Mita: Big step forward for GK program

Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Michiteru Mita, left, is pleased with the awarding of the Asian Football Confederation Level 1 Goalkeeping Coaching Certificates to Raymond Zapanta, right, and Angie Ito. (Guam Football Association)

The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s goalkeeping program took a big stride with the awarding of the Asian Football Confederation certificate to its two coaches.

NMIFA technical director Michiteru Mita said that with Angie Ito and Raymond Zapanta receiving the AFC Level 1 Goalkeeping Coaching Certificate, the association “took a big step forward for our goalkeeping development program.”

“International football is improving fast and the roles of goalkeepers are also changing in the modern football. The goalkeeper, though is just one of the 11 players in the game, needs to learn a specific technique,” said Mita, who also coaches the CNMI Men’s National Team.

“To catch up the international football trend and improve our GK program, we’ve been working hard with Chelsea FC Soccer School Hong Kong coach. Now we have two local coaches that hold AFC GK Level 1 certificate and have the ability and knowledge to coach our youth on the principle of techniques and tactics in goalkeeping,” the NMIFA technical director added.

Ito and Zapanta attended the AFC Level 1 Goalkeeping Coaching Course in Guam in January this year, joining 11 other participants, including Chelsea Hong Kong’s Kwok Kei Poon. The course had former Japan National Team player and professional goalkeeper Yoshio Kato as instructor and covered both the practical and theoretical parts of goalkeeping lessons. The program also incorporates ways to better introduce goalkeeping to players.

“At the AFC goalkeeping course, they are able to teach the fun side of goalkeeping and this will encourage more players to try it,” Mita said.

With Ito and Zapanta certified to teach goalkeeping, the NMIFA officials said they can share their knowledge not only to national players, but also to members of the different clubs on island.

“With our two qualified goalkeeping coaches, we are looking forward to increasing the number of GK in our program. We now have the opportunity to develop more talents,” Mita said.

Meanwhile, the CNMI national team pool’s virtual training sessions are ongoing with the social distancing directive still in affect on Saipan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commonwealth players are doing their best to stay in shape and ready, as they wait for the resumption of games in the local and international level. Before the pandemic hit Saipan, the pool members have been practicing at the TSL Sports Complex (workout) and NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville (regular training) to prepare for the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Football Championship 2021 Round 1. The EAFF event is scheduled for July and September and the new date has yet to be determined because of the uncertainties brought by the COVID-19 crisis.