Football NSW’s world class multi-purpose facility Valentine Sports Park (VSP) successfully hosted Year 11 Japanese football students from the Kyoto Ryoyo High School who embarked on a special three-day-tour in March thanks to World Football Connection Australia.
Touring from the 15-18 March, the players and teachers called VSP home as they immersed themselves with the Football NSW community while taking in some of the sights and sounds of Sydney.
Football NSW’s Venue and Facilities Manager Claudia Meek was delighted to have the opportunity to host the international school group.
“It was a privilege and honour to have a group of Japanese students from Kyoto Ryoyo High School stay with us at Football NSW headquarters,” she said.
“It was also a pleasure to work with World Football Connection Australia who made this trip possible for the students, and I want to thank Winston Hills FC, Lindfield FC and APIA Leichhardt FC for contributing to an unforgettable experience for this touring group.”
The school played four matches in total, two against the Under 16s and Under 17s Winston Hills FC Boys side and two against the Under 16s and Under 18s Lindfield FC squads.
Both teams provided wonderful gestures to the students with Lindfield FC gifting the team a koala bear with a personalised jersey while Winston Hills organised an individual club jersey for every Kyoto student.
Football NSW also organised match day tickets to watch a classic NPL Men’s NSW encounter that saw APIA Leichhardt FC take on Sydney Olympic. In a coup for the travelling members, the players also experienced the changeroom celebrations following APIA’s victory.