English through Rugby
Lineout calls, scrum instructions, medical and referee English. Built for high-school and university squads with overseas fixtures, and for players targeting trials abroad.
View the manualEnglish through Tennis, Football and Rugby — for Japan.
Topball ESL / ESP English School trains English as a performance skill for junior athletes: on court, on the pitch, and in the classroom. We are opening partnerships with Japanese clubs, academies, schools and universities that need players and coaching staff to operate confidently in English.
Why Japan, and why now
Japanese rugby, football and tennis all now operate in international environments — foreign coaches on the training ground, overseas fixtures, trials and academies abroad, and English-medium university pathways. The language gap is rarely grammar knowledge; it is the ability to use English fast, out loud, under pressure.
That is precisely what a sport-based ESP programme trains. Instructions, corrections, medical language, referee interaction and post-match interviews are all rehearsed in the environment where they are actually needed.
- · Junior squads with foreign coaching staff
- · Players targeting overseas trials, camps and scholarships
- · Schools and eikaiwa wanting a genuine differentiator
- · Eiken, IELTS and TOEFL pathways with a speaking focus
Three sport pathways
Each pathway is CEFR-aligned (A1–C1) with its own vocabulary spine, drills and assessment rubrics, and is available as an educational manual, an online course, or a licensed programme delivered by your own staff.
English through Football
Match-day English, tactical vocabulary, agent and trial interviews. Designed for academy age groups moving into European club environments.
View the manualEnglish through Tennis
Our founding programme: grammar taught on court through rally, score and instruction language — then transferred to the classroom and exam room.
View the manualClassroom English vs trained English
For Japanese parents and directors comparing options: the difference is not the syllabus on paper, it is where the language is rehearsed.
| Typical classroom / eikaiwa | Topball ESL / ESP |
|---|---|
| English taught as a classroom subject, once or twice a week | English trained as a performance skill, on the pitch and in the classroom |
| Vocabulary lists memorised for a test, then forgotten | Language attached to physical actions the athlete repeats daily |
| Silent students, low speaking confidence | Speaking under pressure — coach instructions, referees, interviews |
| Progress reported as a score | CEFR A1–C1 levels with parent-readable reports and rubrics |
Rugby leadership
A direct line into Japanese rugby
Wimpie van der Walt, a South African forward who played international rugby for Japan, has agreed in principle to lead Topball rugby. His appointment is not yet formalised and no dates are confirmed, but his Japan experience is a large part of why we are prioritising this market. Our intention is to build the rugby coaching squad around South African coaches.
Topball is a UK Community Interest Company, directed by James Corden-Lloyd — PTR-certified tennis coach, TEFL-qualified teacher and published author of tennis and English-learning books.
Partnership enquiry
Talk to us about your club or school
Tell us your sport, city and squad size. Replies come directly from the Director of Studies & Director of Tennis — usually within two working days.