Video Picks ... Highlights and Some Insights Into How the Game Is Growing

England and Sky Sports1 are taking their futsal more and more seriously. This video introduction to the game covers the high points for newcomers in an entertaining fashion. You’ll enjoy the highlights and people new to the game will be drawn in by the speed, skill and color. Having Barcelona as one of the teams never hurts. And it never hurts to have the game promoted by a TV network.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/tv-shows/soccer-am/8933189/futsal-explained

Had to watch this one twice … three times … Jordi Torras chips the ball to himself and heads for Barcelona’s tying goal. The goal is remarkable, but the

announcer’s vocal thing in saying “gol” might top it. Great stuff from Spanish futsal. At this point, still a challenge for U.S. and Canadian fans to imagine that much passion for futsal from fans, the play-by-play guy etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4BTuFb1aaBw

Plenty of action and skills in this first derby of the season between MFK Dinamo and Moscow Dina, two teams in Russia’s futsal league. Includes

everything from a defender’s nutmeg of his goalie for an own goal to a three-quarter-court goal against a team going to a fifth attacker to a great comeback after numerous momentum changes. Great passing in tight spaces in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HMdeTgYfyQ&feature=youtu.be&a




U.S. Soccer has made strides in its incorporation of futsal into the development of its Academy players, and for youth players in general. That's a good sign. There's still a way to go to catch up with the English FA in some respects, which has the advantage of being part of UEFA and close to the European continent and futsal powers Spain, Portugal and Italy. It also has the advantage of strong video support from the English federation, which produced this video and others to help publicize the game. Some good commentary here from England's futsal coach after an exhibition game against Barcelona's U-23 futsal team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJyUcVSw4F0


Wales is part of the United Kingdom and is located on the southwestern side of the English island, but has its own football federation and national futsal team. The Welsh, best-known in the U.S. and Canada perhaps for its Premiership teams Cardiff and Swansea, is newer to international futsal than

its English neighbors, but is making strides. Wales traveled to England for this friendly, with production and commentary for the English FA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H6qdYKhSAw

USYF Affiliate Futsal Chicago Launching First-Ever Session this Winter

"We are the only futsal League in Chicago affiliated with United States Youth Futsal," the league's organizer told Futsal World. "We are super excited and passionate about futsal and the 5-a-side wall-less game. We believe in the future of it and the impact that it has on the development of young players. We see the impact that it has on the youth in Europe and South America, and believe that the youth of America need to incorporate this into their curriculum and play more of this at the pick-up level as well. 

"Our league is out of the south cuburbs of Chicago at the moment, but we would love to expand throughout the great soccer city of Chicago to offer futsal to all. The Facility is SCCS gymnasium in Tinley Park and our games will be on Saturdays running January through March 2014."

Futsal Chicago's Mission

To provide an environment that's safe, caring and competitive for players of all levels and ages to play and learn the game of futsal in the souths uburbs of Chicago. Futsal Chicago will do this by:

* Focusing on skill development, tactics, strategies and having fun.  
* Utilizing U.S. Soccer-certified referees who understand the spirit and art of the game.
* Matching teams of similar skill in appropriate divisions and age groups where ever possible.
* Developing and keeping a high quality futsal league, by promoting excellence in facilities, scheduling, refereeing, coaching, game play and sportsmanship.

Why Futsal Chicago?

Our league is geared toward the technical development of youth soccer players.  U.S. Soccer has fallen behind relative to the technical abilities of players in other countries.  In order to remain a competitive threat, we must create more well-rounded soccer players.  The young generation is our future.  We have created an avenue for Chicago’s south suburban youth to play futsal and improve the technical and creative side of their game.

We believe that such creative and artistic players can be created in this country. We also believe that futsal can provide the perfect platform for development for all aspiring soccer players.

We use futsal as a developmental tool for soccer and believe that the benefits of the game create confident, technically proficient, intelligent players. From players that just love to play the game and love being involved, to players that want to develop to their highest potential, we believe thatf utsal provides the perfect foundation for soccer development. 

