Acacia Festival Street Hockey Tournament

Blessed with some truly beautiful weather, the third 'Acacia Street Hockey Tournament' was held on June 12, in the special court set-up in the Kokusai Hiroba. This time we had four teams: one from the town of Takanosu, once from Kazuno city, one from the Kosaka Refining and Smelting Co., and our own KIS team.

Apart from the Takanosu team (a veritable powerhouse), most of the participants had never picked up a hockey stick before. With so many beginners, there really wasn't a large skill-gap between the teams. Each game consisted of three ten-minute periods, with a five-minute break in between each.

Maybe it was because of the heat (but more likely because of lack of exercise) but, during the break between periods, many players could be found sprawled out on the ground, totally exhausted. There were also many people, who hadn't really planned on playing, but once they watched the game for a while, grabbed a stick and subbed in; "it's no fun just watching!" (Actually, I had only planned on watching myself, but I joined the game for a few minutes).
At the beginning of the game, it was pretty much a scramble for control of the ball, and very few shots on net. Before long however, there were some fine displays of sharp passing and shooting; with some beautiful saves by the goalies, who seemed to be getting praise even from their opponents. The crowd started to get into the game as well, with many cheers of support erupting from the sidelines.
At the end of the tournament, Takanosu came out on top, with a convincing performance;
Kosaka Refining and Smelting Co. came in second; the KIS team in third; and the Kazuno team in fourth. Regardless of the standings, I think that everybody had a good time.
(Please be advised, this was the blatantly biased opinion of one of the members of the organising committee, A. Anbo).

Next, let's hear from one of the participants who had never played hockey before, Mr. Sasaki.

First off, I'd like to thank you for letting me play in the hockey tournament; I'm not a KIS member, but I really had fun playing with the KIS team. I especially thought that it was amazing to watch Raymond play. It would be fair to say that he scored almost all of the KIS team goals. By the way, I should confess that I scored a goal on my own team; thanks to me, we didn't make it to the final. However, I did enjoy a wonderful day in the sun; got some exercise; and, I must say that the wine we received for coming in third was pretty tasty. If I have the opportunity, I would definitely like to participate in another KIS event; maybe you'll see me at the Halloween costume party.

Changing the subject, I understand that you are trying to involve high school students in your International Society activities. As a matter of fact, two of my students in my class at Towada Junior High School (actually they are the only two students in my class) were able to take part in the KIS-sponsored youth trip to France in the spring. When I was in my second year of University, I went to a homestay in Germany on a sports exchange. I think that it's wonderful for students to experience many things when they are young (you can bend the twig, but not the tree).

Once again, thank you for organising the hockey tournament; I had an enjoyable time, and made many new friends. I wish you continued success in your future events. Lastly, I really do think it would be a good idea to organise an overseas trip for ADULTS (young at heart).

Champions: Takanosu team	Second: Kosaka Refining and Smelting Co. team
Third: Kosaka International Society team	Last (but not least): Kazuno City Hall team