This article is part of an introduction to the policies and activities of each Prefectural Football Association divided into 12 categories: ‘Seniors’, ‘Class 1’, ‘Class 2’, ‘Class 3’, ‘Class 4’, ‘Kids’, ‘Women’, ‘Futsal’, ‘Beach Soccer’, ‘Referees Committee’, ‘Facilities Committee (Environmental Maintenance)’ and ‘Technical Committee’. We hope you read this article through and become familiar with the various activities held across the country.
This is the fourth article, in which we introduce activities of “Class 3’.
*This article has been published in ‘REGIONAL NEWS‘ in the July issue of JFA news.

Activities for Class 3 (Fukuoka Football Association)

‘The current status and future strategy for the class 3 generation’ by HARA Noboru, Fukuoka Football Association Director and the chairman of secondary schools’ committee

The class 3 generation in Fukuoka is a large family, including about 270 teams from Nippon Junior High School Physical Culture Association (NJPA) and about 60 club teams.

Fukuoka is a big prefecture with a population of more than 5 million people, consisting of three old regions: Chikuzen, Chikugo and Fuzen. Each region has its own characteristic culture and customs. Although it helps to develop locally based activities, sometimes this can be an obstacle to doing something across the whole prefecture. Practically speaking, there are many problems about the relationship between the NJPA and the clubs; among different areas of the NJPA; and between the NJPA and the prefectural football association. However, our aims are the same: fulfilling the wishe of children ‘to be able to play better’ and fulfilling the wishe of coaches to ‘nurture children through football and develop as many talented players as possible.’ Our prefecture is doing our best in cooperation with the secondary schools’ committee and the club committee in order to enhance and develop activities for the class 3 generation.

This year is the sixth ‘Fukuoka U-15 Football League’, which was hosted by the management committee. 60 teams are participating in the prefectural league and 80 teams in the affiliate one. We decide on the participants for the Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-15) Football Tournament depending on the result of this league. We had many comments about this system. So we started to hold a playoff as a prefectural tournament for the Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-15) Football Tournament, so that teams in the affiliate league get the chance to advance to the upper stage. We will promote this new system and encourage more teams to join the affiliate league, as well as the U-13 league.
(Photo above: Assistant referees pre-season training sessions for secondary school students at six prefectural sites.)

There have been activities held by NJPA instructors for local secondary schools’ students, which are separate from the training centres run by the Technical Committee.
(Photo below: Joint practice session in Kita Kyushu.)
As we have so many club teams, it is difficult for the players in NJPA teams to be chosen to attend the training centre. In some areas, a player is trained through these activities to join the training centre. The secondary schools’ committee supports this approach, which has been offered voluntarily by fervent instructors, and encourages more than 100 NJPA teams, who have not registered with the prefectural football association, as well as develops the players and spreads football.