{"id":2312,"date":"2019-12-28T09:23:08","date_gmt":"2019-12-28T00:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/inst\/tokyo\/?p=2312"},"modified":"2020-02-26T09:23:58","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T00:23:58","slug":"talking-to-riko-ueki-a-nadeshiko-representative-about-the-tokyo-olympics-im-sure-itll-be-amazing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/inst\/tokyo\/news-en\/2019\/12\/28\/2312\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking to Riko Ueki, a Nadeshiko Representative, About the Tokyo Olympics – \u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be amazing\u201d –"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In this sixth interview with Waseda athletes, we\u2019re talking to Riko Ueki, a member of the Japan women’s national football team and a second year School of Sport Sciences student. Ms. Ueki isn\u2019t a member of the university\u2019s association football club, but is a member of the Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza (referred to as \u2018Beleza\u2019 below). She\u2019s currently in the midst of a flurry of activity, having participated in an international match as a member of Nadeshiko Japan for the first time in April 2019. We asked her about how she became involved in soccer and her thoughts on the Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turning Frustration into Motivation<\/h3>\n

— How did you become involved in soccer?<\/p>\n

Many female players get interested in soccer due to their brothers playing the sport, but that wasn\u2019t the case for me. I used to play a lot of different sports, but the sports ground at the elementary school I went to was big, so during our break time we always used to play soccer. I told my parents I enjoyed playing soccer and that was how I got involved.<\/p>\n

— In junior high you began playing for the Nippon TV Toyo Serias (a club team comprised of junior high aged girls, which is hierarchically below the Beleza, referred to as the \u2018Serias\u2019 below). In your third year, your team was victorious at the nationwide tournament.<\/p>\n

I feel like I grew the most during my time with the Serias. I joined the Serias as an inaugural player, so I was in an environment where I could participate in matches over the three years.<\/p>\n

In my first year we lost at the Tokyo league preliminaries and in my second year we lost at the first match of the nationwide tournament. I definitely grew, but I wasn\u2019t able to leave any good results behind. We won the nationwide tournament in my third year. I loved soccer more than anything else and I\u2019d been playing with my teammates for three years. I think that\u2019s what helped us to win.<\/p>\n

— You have successfully moved up the ranks where you play.<\/p>\n

I feel like things are almost going too well – it\u2019s actually a little bit scary. I think the fact that I was able to graduate to the Nippon TV Toyo Menina (a club team comprised of junior and senior high-school aged girls, which is hierarchically below the Beleza, referred to as the \u2018Menina\u2019 below) was due to our victory at the nationwide tournament.<\/p>\n

I think I was able to move up from Menina to the Beleza, because I took the chance of when a lot of the members had left the team and \u00a0vacancies have opened up. But every time I move between teams it makes me realize just how good the players around me are. It\u2019s not exactly heartbreaking, but it\u2019s always frustrating that I\u2019m not as good as those around me. It\u2019s still fun, though. I think that frustration becomes motivation for me.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Getting motivated by players of the same age<\/h3>\n

— How would you analyze your style of play?<\/p>\n

I’ve always been quick on my feet and good at dribbling, so I think that\u2019s one of my strong points. One of my other characteristics is the way I maintain my pace, using the movement of my body to get in front of other players, and then move towards the goal.<\/p>\n

— Are there any areas you want to work on?<\/p>\n

There are a lot of players from Nadeshiko in the Belezas, so that means there are a lot of great athletes. I always want to improve my skills. I think my role in the team will change as I become able to do more.<\/p>\n

— Does seeing other players of the same age improve their skills become motivating for you?<\/p>\n

I think so. I often speak to members who participated in last year\u2019s U20 world cup. I see and hear of the work they’re putting in, which motivates me to work even harder. In particular, I\u2019ve been friends with Hana Takahashi, who plays for the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, since our time at the Kanto Training Center in elementary school (\u2018Training center\u2019 refers to a system used to select promising new players. The system is broken down into district, prefectural, and regional levels, with \u2018Kanto Training Center\u2019 being at the regional level). We were also selected for an elite program at the same time, so we\u2019re in constant contact and also go on trips together. Having players like this enter the Nadeshiko team and talking to them about the possibility of playing at the Olympics together is really motivating, even if we haven’t had a chance to play together yet.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Wanting to spread women\u2019s soccer<\/h3>\n

— Do you have any other goals besides sport?<\/p>\n

One of my reasons for entering Waseda University was to help spread women\u2019s soccer. I’d really like to create more awareness of it, both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n

— What made you interested in awareness raising?<\/p>\n

Up until the first semester of my final year of elementary school, I didn\u2019t have any other girls to play soccer with. That year Nadeshiko won the world cup, which suddenly led to a lot of my classmates becoming interested in soccer. There were suddenly about 10 girls who wanted to play (laughs). We played practice games during our lunch period. 10 girls from my class would play practice matches against my younger brother\u2019s class almost every day. Out of these players, one really enjoyed playing soccer with me and is now an active player on a futsal team. It makes me happy to know that I was able to get others interested in soccer, which is what made me want to spread awareness of it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Even thinking about is exciting<\/h3>\n

— What differences have you noticed between national and international women\u2019s soccer?<\/p>\n

To put it simply, overseas players are fast and strong. We won at last year\u2019s U20 world cup, but it wasn\u2019t an easy match. That made me want to play more matches against international players.<\/p>\n

— Do you feel differently about the Olympics compared to other matches?<\/p>\n

I think so. I\u2019ve seen the Olympic matches on the TV. I\u2019d really love to try playing in front of so many spectators. Being able to participate in the 2020 Olympics in Japan is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so even thinking about it makes me excited.<\/p>\n

— Do you have anything you\u2019d like to say about the Tokyo Olympics?<\/p>\n

This will be my one and only chance in life to play at the Tokyo Olympics, so I want to work hard to ensure I can participate. It\u2019s a team sport, I know, but just thinking about the goal I\u2019ve set for myself makes me excited. I just know it will be an incredible experience. That\u2019s why it\u2019s my top goal.<\/p>\n

— Finally, what does soccer mean to you as player?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an essential part of my life. My life is centered around soccer. I often think to myself \u2018I\u2019m doing this because I play soccer\u2019 so I can\u2019t imagine how I\u2019d live without it. Kicking a goal is always an amazing feeling, so soccer is absolutely vital to me.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Article: Haruka Ohyama, Waseda Sports Magazine<\/p>\n

Photo: Haruka Ishina<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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