The CNMI Women's National Team will be playing two exhibition games in Japan in preparation for their participation in the East Asian Football Federation Women's Football Championship 2010 Semifinals Competition in Tainan City, Taiwan.
The EAFF semifinals will run from Aug. 22 to 30 with four other countries joining the CNMI female strikers in the tournament, namely Guam, Hong Kong, South Korea, and host Chinese-Taipei.
CNMI coach and Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Sugao Kambe said he has 24 players in the pool and 20 will be named to the CNMI Women's National Team on July 20.
Kambe added they will have a scrimmage against a JEF United Ichihara Chiba Lady's Team when they stay in Japan from Aug. 18 to 20.
The scrimmage against JEF United Ichihara Chiba is part of the last eight weeks of rigorous training for the CNMI female strikers. The CNMI coach said they started preparing for the EAFF tournament third week of March this year and divided the training in three terms.
“The objective of the first term (March 23-May 28) was to enhance individually skills for technical and tactical parts. We also focused on coordination and agility skills,” Kambe said.
“The second term (June 8-28) was functional (positional) training and basic endurance training. For example, defender focused on how to defend around penalty area. Attacker tried finishing any kinds of shooting. Endurance was about basic aerobic running,” he added.
Kambe said the third term (June 29-August 20) will be the most important, as its objectives are to teach and practice team tactics and conditioned the players for the tough grind ahead.
This will be the first time that the CNMI female strikers will be competing in an international tournament. In the past the CNMI only played friendly games against Guam.
“We are a new team and it will be our first time to join an international tournament. At this time, results are not important, the exposure in an international level of competition is,” Kambe said.
“However, we must do our very best in every game. We are not so strong individually and technically, but we are very familiar with each other and can make tactical discipline stronger. It will be very hard, but our players have a lot of heart. I hope they will never give up until the final whistle,” Kambe said.
Kambe's wards are a mixed of high school and adult players who are regulars of the various local leagues. The team practices three times a day at the Commonwealth Ports Authority Field.
The CNMI female strikers' first game in Taiwan will be against Guam on Aug 22. The last three will be against Hong Kong on Aug. 24, South Korea on Aug. 26, and Chinese Taipei on Aug. 28.
The winner of the nine-day tournament will join China, Japan, and North Korea in the championship round to be played in Tokyo, Japan next year.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saipan Tribune July 11, 2009
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