Nadeshiko Japan

　　"Nadeshiko Japan" is the nickname of Japan's national team of women's soccer. The Japanese word, "Nadeshiko," is the word for paying tribute to the beauty and spiritual strength of Japanese women. That Nadeshiko won the gold medal at the World Cup. It was an epoch-making victory. They beat the certified champions of the U.S.A.
　　The kick-off was at 3:45 in the morning in Japan. Though it was early morning, lots of enthusiastic supporters cheered them all the way from Japan. Almost all the supporters gave up the game twice, but Nadeshiko managed to catch up twice. The second equalizer was just a few minutes before the end of the game. It was really dramatic. The game deserved to be watched, putting up with the drowsiness.
　　What I was most surprised with was their hearty smiles just before the penalty shootout. I wondered how strong their spiritual backbones were able to relax and keep cool on such a serious occasion. I admire their achievement from the bottom of my heart.
　　I have something I'd like you to know. Most of Nadeshiko's members aren't professional players. They work in the daytime as a cashier, a clerk or various part-time workers. They simply have loved soccer and finally clinched the championship of the World Cup. Their victory encouraged people who live in the devastated area from the tsunami. I felt the existence of God.

(Vocabulary)
equalize　[他]（数・量・価値など）を均一にする, 同等にする／[自](英) (サッカーで) 同点に追いつく
drowsiness.  眠気
penalty shootout  《サッカー》 ＰＫ戦
certified 誰もが認める
equalizer 平等にするもの / (英) 同点ゴール
a great equalizer  平等化に大いに役立つもの
Sports are a great equalizer in schools. 学校ではスポーツが生徒の平等化に大いに役立っている．

(Vocabulary from comments)
hearten 《[他]通例受け身形で》〈人〉に希望を与える
be heartened to see/find/know  …を見て［…とわかって，…と知って］希望がわく
sicken
1 [他] 〈人〉 に憤りを抱かせる, 嫌悪感を与える
it sickens sb (that)   …ということは＜人＞を腹立たせる
It sickens me that someone could lie like that. あんなうそをつける人間がいたなんて腹が立つよ．
2 [他] …に吐きけを催させる, をむかむかさせる
be sickening for sth   どこか具合が悪い
sicken of sth [句動詞]  ＜…＞がいやになる, にうんざりする
excel (人が）抜きんでる, 秀でる
excel at/in sth
She really excels at sport.　彼女は本当にスポーツに秀でている．
despise  …を軽べつする, 見下す, 嫌悪する
prance  ぴょんぴょん跳ねながら歩く
basket  (バスケットボールの) 1ゴール, 得点
about  (目的・意義などについて) …のためで, …を意味して, …ということで
To me, art is about expressing emotions.  私にとって芸術とは感情の表現だ.
be all about (doing) sth 〈仕事・活動などの〉目指すところは＜…＞（すること）にある
My job is all about helping people.  私の仕事の目的は人助けにある.
This is what education is all about. これこそ教育の目標とするところだ.
template 手本, 見本, モデル
aggrandizement [U](けなして・フォーマル) (権力・重要性などの) 拡大, (地位などを) 高めること
self-aggrandizement [名] [U](けなして) 自己の誇張
cheapen …の品位を落とす, 安っぽくする
cheapen yourself (by doing sth)  （＜…＞することで）自分の品位を落とす
implied  暗に示された, 含意された, 暗黙の
fortitude  不屈の精神

Comments

[KUMO]

>Shiroi_Tora

Thank you. You have the same opinion as I about professional sports and I got new expressions.

[Shiroi Tora]

I am glad such worthy players had won. Although I had not seen any of the matches, your description of the player's conduct under pressure heartens me.

I stopped watching sports decades ago...especially the Olympics...when Anabolic Steroid usage became obvious to me. Such cheating sickens me.
I hate seeing team sports turned into an ego fest of a few (American sports excel in this aspect). I despise poor sportsmanship...a poor winner, even more so, than a poor loser. The dancing and prancing done after a simple touch down or basket is simply a demonstration of poor moral behavior.

Sports are all about the conquering of the self. The sacrifice and drive necessary to excel in sports is a template to follow (correct morals) to excel in life. When people do it for greed and self aggrandizement...it greatly cheapens the experience.

By the way you have described the Japanese players...the sacrifice they must have made in their lives (not professionals) and their participation in sports because of their love for it...makes them especially worthy of the championship. It is for these reasons that I am glad they had won. It is their implied moral fortitude that makes them true champions.