Higashimurayama City Kasei Elementary School (blind soccer player Shigeo Yoshihara)

July 23, 2019 Blind soccer Paralympian Shigeo Yoshihara visited the Higashimurayama City Kasei Elementary School. In his lecture given to school children, Shigeo Yoshihara talked about his background and practicing various sports for disabled such as blind soccer, cycling and athletics.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

5th and 6th graders could experience a competition with balls and eye masks which are used for blind soccer. In addition to traps, passes and ball-keeping, the children learned how to communicate with each other and how to achieve better team play.

Profile blind soccer player Shigeo Yoshihara
Born in Saitama Prefecture. He suffered from retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 10 and eventually became completely blind. He was ranked 4th in the high jump for visually impaired category at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics and won a bronze medal at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympics. In 1998, he switched to cycling and won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, marking a new world record at that time, and a silver medal in sprint. Following, he switched to blind soccer. In 2007, he was convened by the Japanese national team and achieved a hat-trick at the Asian Championships in Malaysia. In 2011, he launched the blind soccer team “Nogizaka Knights” and is since then also active as a coach.