First USYF Futsal Coaching Course, East Region I.D. Camp Held in Boston

United States Youth Futsal held its first futsal coaching course in October in Boston, Mass. in conjunction with a talent ID camp for youth players in the East Region. 

The futsal coaching course was led by U.S. Youth Futsal Technical Director Keith Tozer, who coaches the U.S. National Futsal Team, and by Cony Kostin. 

Around 30 coaches attended, including Khano Smith from the New England Revolution Youth Academy, Rafael Amaya from Colorado, Jon Parry from Sporting KC and Peter Rickard from the Bermuda Futsal Federation.

The Eastern Regional Youth ID camp attracted 116 players, male and female, in the U12, U14 and U16 age groups. The players participated in technical and tactical training sessions and games over three days. Several coaches from

the coaching course helped with the ID camp. 

Players received a rating of either 1, 2 or 3, with those earning a 1 rating being assigned to U.S. Youth Futsal's Eastern Region team. USYF is scheduled to hold similar Talent ID Camps, form regional teams in different parts of the country and then bring them together in Dallas for a futsal festival consisting of training and regional-team games in July 2014.

U.S. Youth Futsal and Tozer have announced the goal is to form U.S. National Futsal youth teams to compete in overseas tournaments, with one as early as August 2014.

USYF has appointed five regional directors overseen by Tozer and a coaching staff, all of whom are former U.S. National Futsal Team players. The organization has plans to divide the country into eight to 10 regions in the next year.

For additional information about USYF's Futsal I.D. program see the organization's September 2013 press release that follows.

US Youth Futsal Announces FUTSAL I.D. program

US Youth Futsal has announced the creation of the nation's first-ever futsal player identification program, FUTSAL I.D., designed to identify and develop elite players in the most challenging and competitive environment possible. 

The program includes five regional FUTSAL I.D. camps and the US Youth Futsal

Festival, from which youth national teams will be selected. Long-term, it will also serve as a pipeline for the US National Futsal Teams.

“FUTSAL I.D. will allow youth players the opportunity to be scouted for future US National Futsal Team programs,” said US Youth Futsal Executive Director Jon Parry. “Players will be exposed to the technical skills and tactical knowledge that are required to play futsal at the highest level.”

US Youth Futsal Technical Director and US Men's National Futsal Team Head Coach Keith Tozer will lead the FUTSAL I.D. camps, scheduled for Akron and Boston this fall and for Dallas, Kansas City and San Diego in the spring.

“[The FUTSAL I.D. program] is a great opportunity for the players and

the future of futsal in the United States,” Tozer said. “[Participants will] have the opportunity to progress to our national training camps and then participate in international futsal tournaments and matches. We firmly believe that the FUTSAL I.D. program will develop future national futsal team players along with identifying future outdoor national team players.”

East region co-director Soorena Farboodmanesh is the lead administrator for the program and explained that the FUTSAL I.D. program is dependent on coaches recommending qualified players

“Players cannot sign up for FUTSAL I.D., they must be recommended by a coach as being an elite player,” Farboodmanesh said. “The recommendation process takes place entirely online, with selected players receiving formal invitations about a month prior to the camp in their region.”

This year, the FUTSAL I.D. camps will include boys and girls born from 1998-2003. Top players from each FUTSAL I.D. camp are invited to participate in the US Youth Futsal Festival, where teams in each age group will represent their region during five days of training plus matches against the other regions. The best of the best will be selected for the US Youth Futsal National Team.

“The goal of the US Youth Futsal Festival is to provide a competition for the truly best players in each region,” Parry said. “Players from the festival will be selected to participate in an international futsal tour [as part of US Youth Futsal National Teams].”

FUTSAL I.D. events will include five sessions over three days, including training and matches

“It is a great opportunity for players to expand their comfort zone,” said Ty Stauffer, central region director and father of US Men's National Futsal Team player Lucas Stauffer.

Futsal is the official indoor sport sanctioned by FIFA and is recognized throughout the world for promoting exceptional skill development and decision-making. It is played on a hard surface with boundary lines and a low-bounce ball and is now the fastest-growing indoor sport in the United States and in the world.

US Youth Futsal oversees leagues and programs in 59 markets in more than 27 states. Along with its affiliates it influenced a 70 percent growth over the previous year. It also hosts the US Youth Futsal National Championships.

US Youth Futsal – www.usyouthfutsal.com

For more information, please contact: John Sciore, 314-604-4801, j.sciore@usyouthfutsal.com