Futsal Chicago, an affiliate of United States Youth Futsal, is the only U.S. Soccer-sanctioned futsal league in Chicago. Futsal Chicago sessions begin in early 2013. Futsal Chicago will feature teams in every age group and gender from U8 through adult.  We are dedicated to developing and expanding the game of futsal in Chicago’s south suburbs and providing the opportunity for all to participate in leagues, trainings, clinics and tournaments.  We strive to achieve the highest level of professionalism, training, officiating and the overall best experience for all of our participants. 

Futsal Chicago

Futsalchicagodirector@gmail.com

708 966 9858

Futsal Foundations: As the Game Continues to Grow, Sweden, Tasmania Taking Developmental Steps

In Sweden:

Per Broberg, the manager for the Swedish FA's futsal development program, was recently quoted by Futsal Focus. Sweden will launch its first national league in 2014, a step similar to one taken several years ago in England and more recently by Wales.

Swedish international futsal player Dan Monell.

Although adult futsal is played in scatted locations in the United States, as yet there is no national league.

But in one respect, the U.S. is ahead of Sweden, having fielded a futsal national team since the late 1980s. Sweden launched its national team in the fall of 2012 and played its first friendly game in December of that year against France with 2,000 people watching.
 

The Swedish national team did take a major step, qualifying for UEFA's European Futsal Championship's main round in its first attempt. Wins over Israel, Andorra and Estonia enable the team to advance from the preliminary round, an achievement Per Broberg said was beyond expectations.
 

"Now we are taking the next step in the sport's development," Broberg said. 

In 2014-15, Broberg said a national competition consisting of eight regions with a total of 60 teams would begin qualification play for the national league. That stage would take place from November to January, with 16 teams advancing to playoffs in February. Sixteen of those would then start play in Sweden's National Futsal League in the fall of 2014.
 

"We believe it's good to open up as many as 16 teams in the beginning," Broberg told Futsal Focus. "In time, I imagine that it will narrow to 10 or 12 teams.'
 

Broberg said he anticipates the national league being organized in two divisions, north and south, with eight teams apiece. The top teams in each division would meet in playoffs at the end of the season, with some additional competition between national and regional league teams figuring in the equation along the way. 

Once the national league's fully operating, Broberg said the schedule would run from October to February with playoffs in March.

"We need a longer season if we are going to develop the players," he said.

***

In Tasmania:

Most Americans and Canadians are familiar with the Tasmanian Devil

As in the U.S., Youth futsal in Tasmania is played on courts marked for other sports.

cartoon figure -- but what about the actual country?

Tasmania, a large island and a series of smaller ones, is located off the southeastern edge of Australia and is part of the the Australian Commonwealth. It has around 500,000 people (learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmania). But among those half million are 2,000 futsal players involved in Tasmanian FA leagues, according to an article Andrew Cooling wrote for 936 ABC Hobart.

In "Futsal developing future Tasmanian stars," Cooling said the game is growing in popularity and is available to males and females at both the youth and adult levels.

Reporting to an audience that may be new to the sport, the author lists futsal's benefits, game format etc., concluding, "... the game is increasingly being seen as the idea tool for developing younger players for the outdoor game."

Tasmania FA officer Anthony Alexander emphasized the developmental advantages for players in younger age groups.

"It's a great game for developing 1v1 skills," Alexander said. "Playing in such a high pressure environment improves skills, ball control and importantly it forces players to use both their left and right foot in tight spaces.

"In the off-season I encourage all my players to go out and play futsal. Playing in a non-coached environment helps them to make decisions for themselves."

Cooling quotes Liam Scott, a senior (adult) player on a Tasmanian state outdoor team, roughly a regional team, who played futsal as a youth.

"I started playing futsal back in high school as it was really encouraged as a great game to develop skills," Scott is quoted as saying. "The key thing is you're on the ball a lot more in futsal and always involved in the play. I feel it has really helped my outdoor game and it's something I believe all juniors should play.

"In Tasmania at the moment we are trying to make our outdoor sides a lot stronger, so getting juniors into futsal is only going to help that."

Darby Pope's Daughters Experience Spanish Futsal on the Court

Darby Pope, back row, right, took his daughters to Spain this summer to train with professional futsal coaches and players. Pictured are Sergio, one of the coaches, in the upper left, Ellie Pope and Darby in the upper right, and Abigail Pope and Gen, another coach, in the lower right.

