Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning and a group of student-athletes will visit Tokyo, Japan later this summer as part of the Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase presented by Flight Club, the school announced April 27.
Division Street Events, a sport venture company founded to create marketing opportunities for UO athletes, and the Japan Gridiron Association partnered to set up the event aimed at “introducing the excitement of 7-on-7 American football within the Japanese community.”
Lanning and a group of Duck athletes including Dante Moore, Dakorien Moore, Jamari Johnson, Jeremiah McClellan, Evan Stewart, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. will visit Tokyo June 25-27.
“The Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase continues our legacy of creating innovative programs for student-athletes that are unmatched in the industry,” Division Street CEO Rosemary St. Clair said in a press release. “This event will be a celebration of how sport transcends borders and creates lasting cultural connections. Our goal is to introduce Oregon athletes and the Duck football brand to Japanese fans and establish a foundation of excitement and fan engagement that we can build on in future years.”
The press release says American football has been played in Japan for more than 100 years and flag football is incredibly popular, but the concept of 7-on-7 competition is new.
Oregon athletes will participate in a live exhibition to demonstrate fundamental skills, core concepts and techniques and Lanning will lead a coaches clinic covering basic route combinations, offensive concepts and broader tactical strategies.
“The opportunity to represent the University of Oregon in Tokyo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lanning said. “Football has taken all of us to incredible places, and it will be special to connect with players and coaches who love this game as much as we do. We are excited to share how we approach the game and to be part of something that’s much bigger than one trip.”
The event will take place at The American School in Japan, and Division Street plans to explore the potential for launching a more permanent league concept for youth and high school players while there.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon football’s Dan Lanning to hold coaches clinic, showcase in Japan