What do sushi, soccer and sightseeing have in common? They all begin with the letter “s,” yes, but they are also all things the Mount Holyoke soccer team partook in during a trip to Japan over J-Term. According to Head Coach Kanae Haneishi, planning for this trip began after the Fall ’08 season and continued into Spring ’09 with fundraising. It all added up to an invaluable experience for the fifteen players and three coaches who made the trek, invaluable in terms of exposure to both a different style of soccer and to a different country and culture.
The journey began at 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 14 when the team departed from campus and arrived at JFK airport in New York for an early morning flight. By the time they finally reached Japan it was early evening on Jan. 15. Jetlag aside, the team jumped right into their busy schedule. First up was a women’s sport leadership seminar, in which coach Haneishi and several players gave presentations. Coach Haneishi specifically highlighted women’s athletic leadership in the U.S. She discussed women’s leadership at the collegiate level (NCAA) and talked about why it is important to have females in athletic leadership positions, such as coaches and athletic directors. There were also student presentations. JJ Archibald ’11 and Kim Johnson ’11 talked about women’s soccer in the U.S., and a representative from Japanese football association presented on Japanese women’s soccer.
Brooke Winter-Potter ’13 (#5) keeps an eye on the ball during a match in Japan.
One highlight of the trip was the opportunity to play three matches against Japanese teams. The Mount Holyoke team, which had some Japanese women playing on their side during the games, went 1-1-1 overall. The win came against Biwako Seikei Sport College, which acted as host institution during the team’s stay.
To give the players a feel for Japanese culture, arrangements were made for everyone to sleep together in a large tatami floor room on futon mats and to have a Japanese style breakfast, which includes food like fish, rice, eggs, seaweed and miso soup. Excursions were also planned to Kyoto and Osaka. The team visited some traditional temples in Kyoto and got to see a castle in Osaka. Coach Haneishi commented on this cultural immersion: “I hope this trip expanded their [the players’] view of the world and their appreciation and respect for other cultures.”
According to Archibald, the trip was “amazing.” I have never met more people who were so excited to show us their home and teach us about their culture,” she said, adding, “I had so much fun trying new foods and exploring the cities. I want to go back as soon as possible!”
Kelsey Graaskamp ’12 and Kim Johnson ’11 echoed these sentiments. Graaskamp was so awed by the scenery and the overall experience that she remarked that, “the pictures just don’t do it justice.” Johnson described the experience as “priceless.” She said the Japanese “were so hospitable, and the soccer was amazing. You can’t put a price tag on that kind of cultural exchange.”
Related posts:
- Soccer falls to Japan 1-3
- Soccer mixes it up in match with Japan
- Mount Holyoke soccer holds a successful charity relief game
- Soccer hosts 7v7 tournament
- Soccer coach and first-year kick off season with goals in mind
