Shinjuku Soccer Club Hosts Deaf Football Experience with National Team Athletes
SHINJUKU, TOKYO – Players from Criacao Shinjuku participated in a “Deaf Football Experience” designed to foster understanding of diverse communication methods, alongside athletes preparing for the Deaflympics. The event highlighted the club’s growing involvement with deaf soccer and provided a unique opportunity for interaction and learning.
Iwabuchi, a Shinjuku resident and athlete, expressed a desire to “win the best color medal” for Japanese women’s soccer, reflecting the spirit of competition and inclusivity surrounding the event. Participants demonstrated their support for the Deaflympics-bound players and coaches through sign language, cheering “Do yoru best, do your best!”
Criacao Shinjuku’s engagement with deaf soccer has expanded this year.On April 2nd, the club hosted an exhibition match against the Japanese men’s deaf soccer team at the National Stadium, drawing a crowd of 3,803. Further promotion occurred on June 15th during a JFL match against Iwate Gruja Morioka, also at the National Stadium, where the Deaflympics and deaf soccer were featured on panel displays. A direct connection exists through Saito Noboru,recently appointed coach of the Japanese men’s deaf soccer team,who also coaches the Shinjuku High School soccer club.
Following the experience, players shared their reflections. Iwabuchi stated, “I’m sure I was confused by the experience of not being able to use my voice, but I would be happy if my experience with myself would be an opportunity to communicate in the future.” Kawabata added, “You tend to have the impression that deafness means that you can’t speak, but I’m glad that peopel learned that you can communicate in a variety of ways, including oral speech, gestures, and apps. I was also happy that they put it into practice as soon as you taught sign language.” Huang Chengxiu, participating in differential football for the first time, noted the similarities to conventional soccer and expressed a desire for more proactive communication, saying, “I wanted to communicate more proactively by actually trying out sign language myself. I would also like to see the success of everyone I met in the tournament. Good luck.”
