Malik said. “We can only play Kadena so many times in a season. So, travel was necessary this season to compensate for the lack of competition.”
The two-time defending Far East D-I champion Dragons and the Panthers will face American School In Japan, Seisen, Christian Academy Japan and Sacred Heart in a two-day, round-robin event Friday and Saturday at ASIJ’s Mustang Valley.
ASIJ, CAJ, Seisen, Kubasaki and Kadena will next month face Kinnick and Seoul American in the D-I Tournament at Kadena.
“It’s a good chance to get off island and play other teams that will be at Far East, the rest of the field that will be here,” Panthers coach Abe Summers said.
The Panthers made a similar trip last year, which “made us feel more confident going into Far East,” Summers said. “It’s good just to get to see them play.”
The ASIJ Soccer Festival is the first inter-district in-season competition since the DODEA-Pacific spring break ended Monday.
About 40 minutes west at Yokota and Zama, the six DODEA-Japan schools face each other in their annual three-day baseball, softball and soccer tournaments.
Baseball and boys soccer takes place at Zama’s Rambler and Trojans Fields, while girls soccer and softball are slated for Yokota’s Bonk and Headley Fields.
Saturday is the final chance for athletes to meet qualifying times and distances for the Far East track and field meet next month at Yokota. Okinawa teams are at Chatan Stadium in American Village; DODEA-Korea teams square off at Camp Humphreys.
DODEA-Korea soccer, baseball and softball teams get back to it following the break, with diamond action on Camp Henry and soccer matches slated Friday at Seoul American and Saturday at Osan.
I got Kubasaki by TKO
They’ll be seeing different faces than what they’re used to, and play teams they’ll face later in the season in the Far East Division I tournament.
“We ran into difficulty getting games this season,” coach Saleem Malik of Kubasaki said. The Japanese school year ends in late March, so those soccer teams were graduating their seniors and undergoing the rotation of coaches and new players into the lineup.
“It’s really hard to match up our schedules,” Malik said. “We can only play Kadena so many times in a season. So, travel was necessary this season to compensate for the lack of competition.”
The two-time defending Far East D-I champion Dragons and the Panthers will face American School In Japan, Seisen, Christian Academy Japan and Sacred Heart in a two-day, round-robin event Friday and Saturday at ASIJ’s Mustang Valley.
ASIJ, CAJ, Seisen, Kubasaki and Kadena will next month face Kinnick and Seoul American in the D-I Tournament at Kadena.
“It’s a good chance to get off island and play other teams that will be at Far East, the rest of the field that will be here,” Panthers coach Abe Summers said.
The Panthers made a similar trip last year, which “made us feel more confident going into Far East,” Summers said. “It’s good just to get to see them play.”
The ASIJ Soccer Festival is the first inter-district in-season competition since the DODEA-Pacific spring break ended Monday.
About 40 minutes west at Yokota and Zama, the six DODEA-Japan schools face each other in their annual three-day baseball, softball and soccer tournaments.
Baseball and boys soccer takes place at Zama’s Rambler and Trojans Fields, while girls soccer and softball are slated for Yokota’s Bonk and Headley Fields.
Saturday is the final chance for athletes to meet qualifying times and distances for the Far East track and field meet next month at Yokota. Okinawa teams are at Chatan Stadium in American Village; DODEA-Korea teams square off at Camp Humphreys.
DODEA-Korea soccer, baseball and softball teams get back to it following the break, with diamond action on Camp Henry and soccer matches slated Friday at Seoul American and Saturday at Osan.
I got Kubasaki by TKO