[For 1st and 2nd Grade Elementary Students] School Exchange Match (vs Kawasaki Frontale)
On Saturday, February 21, before the match of the 2026 Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League Sec. 3 Kawasaki Frontale vs FC Tokyo, an exchange match was held at Todoroki No. 1 Soccer Field for 1st and 2nd grade elementary school students with Kawasaki Frontale school players.
After the cold weather the day before, it turned warm like spring, and blessed with good weather, intense matches unfolded on each court.
The matches were held in a round-robin format with six teams each!
Before the matches, each team gathered and actively communicated, calling out to learn each other’s names.
At first, the children seemed a little nervous, but as they played more matches, their expressions gradually relaxed, and they were seen playing freely and confidently.
Meanwhile, the battles for the ball gradually intensified, and fiercely competitive matches unfolded where no one wanted to lose.
When a goal was scored, smiles overflowed, and there were moments where everyone naturally exchanged high-fives and celebrated together.
The sight of players rejoicing over a teammate’s goal as if it were their own, along with encouraging voices echoing across the pitch, created a moment that truly conveyed the importance of teamwork.
We could see the results of the current school theme, "Taking the Ball (OFF),"
With an awareness of challenge and cover, there were many scenes of actively trying to take the ball and the whole team cooperating to defend the goal.
Through the exchange match, the children were able to learn a lot from their play.
I believe it became an invaluable experience where they truly felt the importance of connections with teammates and teamwork.
I hope they will make use of this experience in their future practice and matches, leading to further growth.
After the exchange match, the children showed refreshing expressions full of a sense of accomplishment, saying, "That was fun!"
Still riding that excitement, they headed to Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu, where the top team’s match was held!