Soccer at Yokohama Country and Athletic Club
I photographed more soccer on 20 March 2021. There were two Footy Japan Competition games that day. But this article is only about one of them. The teams involved were Division 2 Jetro FC and Suns FC. Both were very good and aggressive. It was great for sports photography.
This time the venue would not be in Tokyo or Saitama. It would be in Kanagawa Prefecture. It was roughly a two-hour journey to the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club (YC&AC) from my house. Yes, it was a little far.
YC&AC club is a fantastic facility. It is on a hilltop in the southern area of Yokohama. The club isn’t only about soccer; there are facilities for various sports. You can play cricket, swimming, snooker, tennis, and many others.
The club got its start thanks to Scottish cricketer James Pender Mollison. He founded the Yokohama Cricket Club way back in 1868. It was in the middle of Yokohama Park, not too far away. As the name suggests, it was only about one sport.
Due to its popularity, the club absorbed various clubs. Yokohama Foot Ball Club (Rugby Union), athletics, baseball, and tennis clubs were among them. The new group was named Yokohama Country & Athletic Club.
In 1912 YC&AC moved to Yamate. Now, the club is on top of a hill with views of the port of Yokohama and the bay. I doubt you could find a better facility in Kanagawa.
Let’s get back to the game. I arrived ten minutes before it began. Quickly I introduced myself to the referee, Kazu, a very welcoming man, and rushed to get ready. It wasn’t until the half-time break I turned around to see the view.
When I did, I got a pleasant surprise. That view I talked about earlier? It was good! There were lots of big ships at the port and out on the water.
And the teams’ outfits? Jetro were resplendent in their blue uniforms. The Suns looked equally good in their brilliant yellow shirts and black shorts.
As usual, the game was over in a flash. It ended with the Suns winning 3-1. Luckily, I had one more soccer game to photograph after it. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Fujifilm gear used for Country and Athletic Club:
- Camera Body: X-T3
- Lens: XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related websites
- Footy Japan Competitions (official website)