My name is SUZUKI Konomi, and I am the head coach of the U-17 and U-20 Northern Mariana Islands National Teams.

Life abroad - differences in everyday life, culture and environment
I had never lived abroad before moving to the Northern Mariana Islands, but thanks to the support of many people, I have been able to live a fulfilling life every day. When I face a small problem and thank a local person for helping me, I am often told: “You are our family, it is only natural that we help our family.” People here tend to have close relationships with each other, which I think is one of the great things about the Northern Mariana Islands.

Daily football activities
We usually train three times a week as a national team because the club teams do not hold practices very often. There are a limited number of players over the age of 20, as many leave the islands to attend university in the mainland United States, so the national team is split into two teams: the U-20+ national team and the U-17 national team. And since I've been appointed head coach of the U-17 and U-20 men's national teams, I get to help train both teams. Because we operate like a club team, one of the advantages is that we get to see the development of the players on a daily basis and work with the local coaches to make daily adjustments based on the players' reactions and level of understanding. In addition, as our training involves players of all ages, from youth to national team players, we all need to work with respect for each other. .....

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