This week’s Play Smart, Live Strong lesson was made even more special as we welcomed the U15 players and coaches from Shonan Bellmare Football Club in Japan to our summer camp!
Our visiting players joined our campers, participating in the life skills lesson, training activities, and scrimmage matches. It was a wonderful opportunity for our young athletes to learn alongside players from another country while building friendships through the game.
Together, we explored the importance of resilience, learning how to bounce back after mistakes, stay positive under pressure, and keep moving forward both on and off the field.
We also learned that saying no to alcohol and marijuana is also an act of resilience. Making healthy choices helps them stay strong, support their teammates, and always ready to perform at their best!
On the field, players practiced transition to defense, reacting quickly when possession changed, communicating with teammates, and working together to win the ball back.
Thank you to the Shonan Bellmare players and coaches for joining us! We hope you enjoyed your time in Saipan as much as we enjoyed having you!
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The Play Smart, Live Strong initiative by the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association empowers our youth to make healthy choices on and off the field. Together with the Saipan Soccer School, we are using the power of soccer to promote substance-free lifestyles and reduce the risk factors related to underage drinking and marijuana use.
Every week we will share about our practical lessons, group discussion highlights, and soccer skills we learned to support our players as they Play Smart, Live Strong!
