Voices from Parents

Coach Takao is truly a master at naturally bringing out children’s motivation and that inner spark of “I want to get better!”As a parent, I was deeply moved and amazed by the clear difference between teaching and true coaching — something I hadn’t fully understood before.A coach who can do this is truly rare and valuable.He’s always cheerful, gives his all, and I trust him completely.

Thanks to Coach Takao’s motto of “Let’s enjoy soccer together!”, there are always smiles on our child’s face. Under the watchful and caring eye of his favorite coach, our son plays freely and with confidence — he’s more passionate about soccer than ever. The lessons are not just about improving skills. They also nurture kindness, a positive attitude, and teamwork with his peers. We recently had the chance to join an online lesson, and it was incredibly engaging — the kids stayed focused and fully involved until the very end. Coach Takao genuinely values each and every child. As a parent, I feel so grateful and reassured to have such a wonderful coach guiding our son. We truly appreciate everything, and look forward to what’s ahead.

Our son Kai started his football journey with Coach Takao at the age of 3 years and 11 months in October 2020. Football did not come naturally or easily for Kai in the beginning as he had a lot of time off with illness and acute Asthma in 2021 and it was not until 2022 where he could return to regular training of 3-4 times a week. What we always remember during that on and off period was the warm welcome back from Coach Takao and the mantra to “never give up” which is something that Kai still believes in till this day.

Coach Takao is not only an amazing coach, he is a wonderful teacher and role model. The football coaching is technically brilliant, however it’s the other teaching aspects that make his training so special including the importance of teamwork, kindness, passion, challenging yourself, discipline, and all the while making it super fun for all involved.

The time Coach Takao invests in each child is from the heart and you can see how much he cares for the development of each one of his students. The care provided by Coach Takao extends outside of football too. Events which he has organised all on his own time have been so special for the children and their families. The indoor rock climbing event is one which is close to our hearts. Kai overcame his fear of heights that day. The encouragement he received from Coach Takao and his football teammates saw him grow in confidence over a few hours where he eventually made his way to the top with that “never give up” mindset.

Coach Takao has used his gift in football to bring so many people together, particularly within the Japanese community in Sydney. So many friendships have developed between children (football teammates) and their families. We are forever grateful to Coach Takao and he will always have a special place in our hearts.

Coach Takao was our sons’ very first coach. Through his guidance, they not only discovered the joy of playing soccer, but also learned the importance of perseverance and the value of teamwork. That foundation became their driving force, and even now—at 19 and 16 years old—they continue playing in the NPL. There were times when continuing soccer became difficult, but Coach Takao’s support helped them through. In recent years, he has also helped broaden their perspective as coaches themselves, teaching them how to communicate with and support younger players. We are truly grateful for everything they have learned through soccer with Coach Takao.

Coach Takao’s training sessions are designed in a way that naturally draws out children’s motivation. Before they even realize it, they’re completely engaged and having fun. He skillfully uses a variety of coaching techniques to bring out each child’s potential, and I truly believe he is an exceptional coach. This kind of coaching isn’t something just anyone can do — it’s something only Coach Takao can offer, and it makes a real difference.

My son started his soccer journey with coach Takao since 2019 when he’s 7. He has since developed his love and passion for soccer and til this day he’s still asking for training with Takao coach. Not only training with Takao coach is fun, but Joey develops solid foundations in soccer and resilience in games that he brings them forward to his own soccer team. I’m very grateful and feeling lucky that we found Takao coach as Joey’s soccer coach.

My son used to struggle with expressing his feelings. But through Coach Takao’s encouraging words and positive attitude, I can see gradual changes in him. During games, he now calls out to his teammates—like saying “Pass!”—something he never used to do. Coach Takao is giving him experiences he couldn’t get just by playing with family. That’s the mark of a true professional!

In the past, children often played together in parks with older or younger kids, through baseball or soccer. But in today’s world, natural cross-age interaction is much harder to come by. That’s why I really appreciate PFC’s philosophy—allowing kids to enjoy soccer as a form of extended play while connecting across age groups in a fun and meaningful way.

My son has been receiving coaching from Coach Takao since he was four years old. Thanks to his guidance, my son was selected to join the Northern Suburbs representative team, the Northern Tigers, and is now playing in the U-13 squad. We are truly grateful.

Remarkably, four of his close childhood friends—who also trained under Coach Takao from a young age—are now teammates on the same squad. This is a true reflection of Coach Takao’s impact and coaching ability.

What stands out the most is his warm, caring, and student-centered approach. The kids genuinely feel that love and support, and it’s from that foundation that strong, confident players are being nurtured.

I truly believe Coach Takao will be remembered as someone who played a key role in the journey of many young Japanese-background players growing up in Sydney.
– M.C

When my son joined a soccer team at age three, he couldn’t adjust and ended up quitting. Even though he wanted to play, he couldn’t participate — and those days continued for a while. Then PFC was launched, and he joined right away. Now, he looks forward to seeing Coach Takao every week, and it brings me so much joy to watch him grow and improve in soccer day by day.

My child wasn’t very confident when it came to running, but Coach Takao focused on what he could do, praised his efforts, and helped him grow with encouragement. What really stood out was how the coaching extended beyond the field—he taught that soccer starts in daily life, even in small things like polishing your own shoes. Through this, we’ve seen real growth in our child, both on and off the field.

In 2021, shortly after we moved to Sydney, a friend’s mother introduced us to Mate FC, and my son joined his very first soccer lesson at the age of five. From the very beginning, Coach Takao welcomed us with warmth and positivity. He always created a fun, engaging atmosphere that made it easy for my son to feel at home — he quickly adapted and began looking forward to training each week.

