Kasmira Engichy

For PDN

Thirty-four athletes from Osaka Gakuin University got together with the Southern Cowboys men's team on Sunday for Guam's favorite sport (barbecue) and another favorite (football), thanks to a pit bull who decided to bite a shitzu.

That's how Janet Aguon and Hiroshi Katsumata describe their chance encounter on the beach when walking their dogs one day. After dealing with the dogs, the two started talking: Katsumata, a manager at the Onward Beach Resort told Aguon, a manager at IT&E, about the group he was hosting and sponsoring.

The university's American football team had come to Guam every year for the last 10 years, spending two weeks of R&R and also hoping to learn some football. The closest they came was last year, when they worked out with some local rugby players, said Aguon. But she knew a few people who played American football on Guam and that's how the ball started rolling.

The two worked with Osaka University Head Coach Kenichi Kotani and got IT&E to sponsor. They met with Ivan Shiroma and the new Cowboys team and little by little, the perfect event fell into place.

Ivan Shiroma, president of the Guam Youth Football League, gave the athletes use of the field and summed it up as a goodwill practice.

"They’re just learning some stuff from our side and we also learn from them," he said.

The Cowboys head coach, J.P. Taijeron, says this year is the first time the Cowboys has had a men’s team. He said he was honored by the invitation to help with a college team. The teams worked on fundamentals, speed drills, and even their network.

“My guys here are all very grateful and I’m pretty sure they have made some friends here that will be friends for life," said Taijeron.

Jim Oehlerking, IT&E CEO, said, “It came out really well. We look for every opportunity to get involved with the community and these types of cultural exchanges between Guam and Japan and sports in general is just great for everybody.”

Tristan Graydon, a freshman defensive lineman from California playing in Osaka, was happy everything worked out like it did.

“I love it, I miss America and I love this place. It’s nice because when I’m back at the university I don’t really get chances to speak English," he said. "It’s nice to get out and actually talk a bit.”

He translated for his teammate, Shunski Ohno, who said: “I had a good time. This is the best time that I’ve had in Guam.”