Brissy Soccer Academy in Dublin!!

Hi, guys.

Finally, I got to the first soccer practice of my own academy in Ireland. It took me more than 2 months to get here that was much longer than I had expected as it only took me a month to get to the first session in Vancouver last year.

There were loads of hassles in the process of it, but got to pave the way throught somehow. I only had 5 kids yesterday, but it was a great start for my academy with the good practice that every kid loved it.  We will constantly hold it every Sunday morning.

And last Saturday, I accompanied the U9 team for a match for the first time. It was exciting to see the boys play against another local soccer club in the clear sky!! After all, we got hammered by them with countless goals conceded during the match, but no parents and coaches never blamed the boys for the disappointing loss. We managed to encourage them to back by throwing positive words. They are only 8 years old. We have nothing to be pessimistic about it.

Moreover, it was the Mother's day yesterday in Ireland. I didn't know the day is celebrated on various days in the world. In Japan, it is celebrated in May as many countries do. I was working at the restaurant all day yesterday and got to see lots of people celebrate the day with their "moms". It was a crazily busy day, but I felt like my heart got refined by those heartful scenes.

showing your gratitude to your parents is sometimes awkward, but doing nothing doesn't tell anybody how thankful you are. 

　

　こんにちは。

　昨日やっとここダブリンでも、自分自身のサッカースクールを開催することができました。嬉しいですね。昨日はお試しということで、５人の子ども達が集まってくれました。ちょうど昨日は、サマータイムに入る日だったので、終わった頃に時間を間違えてきたりしてましたが、少しずつ人数的には浸透していっているようで、これから継続して日曜日の午前中に開催することになりそうです。

　そして土曜日には、いつも指導しているU９の子達の試合に初めて帯同。試合は格上のチームでボロボロでしたが、最後に向こうのコーチまでもがポジティブな言葉をかけてくれ、ネガティブな言葉は試合内外で一度も聞かなかったです。親御さんたちも皆、子ども達を必死に鼓舞しようと言葉を選びながら声をかけて試合を見守ってくれていましたね。まだまだ８歳。これからです。

　昨日は同時にアイルランドでの母の日でした。レストランで働いていましたが、たくさんの家族連れ、親子がお母さんにごちそうしている姿を見て、ハッとした自分がいました。感謝の気持ちを素直に形にして伝える。忙しい日でしたが、良いシーンをたくさん見ることができて心が洗われましたね。自分も親には感謝していますし、自分なりに恩返ししていかないといけないですね。

Coaching licence in Ireland and UEFA

　今日は少しアイルランドのコーチングライセンスについて。

　こっちに来た大きな理由としてUEFAコーチングライセンスの取得がありました。できればC級まで取りたいと考えていたんですが、「C」というカテゴリーは実は曖昧で、正式にUEFAという冠がつくライセンスは「B」からのようです。それ以下は、それぞれのUEFA加盟国内の国によって委ねられているようで、アイルランドも「C」というのが去年にできたみたいです。

　値段は６００ユーロで半年ほど取得に要します。それまではKick start１，２というコーチングライセンスの入り口的な資格があるようで、そこからいきなり「B」にいくには難しいということで、間に「Cライセンス」を新たに作ったのがアイルランド。恐らく、他の国もまた違う制度が「B」のカテゴリーに行くまであると思います。

　そして「B」が終われば「A」、最後に「UEFA Pro」という日本でいう「S級」のライセンスで、ヨーロッパのプロクラブを指揮するのに必要な資格に辿り着けます。

　そして、アイルランドのBライセンス以上を有しているコーチの数が、他のサッカー先進国であるドイツ、スペイン、イタリアなどに比べると圧倒的に少ない事実があります。単純に数だけでいうと、スペインで24000人、ドイツ、イタリアは30000人。それに比べ、アイルランドは1100人。