Early on, he was invited to join matches with older age groups. After several games where he couldn’t even touch the ball, something changed — his competitive spirit was ignited. He told us he wanted to quit all other activities and focus solely on soccer. He began attending the Unlimited program, going to training nearly every day.

He would even rush straight from school, hoping to arrive early just to have extra one-on-one time with Coach Takao. Soccer became his life — not only because he loved the game, but because he wanted to see Coach Takao.

Coach Takao’s support extends beyond the children — he warmly includes parents too. As a parent, I always felt welcomed, and never once have I heard anything negative said about him. His coaching ability is outstanding, but so is his character. That’s why even now, as my son trains at an academy, we never forget where it all began.

The footwork and mentality built under Coach Takao’s guidance continue to be praised in his current team. My son’s love for soccer — a true driving force — would not have grown this deeply without Coach Takao.

Thanks to that foundation, he has won national tournaments, been selected for European tours, and even excelled in cross country running — making it to the state championships every year. I believe it all began with the extra running and training after soccer sessions with Coach Takao.

His coaching is full of love, energy, and fun. That balance is something only Coach Takao can provide. Although we can’t attend PFC regularly now due to distance and academy commitments six days a week, we always plan to return during school holidays.

As my son’s very first coach, Coach Takao holds a special place in our hearts. We are forever grateful and will always cherish this connection.

Our younger son has a strong personality and often struggles with group settings. He also finds it hard to express his own feelings clearly, so even as parents, it’s not always easy to encourage him. But Coach Takao has a special way of connecting with him and bringing out his motivation. Even though he’s always liked soccer, he used to be reluctant to join. But now, he says he wants to do “Coach Takao’s soccer” and happily takes part in every session. There are times when he gets upset or starts to cry when things don’t go well, but Coach Takao always responds with patience and kindness. It’s not easy to find activities where he can truly enjoy himself, so we are deeply thankful to have found a place where he feels understood and supported.

My son took his very first lesson with Coach Takao six years ago, when he was just eight years old. I still clearly remember how Coach Takao brought out his motivation through fun, play-based training that felt like a natural extension of play. Today, he plays for a local club, but we still occasionally ask Coach Takao for private sessions. I truly believe that the reason he has maintained his passion for soccer over the years is because Coach Takao was the one who first lit that spark when he was little. At the very beginning of my son’s soccer journey, there has always been Coach Takao.

タカオコーチは長男の初めてのサッカーのコーチです。まだ右も左もサッカーのルールも何もわからない小さな時に、タカオコーチに出会い1からサッカーについて教わりました。タカオコーチはいつも沢山ポジティブな言葉をかけてくれたり、出来ない事も根気強く丁寧に教えてくれて、そのおかげでどんどんサッカーが好きになり、大きくなった今でも一緒懸命サッカーを続けて頑張っています。今は別の地元のクラブに所属していますが、時間がある時はタカオコーチのビーチトレーニングなどに参加しています。毎回子供達が楽しんでトレーニングが出来るように様々な内容を組み込んでメニューを考えてくれています。
これから新しくサッカーを始めるお子様や今現在サッカーをされているお子様も、タカオコーチのトレーニングは厳しさの中にも、みんなが笑顔になれるような、そんな優しさがいっぱい詰まったトレーニングだと思うので、ぜひ一度体験してみて欲しいです。これからもタカオコーチの活躍を心より応援しています。

Coach Takao was my eldest son’s very first soccer coach. When he was still small and didn’t know anything about the rules of the game, Coach Takao patiently taught him everything from the very beginning. He always offered lots of positive words and kindly took the time to help him through things he couldn’t yet do. Thanks to this, my son grew to love soccer more and more, and even now, as he’s grown older, he continues to play with great dedication.

Although he currently plays for a local club, he still joins Coach Takao’s beach training sessions whenever he has the time. Each session is carefully planned with a variety of engaging activities to make sure the kids have fun while training.

For children who are just starting soccer or those already playing, I truly believe Coach Takao’s sessions are full of both challenge and kindness — the kind that brings out smiles in every child. I encourage anyone to experience his training at least once. We will continue to support Coach Takao and cheer for all that he does.

My son first met Coach Takao when he was around 5 or 6 years old. Through play-based activities, he enjoyed moving his body and interacting with other children his age. It became the foundation for learning important lessons like rules and teamwork — all in a fun and natural way.

Coach Takao also formed a futsal team, and through that, my son joined his first tournament. The joy of winning with his teammates and the frustration of losing were all valuable experiences for both him and us as parents. Looking back, even though it was a busy time in our lives, those moments feel like such meaningful memories — a special time for us as a family.

Now, at 17, my son is still active in sports. I truly believe that the physical foundation he built running and playing in those early years, along with the lessons of teamwork and effort, will carry through not only in sports but also in study, work, and many aspects of life going forward.

While our eldest daughter was studying abroad in Australia, we planned a family trip to visit her. I thought, “If we’re going to Sydney, I want my son to experience soccer there.” That’s how we met Coach Takao. I happened to find Soleil Soccer School on Facebook. Unsure if my message would be understood, I sent it anyway—and was surprised to receive a kind reply in Japanese. He said my son could join right away, or even have a private lesson if the timing didn’t work. We were so happy! He even explained how to buy an Opal card and kindly arranged to meet us at the nearest station. As a mother unfamiliar with traveling abroad, I was nervous, but he supported us every step of the way. My son, then in Grade 5, could hardly introduce himself in English, but was soon playing soccer confidently in English. I felt so glad I had brought him. Even after returning to Japan, we stayed connected through Zoom sessions and social media. I continue to be inspired by Coach Takao’s coaching and parenting. As a parent who values “human strength” above all in raising children, I truly admire how he nurtures that in others. My son and I are deeply grateful, and we look forward to the day he can play soccer again with Coach Takao in Australia.