The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team captured the attention of the entire nation last summer with their late-game heroics and stunning come-from-behind win over Brazil.   However, with all eyes on the U.S. team in the World Cup final, it was Japan that will be remembered as world champions.

Japan, a nation still recovering from the devastating effects of a massive earthquake which caused a catastrophic tsunami, made a meteoric rise to win claim the world title. Even a cursory review shows that the surge of Japan’s national teams– both men and women – is nothing short of spectacular.

Closer examination may lead to the discovery that an American is playing a key role in Japan’s soccer success.

You see, Tom Byer is known as one of the best youth development coaches in Japan. He has presented more than 2,000 soccer clinics throughout that nation, reaching for more than 500,000 youth players, coaches and parents during the past 20 years. His introduction of Coerver Coaching has changed how soccer is taught in the country.

Moreover, Byer is truly a media darling in Japan.  He has appeared in Japan’s No. 1 comic book, Coro Coro Comic, for more than 13 years. He also is featured on Ohasuta, Japan’s biggest television show for children.  Simply put, Byer has made soccer highly  popular among Japanese children, and its impact is being felt Japan’s presence on the international stage.

Perhaps you will want to follow Byer at the 2012 NSCAA Convention, which will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center Jan. 11-15.  He will be featured in both classroom and field sessions, including "Insight into Japanese Youth Development for Men and Women" at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, and again at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Byer shared his plans for his lecture and field session at the NSCAA Convention.

“My lectures will focus clearly on the state of soccer in Japan,” Byer said.  “And why not?

“Japanese youth soccer development is being talked about throughout the world these days. In 2011 alone, the Japan Men’s National Team won the Asian Cup and the Japan U-17 Men’s National Team finished above France and Argentina in their group at the U-17 World Cup.

“We all know that the Japan Women's National Team won the FIFA Women's World Cup.  However, their women’s youth teams also won the AFC U-19 Tournament and AFC U-16 Tournament!"

So how did the Japan Women’s Team pull off one of the biggest surprise upsets against the United States?

“I hope to show the NSCAA coaches at the Convention.  I will give a presentation geared toward demonstrating how the Japanese have developed programs which connect grassroots and youth development, elite player identification and training, in cooperation with professional teams and national team to programs to produce results."

“There’s no denying they have produced results.   I will dive in to the most interesting story as it relates to Japan and that is how the Japan women became World Cup champions with very few resources and a tiny population of girls who play the game!”

As always, Byer will have your attention.  He got the attention of the New York Times when he posted a story about his thoughts and role in the development of soccer in Japan. 

Byer also took the time to preview his field session at the NSCAA Convention, “The Importance of Technical Coaching,” which will be held in Exhibit Hall D at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13..

“Soccer is about speed of decisions and critically technical speed,” Byer said, as he explained that the recent success of Spain confirms this.  “The modern game must develop technical players at all positions. There are on average 200 1 v. 1 situations that occur during a game. Players must acquire technics to prepare for these sequences.

“At this year’s Convention I hope to demonstrate that the speed of technique is equally important as decision-making speed.”

Byer outlines several objectives he hopes to accomplish in Kansas City during his field session.

“I plan to show different attacking 1 v. 1 options and how importing it is to dedicate thousands of hours to developing this technique.  I also want to break down the importance of possession games with direction.  This allows young players to further develop individual technique.

Byer also will demonstrate four key components of a soccer player:

1) Develop Perception (environment);
2) Decision (mental process);
3) Execution (technique); and how
4) Soccer response time = movement (physical) + reaction (mental/decision).

“I really hope to be able to show the coaches how players should cope with 1 v. 2 situations,” Byer said.  “These outnumbered situations appear more in modern soccer and Japan demonstrated on numerous occasions in the Women’s World Cup how to get out of them and be successful.”

There’s no mistaking that fact.  And, there’s no mistaking Byer’s role in Japan’s success.  Many should follow the “Pied Piper” in Kansas City and see for themselves.

Learn more about other coaches conducting sessions in Kansas City including: Tom Byer, Jim Cassell, Mike Curry, Theresa Echtermeyer, Jill Ellis, April Heinrichs, Mark Verstegen, Schellas Hyndman, Vanessa Martinez Lagunas, Kevin McGreskin, Tom Sermanni, Sam Snow, Taylor Twellman, Peter Vermes, Frank Wormuth and Eric Wynalda.

You still have time to sign up and join us at the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City. Head over to the registration page and register today!

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