　人口や、サッカー人気もあるでしょうが、一番の理由はかかるコストの問題。これら３か国に比べて、ライセンスにかかるコストが倍以上高いのがアイルランド。これではコーチになろうとはとても思わないし、それだけ苦労してライセンスを取っても、その恩恵を受ける環境が乏しいのもアイルランドの現状のようです。

  実際の値段は「A」が3040ユーロ、「Pro」が7550ユーロ、これがスペインだと、それぞれ1200と3399ユーロです。実に５５％も安い。ドイツに至っては前者が530で後者が1510ユーロと80％も安い。国が違うだけで同じライセンスを取るのにこれだけ費用が違うって異常です。

　アイルランドでライセンスを取る意味が少しずつ薄れてきています。

Surely such a step would be welcomed with open arms by the very people this is geared towards helping climb the coaching ladder, the coaches themselves? Wrong.

It has already caused heated debate and outrage among Irish football coaches across social media, with some cynics labelling it as nothing more than a “money racket”.

Up until the introduction of the new ‘C’ licence the cost of gaining entry onto the FAI’s youth cert was €300.

However, anyone who has recently completed said course will now be asked to shell out an extra €125 for what is described as a bridging course to include the new ‘C’ licence material.

This is where things not only get complicated but controversial also.

While those eligible for the bridging course will end up paying a total of €425 to achieve their ‘C’ certificate, any coaches who have not yet reached this stage of the ladder and wish to book a position on the ‘C’ licence coaching course are being asked to pay a staggering €600.

In layman’s terms, this means some coaches will be paying an extra €175 to achieve the same credentials as other coaches…how can this be fair?

Why should we care about the cost of such courses? Maybe you have no intention of ever stepping into the world of football coaching and, after all, the men and women booking these courses are obviously passionate and interested in doing so.

At present we have close to 800 qualified UEFA ‘B’ licence coaches in the Republic of Ireland, while there are just 300 or so coaches who hold the UEFA ‘A’ licence.

Riordan compared these figures to Spain where there are almost 24,000 UEFA ‘B’, UEFA ‘A’ and UEFA pro licence coaches, while Italy and Germany have roughly 30,000 each.

So what are the reasons for such disproportionate figures aside from the population? The simple answer is cost.

In Ireland, the UEFA ‘A’ licence costs €3040 to sit while the UEFA Pro course costs €7550. In Spain, the same courses cost €1200 and €3399 respectively. That’s 55% cheaper.

Reigning world Champions Germany charge €530  to take part in the UEFA ‘A’ licence with the UEFA Pro costing €1510. That’s 80% cheaper than what is being charged by our Football Association.

And the vast majority of coaching jobs in Ireland simply reward coaches with experience for their CV as they are unpaid positions and when asked about his experiences since gaining the youth cert, the coach informed us this: I had paid coaching employment for four months but even that was only expenses and enough for a take away on the way home after ONE of the three sessions we had during our week!

Already clear the strain this coach is under in his quest to climb the coaching ladder in Ireland I inquired further as to the sacrifices he has had to make just to reach this middle tier of the education system. His response was brutally honest.

"It has been a strain on my relationship. It has also been a serious financial strain as I was unemployed and every spare bit of money I had was spent to pay for my badges and traveling to and from training and matches to gain my experience to move on up the Coach Education Ladder.

I have had to miss out on family events and holidays etc. but in return the FAI seem to be making it so much harder for us coaches who don’t have a name in football or move in the right circles to be able to succeed!

I have and I will be going abroad for two reasons… 1 – The cost, obviously in the financial climate we are currently in we have to make savings where possible, especially as clubs here in Ireland don’t pay their coaches and 2 – I have been told that when you go abroad you are treated the same as anyone else no matter what your history is within the game or what circles you move in!".

