We will achieve our goals together.
That's why soccer is fun.

College of Arts and Sciences Third-year students
Soccer Club Captain
Graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Shinei High School (Yokohama FC Youth)

Ryoto Ikeda

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I want to dedicate myself to soccer seriously once again.

Influenced by my father and older brother, I started playing soccer in elementary school. In middle and high school, I belonged to a local club team and dedicated my life to soccer. I also had the opportunity to go on away trips to Russia and Finland, where I was able to gain experience by being exposed to various cultures and values.

I felt like I had accomplished everything I wanted to in my previous sport, so initially I didn't intend to join the soccer club at university. However, once I stepped away from soccer, I found every day boring. Gradually, the feeling of wanting to play soccer again began to grow, so I participated in a trial practice session in June. I rediscovered the joy of soccer and decided to join the club.

With a team of talented members, they aim to return to the second division league.

Currently, the J. F. Oberlin University soccer club has 50 members. This year, many talented first-year students joined, making the player pool even stronger.

We are currently practicing every day with the goals of "winning the Challenge League" and "returning to the 2nd Division." If the team can perform at its usual level, we should be able to play at an even higher level. We are working to improve the variety of our attacks so as not to let the quality of our practice drop, keeping in mind the actual matches in the 2nd Division. What will determine victory or defeat is whether we can break down the opponent's defense until the very end. Based on our reflections from the first half of the season, we are working together as a team.

Since coaches are sometimes unable to attend practice, team members need to work together, confirming intentions with each other. Even in seemingly mundane drills like physical training, we must maintain a sense of urgency and firmly grasp the fundamentals. As captain, I focus on creating an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions rather than bluntly pointing out problems. Many new students joined in April, and I was worried about communication, but everyone from other grades helped me out. I'm grateful that the team members are actively communicating with each other.

I want to convey the fun and appeal of soccer.

Although it was only for a short period, taking a break from soccer allowed me to rediscover the joy of the sport. That's why I want to continue enjoying soccer in college and even after I become a working adult, and I hope everyone else will feel the same way.

Our team's strength lies in its offensive power. We hope you'll enjoy watching our diverse attacking styles and feel the fun we have playing. Please keep an eye on our soccer team as we give our all towards our goals.

Interview date:
This was done in September 2023 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

We will achieve our goals together.That's why soccer is fun.

Main content

I want to dedicate myself to soccer seriously once again.

With a team of talented members, they aim to return to the second division league.

I want to convey the fun and appeal of soccer.

Related content

We will achieve our goals together.
That's why soccer is fun.