Johan Cruyff Foundation to launch the first Cruyff Court in Asia
Field dedicated to Japanese football star Keisuke Honda
Kanazawa, Amsterdam 24th February 2011 - The Johan Cruyff Foundation and Seacon Logistics, the sponsor of the Dutch football club VVV-Venlo, and the city of Kanazawa have signed an agreement for the creation of a Cruyff Court in Kanazawa, Japan. The playground will be dedicated to Keisuke Honda and arises from the cooperation with Japanese members of the municipality Kanazawa and various football associations. The playground is to be constructed because the Dutch company Seacon Logistics wishes to make a contribution to Japan and Japanese youth.
Cruyff Courts are public playgrounds that give children back their play area and are one of the projects from the Johan Cruyff Foundation, the foundation that was established as a result of Johan Cruyff's aspiration to get children moving. There are over 100 courts all over the world and this playground will be the first in Asia. Carole Thate, director Johan Cruyff Foundation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of the Cruyff Court Keisuke Honda. This was done together with Hai Berden Managing Director of Seacon Logistics, and members of the city of Kanazawa, the Ishikawa Football Association (IFA), the Kanazawa Football Association (KFA) and Zweig Kanazawa FC. The signing of the agreement marks the start of construction of the playground. It is expected to open in the summer of this year and by Keisuke Honda.
Playground boost for youth football The Cruyff Foundation, in cooperation with interested parties, opted for Kanazawa, because Keisuke Honda played football here during his youth. In addition, because the Cruyff Court is being developed in the Ishikawa Prefecture region, the playground can provide a boost for (youth) football in Ishikawa. The Cruyff Court will be part of the Johoku Public Athletic Park in Kanazawa, where the stadium of Zweigen Kanazawa FC is located. An important activation process will start after the construction of the playground. The Kanazawa and Ishikawa Football Association will organize activities on the court. The Japan Football Association (JFA) supports the project as well.
Carole Thate, director of the Johan Cruyff Foundation, is looking forward to the first Asian Cruyff Court: “This Cruyff Court is a great example of cooperation between different parties from the Netherlands and Japan, including Seacon, Kanazawa City and the local football clubs and federations. They are not only building the field, but they also play a crucial role in the activation of the playground for the youth."
Hai Berden is very happy with the first Cruyff Court in Japan: “Keisuke Honda has become a phenomenon at VVV-Venlo and has opened many doors for Japanese football talents who want to break through in Europe. We’d like to give the Japanese youth a fun and save place to play football with the Cruyff Court in Kanazawa. Seacon has a special connection with Japan and we’re happy to show that in this was.”
Mr. Yamano, Mayor of Kanazawa: “It is a great honor, and I am very pleased that Kanazawa will establish Asia’s first Cruyff Court. By creating an environment where children can freely enjoy playing football, I greatly expect that it will lead to an expansion of football matches, an improvement of our competitive power, and an increase in player numbers. I would like to deeply thank the Johan Cruyff Foundation, Seacon Logistics, and everyone else involved with this project for all their efforts on the occasion of establishing this Cruyff Court. I also would like to wish for Keisuke Honda’s success in the future.”
Keisuke Honda Keisuke Honda is a Japanese international and played at VVV-Venlo in the Netherlands from January 2008 to January 2010. He was voted best player in the Jupiter League and achieved promotion to the Dutch Premier League with VVV Venlo. Halfway through the 2009 – 2010 season he was transferred to CSKA Moscow. Keisuke Honda is extremely happy with the Cruyff Court dedicated to him, especially taking into account the encouraging role of the Cruyff Court will have for the football playing Japanese youth.
About the Johan Cruyff Foundation The Johan Cruyff Foundation was established in 1997 as a result of Johan Cruyff's aspiration to get children moving. Since its launch in 1997, the Johan Cruyff Foundation has grown into an organisation that keeps youth in motion every day. The Foundation does this by building Cruyff Courts (public playgrounds that give children back their play area), by supporting sports projects for children with disabilities and organising unique sporting events for youth. www.cruyff-foundation.org
About Seacon Logistics Seacon Logistics is a supply chain manager with a maritime orientation, providing full logistical services in the total network of its customers’ supply chains. In close cooperation with key partners in the world’s major ports, Seacon Logistics handles every aspect of import, export, forwarding and warehousing of full containers, project and part loads as well as air cargo. Seacon is also head sponsor of VVV-Venlo, the former club of Keisuke Honda. Resulting from that relationship, Seacon cooperates with the Cruyff Foundation and through the cooperation Seacon is donating the Cruyff Court Keisuke Honda to the city of Kanazawa. www.seaconlogistics.com