I totally agree with every thing in the article, it is a great piece… some of this countries best and most experienced coaches do not have a UEFA license, just because a coach has a license certainly does not make them a better coach… currently to be a coach in the league of Ireland you have to have at least an A or B licence but from the horror stories about how kids are being treated in the LOI under 17’s with a certain club proves that having a licence does not make you as qualified as you think to deal with kids

Elite Performance Academy in Dublin

 

Things are progressing little by little and day by day to where I'd like to get to...starting from zero connection as always in a new country.

Time had flown by as ever. Two months has already passed since I touched down in Ireland.

It was great to be involved in a training session of Elite Performance Academy that has just been established and running few months in Dublin. I got to see many promising players with unlimited potentials that would flourish in every respect in the future. Hopefully, I could give them a helping hand for their bright football career ahead!!

And also, I'm personally inspired a lot by the young players and again realized tons of things in coaching them. 

  いつものようにゼロから始めて２か月、少しずつアイルランドでも前進しています。アジア人はゼロ。こういう環境が成長させてくれます。

　ダブリンのElite Performance Academyというプライベートサッカーアカデミーに最近コーチとして携わっています。彼らはまだ１４歳。こう見ると、174㎝の私はすごく低くみえます。ダブリンで２か月、何もないところから始めて、少しずつサッカーに関わる時間が増えていっています。知らない土地で、ゼロから始めるのは本当にパワーを使いますが、成長させてくれる劇薬なのは間違いないです。

　若い彼らの今後に、少しでも成長の手助けができればと思っていますし、彼らのパワーに触発され、また色々と気づかされながら共に成長していけたらと思っています。

 

The 7th week in Ireland

Hi guys.

I can't believe that it's already been in the 7th week since I landed in Ireland.

Recently, I've been working in the daytime at a restaurant as a waiting staff and go straight to the coaching job from the evening for a team of U9. And also I've assisted some Japanese players for trials in Ireland little by little. 

The reason why I've been hired as a coach is thanks to Tony Sheridan, who is a former Irish international and had been playing for Coventry city FC in the English Premier League back then in 1991 to 1995. After the spell, he came back to Ireland and played for some club in the Irish football league before he took off his boots. I luckily got to know his through the coach of Dublin Bus FC where I announced in the previous entry of this blog that I had signed with as the coach and Tony are brother. Hopefully, I get to have more opportunities and expand more connections to link prospective Japanese players with pro/amateur clubs in Ireland.

And I'm a bit having a hard time integrating the kids that I'm coaching. They are a group of 12 at the age of 8. It's way harder than it sounds to coach them. haha But it is also fun playing with them for sure.

I also have to consider of when I take courses for an UEFA coaching license. That's one of the biggest reasons that I came here and about time to think about it seriously as the time I can stay is limited which is at best a year or a bit longer. I will have to start from the lowest license, but want to acquire as high one as I can in the period of time that I can stay in Ireland.

 

　もうすぐアイルランドに来て２か月が経とうとしています。早いですね。

　最近はコーチングの仕事も始まり、昼はレストランでウェイターをしながら、夜はコーチングやチーム練習に参加。そして、アイルランドのサッカーに興味がある選手のサポートも少しずつですがさせて頂いています。

　コーチングは、今一緒に仕事させて頂いているTony Sheridanのおかげで、色々と繋がりができてきました。彼は、元プレミアの選手（Coventry city FCで91－95年までプレー）で、その後アイルランドに戻ってきて、現在のアイルランド１部リーグで活躍しました。彼とは、先日契約させて頂いたDublin Bus FCの監督がDarren Sheridanという方で、Tonyとは兄弟ということで紹介して頂きました。これからは、アマチュア、プロのカテゴリーでさらに選手のサポートもしていければと考えています。

　コーチングの仕事も、U9の子達を指導していますが、やはりいきなり来た日本人が、やんちゃなアイルランドの８歳児の１０数人のグループを束ねるのはそう簡単ではありません。まだまだ改善させていくところばかりです。

　そしてそろそろ、UEFAコーチングライセンスについても取得を考えていかなければいけません。生活も落ち着いてきたので、しっかりと調べて、受講し、この１年という間の中で、できるだけ上のライセンス取得を目指していきます。

  また色々とアイルランドの生活について更新していきますので、よろしくお願いします。

英語上達についての私の考え How you improve your English.

