Rugby Boys from Japan in 2012

Rugby Boys from Japan in 2012

In the past 3-4 years, I have met a few Japanese players every season.
One is from University team, & others are from Senior team.

As I posted previously, I have involved a coaching job at Uni-North club and this season, we received 4 Japanese players from Japan. (3 stayed only couple of months)
I would like to put up some their effort during competition here.



They showed quality of performance and staying a just couple of months was too short for them to show what they can actually do on the field.

Against Queanbeyan game, they managed to fight against a few Brumbies Squad members which I'm sure that it would be a part of great experiences they had in Australia.


The youngest one who stayed whole season, will head to Scotland to play rugby for a couple of months before he moves back to Japanese university rugby training. He was the one who showed the greatest adaptation to situation.
Of course, he knew that he was going to stay here for a year, hence he must have managed his life well as well as developing his skills and physicality in rugby.




Hope the decision the young boy did make, will become more common in Japan.
Very brave decision and he has lived here very strong and tough with his new friends and coaches.

Performance Update of Uni-North 1st grade

Rugby Coaching

Yesterday, we had a massive defensive game against current 5th place Queanbeyan.
We are currently sitting at the 4th place which is minimum requirement for getting into final stage at the end of the season.

It was my third time first grade game as acting head coach while current head coach "Richard Shuttleworth" who has influenced me many aspects of coaching pedagogy, is away.
The three weeks made me much stronger and tougher as Japanese coach in Australia.

Also I realised how much player's willingness is important to team's outcome.
It changes attitude toward the game and a trust between players are necessary to function as a team.

I would like to thank to players, staffs and coaches who contribute countless and thoughtful effort to this team.

Players in the Uni-North owls team successfully managed the three games and now we have two weeks bye before five games toward the end of regular season in 2012 ACT Premiership Competition.

What can I do better?
How can I do it better?

My endless challenge.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/owls-put-up-defensive-wall-20120630-21a4z.html

New Tools and GPS

New Tool & GPS Testing

I was encouraged to buy Macbook Pro for rugby coaching game analysis.
From this week, using these tools to provide game feedback to players.

I'm not sure how players react to it or how much information I can put in but this is a challenge that I love to face.

Technology seems to me a quite hard to use as I have been saying that I am analog person.
However, I have decided to expose myself a little more to digital world.

Maybe too late, but may be not. Who knows.

Richard took GPS testing with Uni-North Boys about decision making in rugby.
How a field size effects to player's decision making.
When we accelerate and decelerate before contact zone etc.......
So many things learn in this age, My brain can not stop working.

http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/december/newsarticles/051212_shuttleworth


These are my websites that I have tried to use, please check them.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/hitoshi-ipponsugi/42/362/721
http://about.me/ipponsugi

I guess this is a result of taking this subjects.

Keith have kindly introduced these technologies to me during this semester and I finally realized that I need to face to this.

Again, not sure how long it lasts but 2012 is a good year to start new way of coaching.


Let's use it!!

Performance Update of Uni-North 1st grade

Rugby Coaching

This is update post for thier performance.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/owls-win-with-firsthalf-flurry-20120428-1xs3z.html

This season has been a fantastic challenge for me to work with them.
I would like to transfer skills that I have learned from this unit for communication between players and myself, including game feedback.

What can I do?
How can I do it better?

Many fantastic challenges.

Japanese Rugby 2011, Performance Analysis Presentation

Rugby Union Performance Analysis

At early this year, I presented my research work at conference which I have never expected to happen in my whole life.
Life has a full of taste if we keep trying hard on what we do.
As a undergraduate student, it was one of my greatest challenges I have ever made in academic world.
Thanks Keane, for giving me the great challenge and helping me to present this research during your busy time period.



I analysed a performance in Japanese rugby union team in 2011, including rugby world cup in NZ.
By doing performance analysis in rugby union, I found interesting fact and knowledge that I might be able to transfer for my future coaching.

I am really not sure whether I can ever make this happen or not but it is worth to try again in my future.

During our Thailand visit, there was Thailand 7's competition and managed to see Japan 7's team.
I also had a few surprises in the venue.
1, I met a female referee who I met at the conference. Hope she will be leading Thailand referees in the future.
2, Japan played against Laos that Mr. Matsuo from JRFU has coached for.


3, Toda referee was here as one of the referees. While I was playing for Shokki Shuttles about 7 years ago in Japan, he was one of referees that we got quite a lot. Thanks Toda san, had a good chat.


Ipponsugi, H., and Wheeler, K. W. (2012) Attacking effectiveness of Japanese fast paced rugby in 2011, The Journal of Sports Science and Health (Supplement): (S42 - S54).

http://www.canberra.edu.au/faculties/health/courses/sport-studies/sport-studies-staff-profiles/wheeler-keane

Expert Padagogue "John Wooden"

Expert Padagogue

This week's coaching pedagogy lecture was about USA bascketball coach "John Wooden". http://www.coachwooden.com/

There are a few quotes of  John R. Wooden that I felt very important for my coaching.

1, Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming

2, What you are as a person is far more improtant than what you are as basketball player

3, You haven't taught until they have learned

I personaly need to re-visit this website to see what the details are and what I can learn from his journey.

Every sports has principles of attack and defence.
Each unit I study at here UC has principle of something.

My journey is to look for the principle of coaching and how I can use this for helping young player to become confident as player and person.

Again, I am still far away from the expert pedagogues.
Keep challenging.

Kiama 7's with Uni-North Selects

Kiama 7's

At the beginning of 2012 season, we head to Kiama to play Kiama 7's competition.

In AUS, 7's is a part of pre-season training/trial game or possibly team bonding trip that rugby club can utilize. Especially, players in Canberra, including me do not play in a situation where sunny & warm weather with beach near rugby field.
Play a game and head to beach as recovery ? fun ? was our routine.



We succeeded to move on to knock out stage where we faced champion team "Kiama in" which was formed by all Fijian players.
Despite of audience's expectation, we defend really well and a quick counter attack with enough support which increased our chance of off-loading pass was effective enough to threaten the big Fijian units. Unfortunately, we lost the game by a little point but this competition (7's game) opened up boys' attacking sense to identify a space, also reaction ability from other supporters to attack the gap with the ball carrier to complete a lime-break was happened a lot during the game.

Supporters around the ground would be surprised by our performance and I am sure they enjoyed that fact about smaller guys from Canberra almost killed big Fijian power house.

As a coach, we had a little preparation but throughout the competition, players adopted well the situation where a space they have to cover/attack is massive and well sensed team can threaten defense line without hesitation. We headed to home with a great achievement and feeling.

I personally really enjoyed this environment where all challenges were accepted and players had no hesitation to give a shoot.
7s sharpens up player's decision making and as training process goes, this will be a great way to develop player's fitness and awareness of space and support.

Great competition with good weather!!