Football dreams in the heart of Japan

Maebashi Ikuei High School (群馬育英学園 前橋育英高等学校) is located in the unassuming city of Maebashi, capital of Gunma prefecture, which lies just over an hour’s Shinkansen ride from central Tokyo.

The school is recognised nationwide for the quality of its sports department, with its football program in particular being one of the most successful and respected in the country.

To date the program has produced 105 professional football players, 2 World Cup team members and 2 Olympic squad members.

Over the span of 3 days in December 2022 I was part of a documentary crew shadowing members of the squad and key staff as they prepared for a key match.

What follows is a look behind the curtain at the rigors of high-school football and the players trying to balance their academics and the allure of professional sports.

Please look out for the documentary coming soon