Hi, guys.

Today's topic is about how you improve your English. Why is it? Because I am often asked the same question that how I have improved my English. And also being asked by many English learners which part of English is more important in English learning, its vocabulary or its grammer.. This is a very familiar question to every English learner in Japan, I guess.

First of all, I am not a native English speaker and I still think that I am far away from the level of native speakers in English. Maybe some people think I have a good English, but of course it is not perfect cuz I was born and raised in Japan till at the age of 22 and went overseas after that. But from my experiences in the past, I think those two parts of English are definitely important if you are eager to master the language. Either way, as long as you are a human being, you'll think that you want to make your English better no matter how good of English you have acquired. Once you hit a certain good level of English, you'll notice that its vocabulary and grammer are  an iron necessity.

In addition, you might have to put some efforts in your accent when you speak English. As a matter of course, everyone has their own accents, but especially for Japanese, it'll be hard to fix and might take a long time. In my case, I hadn't realized that I had a strong accent in an indistinct voice until in the third year of my overseas life. Back then, some specific alphabets bother me big time, for instance, "L" and "R", "th" and "v"!! Most of the words with those letters had stressed me out every time I spoke to someone cuz they would alway ask me to say again!!

But once the problems got solved in my English, that gave me a huge confidence in speaking English.

So, I strongly recommend to spare much time to have the neutral accent that everyone clearly understands what you speak.    

 

　今日は少し英語学習について書こうと思います。というのも、よく記事で見たり、人に聞かれる「文法と単語、どっちが大事？」という決まり文句のような質問。これに少し疑問を持ったからです。

　私自身の英語レベルは、２年前の一時帰国中にぶっつけ本番で受けたTOEICが850点でした。あくまでTOEICのスコアですし、実際にしっかり準備をしたわけでもない、さらにspeakingのテストがないTOEICでは、自分の英語力がどれだけの物かここで皆さんにお伝えすることは難しいです。ので、偉そうな事を言うつもりはないです。あくまで私の意見として。

　そして冒頭の質問に戻りますが、文法と英単語のどっちが大事なのか、という質問ははっきり言って両方大事です。というのもある程度のレベルまで達すると、人間は欲深い生き物ですから、もっと完璧に話したいと思うのが普通だと思います。結果的に両方しっかりと理解していないと、ネイティブスピーカーと対等に話すことはできません。

　そして忘れてほしくないのが、発音の矯正です。日本語と英語の発音の仕方は全く異なるので、この発音をどうにかしないといけない。私も海外３年目くらいでようやく発音の大事さに気づき、自分で矯正していきました。今では聞き返されることはほとんどなくなり、オーストラリア人訛りとからかわれることが常です。が、これが英語を話すことに対しての躊躇がなくなり、自分の話す英語に自信がついていきました。それまでは、ところどころ伝わらない発音があり、積極的に話せない自分がいて、それが英語上達の障害になっていました。発音が悪いと、話している相手も次第に顔が怪訝になり、こいつは英語が話せないというレッテルが貼られることもあります。

　私が特に矯正したのが、「L」と「R」、「TH」、「V」の発音でした。これを毎日意識的に独り言でブツブツ話している内に、自然に変わっていきました。今は有料でレッスンなど受けなくても、YOUTUBEでたくさんの優良動画から学ぶことができます。そして新しい単語を覚える時は必ず、その単語の発音も同時にマスターすることを心がけています。せっかく覚えてテストで書けても、実際に会話で使えなければ意味はないですから。

　「単語」、「文法」だけに焦点を置くのではなく、「発音」もマスターすることをお勧めします。純日本人の私でもできたのですから、皆さんも必ずできるはずです。