Interview with Britney-Lee & Sarah

Last year September, two Kiwi futsal players took a leap — travelling to Japan to immerse themselves in one of the world’s most technical and fast-paced futsal environments. From late-night training sessions with local teams to rooftop matches high above Tokyo, Bee (Britney-Lee) and Sarah embraced every challenge, both on and off the court. Here’s what they took away from this unforgettable experience.

Late night training with the Bardral Urayasu Team

Bee’s Highlights: A Universal Language

“It was amazing to see how universal futsal is — it’s its own language.”

One of Bee’s biggest highlights was training with both the first and second teams of a Japanese club, Bardral Urayasu. The faster pace, sharper technical skills, and limited English from teammates pushed her to adapt quickly. “It made me work harder and respond faster. I loved immersing myself in their culture during the day and training late into the night.”

Sarah’s Highlights: From Stands to Street Food

“Watching Bardral Urayasu vs Nishinomiya was unreal.”

Sarah’s standout moments included witnessing top-level Japanese futsal firsthand particularly the match between Bardral Urayasu and Nishinomiya and sampling authentic Japanese food and drinks throughout the trip. The blend of culture, competition, and connection left a lasting impact.

Tactical Takeaways

Both players noticed key differences in Japanese futsal compared to New Zealand’s approach especially in tempo and individual skill.

Bee:

Intelligence: “The Japanese players do the little things so well, smart chips over feet, clever checking runs, and great use of body shape.”
Speed of Play: “Movements were sharp and fast, with quick shifts in tempo. Everything was done efficiently.”

Sarah:

1v1 Mastery: “Futsal in Japan feels like 1v1s all over the court. You have to be confident attacking or defending in any position.”
Body Movement: “How you move — even without the ball — can earn you that extra second or space. Feints and checking made a huge difference.”

Key Differences: NZ vs. Japan

Structure & Frequency: Japan has a well-established year-round futsal league system, with clubs training multiple times a week, similar to football structures in NZ.
Training Focus: Japanese trainings emphasised 1v1 and 2v2 scenarios, repeated over and over to refine technique and sharpness.
Tactical Style: The Japanese game is compact and fast. Players constantly move off the ball to create space, using quick short passes to progress play often with the pivot dropping in. In contrast, NZ relies more on long balls and a higher pivot.
Defensive Approach: Pressing in Japan is full of intent, fast, physical, and committed. In NZ, pressing tends to be more cautious, sometimes giving too much respect to the ball carrier.

We got to meet Higor Pires, Futsal Goalkeeper for the Japan Men’s National team.

Final Thoughts

“This trip was truly unforgettable — one I’ll always treasure. I can’t wait to go to Japan again.” – Bee

From technique to tempo, culture to connection, this journey proved that futsal is more than a game, it's a global language. And the lessons learned in Japan will continue to shape their game, both on and off the court.

A Futsal Journey in Japan - Part 2