With his natural leadership ability and strikingly accurate passing skills, Takuya Yamada enjoyed a 20-year professional soccer career. The midfielder and defender played on several teams in his native Japan and the United States and represented his country in international competitions before retiring in 2017.
Now Yamada is heading to Queens where he will be the special coach at Blue United FC on Saturday, March 29. The training session will start at 4 pm with autographs and a Q&A scheduled for 5 pm.
Open to current members and first-time participants, the event will take place at Socceroof LIC at 36-39 35th St., which is the home facility for Blue United, the first Japanese-style academy in New York City. Open to children (ages five to 13) from any cultural background, Blue United teaches soccer, of course, but coaches also emphasize Japanese cultural values, such as hard work, respect, punctuality, teamwork, humility, and attention to detail.
Recruiting is going on now with four-month ($742.72) and one-year ($1,815.99) memberships and the option for families to try the program through single-session ($40) trials. Practices are on Saturdays from 4 pm to 5 pm. Click here for all the options.
More about Blue United and Socceroof
Blue United is an international business development company with headquarters in New York City and Tokyo and branches around the world. Clients include City Football Group, Sevilla FC, MLS, Kashima Antlers, J.League, and Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting. As it’s new to Queens, it’s looking to recruit youngsters for its programs, but it’s also looking to partner with local businesses. Engagement could include jersey sponsorship, event activation, brand visibility, and social media promotions.
Ryuji Miyamatsu, who came up through the Jubilo Iwata Academy, is Blue United’s head coach. Other staffers include Keiichi Ito, who played for the University of Tokyo Association Football Club; Taishi Fujita, who represented Fujieda Higashi High School and Keio University; and Takehiko Nakamura, who honed his skills at the Aoyama Gakuin University.
Socceroof is a state-of-the-art facility with four indoor turf fields and bright lighting. Spectators can hang out in a lounge area with a coffee shop and bar. The closest subway stations are 36 St on the E, F, M, and R lines and 36 Av on the N and W lines.
Images: Blue United