Geoff Collins, Temple players heading to Japan to teach football
In an effort to grow the game of football, Temple coach Geoff Collins is heading to Japan to lead a handful of clinics. And he’s bringing some of his players with him.
Eight players — seniors Michael Dogbe, Frank Nutile and Jaelin Robinson, juniors Shaun Bradley, Linwood Crump and Isaiah Wright, and sophomores Dan Archibong and Matt Hennessy — will accompany Collins on a nine-day trip to Japan later this month. The players were chosen “based on exemplary academic performance, leadership and service to Temple and the larger community,” said Dr. Jeremy Jordan, the associate dean of Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.
The group is scheduled to leave Philadelphia on May 11 and return on May 20. The trip, which includes visits to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, is part of Temple’s effort to support collegiate athletics in Japan. It will also be a component of a three-credit summer course, “Sport, Culture and Tourism in Japan,” for the group.
Collins was originally asked to travel to Japan and spearhead football coaching clinics on player safety, but the endeavor grew from there. Jordan enlisted Collins to participate in the clinics as part of a two-year, on-going effort by Temple University to support college athletics in Japan. The intended goal is to assist Japan’s higher education to restructure its college athletics. Currently, many universities empower 30-40 sports to participate at the club level with no funding other than participants’ entry fees.
The players will help lead football clinics at Hosei and Kansai Universities, visit the U.S. Embassy, the University of Tokyo, a Tokyo Giants baseball game, temples and shrines and even a sumo wrestling tournament.
“This is going to be a great experience for our players,” Collins said. “They’ve earned this opportunity by all they do for our university on the field, in the classroom, and in the great city of Philadelphia. I’m looking forward to experiencing a new culture and sharing our knowledge of football to those in Japan eager to learn. I know our players will have a great time and serve as tremendous ambassadors for Temple and our football program.”
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Sam Cooper is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
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