Reuters: Oddly Enough: Japan train with "rice balls" to sharpen soccer skills

Reuters: Oddly Enough Reuters.com is your source for breaking news, business, financial and investing news, including personal finance and stocks. Reuters is the leading global provider of news, financial information and technology solutions to the world's media, financial institutions, businesses and individuals. // via fulltextrssfeed.com

Japan train with "rice balls" to sharpen soccer skills May 21st 2012, 05:12 TOKYO | Mon May 21, 2012 1:12am EDT TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan have come up with a novel way of preparing themselves for this year's London Olympic men's soccer tournament - training with odd-bouncing triangular 'rice balls.' The balls, shaped like the traditional Japanese 'onigiri' rice ball wrapped in seaweed, were fired at goalkeepers during training at the weekend, local media reported on Monday. "It was good practice," goalkeeper Takuya Masuda told the Nikkan Sports newspaper after a dizzying session trying to stop the oversized lunch snacks. Goalkeeping coach Hisanori Fujiwara said: "The ball is irregular in shape so it behaves irregularly through the air too. It sharpens reactions and helps improve concentration." Japan, who employ various innovative training methods, including playing with volleyballs, face Spain on July 26 in their opening Group D match at the London Olympics before meeting Honduras and Morocco. (Reporting by Alastair Himmer. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

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