Biola Women's Soccer Kicks It In Japan

Erin Brunelle's side partners with the So Cal Seahorses for a two week missions trip to Iwata and Osaka, Japan

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Biola Women's Soccer team returned to La Mirada on Aug. 9 for their first practice after partnering with the So. Cal Seahorses for a two week missions trip to Iwata and Osaka, Japan.

During the missions trip, the team focused on offering clinics to Japanese youth and scrimmaging with local club teams and universities in hopes of building relationships and evangelizing. After games or scrimmages the team socialized with their hosts over a meal, regularly delivered testimonies and performed skits and songs.

"Through the Seahorses we partnered with two local churches who scheduled matches for us with some really good teams," said Head Coach Erin Brunelle. "We used soccer as a way to make it easier to open the door for the gospel in Osaka and Iwata through the relationships we built and through the respect we showed for the people we played in matches against."

Coach Brunelle's squad hopes the time they spent in Japan will have a lasting impact on the people they met, since it has already given them such a meaningful experience.

"Our main focus was to just build relationships," said senior captain Taylor Venegas. "It was a different experience from what I was expecting because we were not focused on immediate results. I am very grateful for the opportunity to partner with the ministries and churches doing work to bring people in Japan to Christ."

Senior midfielder Mariah Ziemer reiterated Venegas' sentiment and expressed how thankful she was to experience the trip with her team.

"I couldn't think of any better way to kick off my senior season," said Ziemer. "Experiencing Japan and doing ministry with the Seahorses was such a stretching yet incredible adventure, so getting to process each day's events with my team was so encouraging."

Brunelle also alluded to the positive impact she thinks the trip will have of the coming season.

"Spending 24 hours a day together as a team really accelerated the formation of team chemistry," said Brunelle. "They have already had to overcome the difficulties of traveling internationally together and adjust to the flexibility of a missions trip. I'm proud of the way our team looked out for each other."

To see additional pictures and to get more information on the day-by-day happenings of the trip, visit the tour blog at http://seahorsesinjapan.blogspot.com/.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Taylor Venegas: Fwd; 5' 10"; Senior

#11 Mariah Ziemer: MF; 5' 10"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#23 Taylor Venegas
: 5' 10"; Senior
: Fwd

#11 Mariah Ziemer
: 5' 10"; Senior
: MF

Players Mentioned

#23 Taylor Venegas

#11 Mariah Ziemer

Players Mentioned

#23 Taylor Venegas

#11 Mariah Ziemer

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