Editor's note:

Darby Pope was among the group of USYF coaches that included Jon Parry and Ty Stauffer that traveled to Spain a while back to attend a coaching symposium in A Coruna and watch games in the Spanish Super Copa. 

Darby returned to Spain with his daughters, Ellie and Abigail, to have them participate in training sessions with Sergio and Gen, coaches he met in A Coruna during the earlier visit. 

We appreciate him sharing the experience with us and sending photos from this summer's training sessions.

David,

We left for Barcelona on June 19 and spent a few days seeing the sites there.  

We then traveled by train to Murcia on June 22 for the International Elite Women's Futsal Camp in Archena (near Murcia) from June 23-28.  The girls had an excellent immersion experience in both futsal and Spanish culture as they stayed with their fellow players in apartments during the camp.  

Nacho (Garrido) was an excellent coach who both demanded and taught technical and tactical perfection.   There were many first-division Spanish players there to challenge the girls as well.

After the completion of the camp on June 28, we traveled that evening via overnight train from southeastern Spain (Murcia) to northeastern Spain (A Coruna) through Madrid and the heart of Spain.

Abigail's scrimmage team at camp in Spain. She's in the center of the back row.

This is Ellie Pope's team. That's her, lower right.

Upon arrival in Coruna, Sergio Blanco and Gen (Gentoku Baba) of 5 Coruna FS (Futbol Sala) arranged transportation to Ribadeo in beautiful coastal Galicia. There, Ellie and Abigail joined the 5 Coruna women's team for a tournament, which included some of the best teams in Spain and some players on the Spanish Futsal National team.

Ellie and Abigail played with the team in games at 1:30 and 5 p.m. on June 29 and then at 12:30 a.m. on June 30!  Sergio and Gen and their women's futsal team then had a training for the girls the following night, July 1, and we left for Madrid and the flight home the following day, July 2.

Here is the link to Nacho's website with information, some pictures, and a few videos of the Elite International Women's Futsal Camp:

http://campuselitefsf.blogspot.com/

(Pictures are at a link near the bottom of the page (if you click on "fotografias dos primeros dias campus") or try this link: https://plus.google.com/photos/100914108426042613987/albums

Thanks, Darby Pope

(If you'd like to contact Darby for more information about training in Spain you can message him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/g.d.pope?fref=ts or email us at davidknopf@gmail.com and we will put him in touch with you. You can also contact Nacho Garrido through his Facebook page. His daughters are pictured in the front row, left, with the Spanish tournament team they were part of.)

England's National Futsal League: How It Works

Baku United, one of the top three teams in the FA National League's Southern Division, posted the league standings on its Facebook page early in the 2013-14 season. Baku, England's defending national champion and a UEFA main round qualifier, had a 3-0 record and a goal differential of +20 early in the current season. England's National League is divided into three 8-team divisions, South, North and Midlands. England's FA also organizes a second division for each of the three divisions, as well as an FA National Futsal Super League and Grand Finals to determine a national champion and the country's representative in the UEFA Futsal Cup. The description below is what the FA uses to introduce prospective teams to its futsal league structure and requirements.

 
The FA National Futsal Leagues represent the elite adult futsal leagues in England and have been coordinated and run by The FA since 2008. The top male futsal clubs in the country compete in the challenging and exciting FA National Futsal Leagues which now showcase the best futsal talent from across the country.
 
The FA National Futsal Leagues are divided into three regional divisions: the North, South and Midlands leagues. Each regional league has eight clubs that play home and away against each other throughout the season until the leagues reach a conclusion in May when championship and relegation battles are concluded.
 
The top four clubs at the end of the season from each of the three regional leagues progress into The FA National Futsal Super League. The FA National Futsal Super League consists of four groups, and in each group there is three teams. The three teams in each group play home and away matches against each other between April and May. 
 
The winning teams of each group then compete at The FA Futsal Grand Finals to not only decides which club will be crowned the English national Futsal champions, but also which club will qualify for the ultimate accolade of representing England in the UEFA Futsal Cup.
 
The FA National Futsal League also has a Second Division where new clubs can enter into the North, Midlands and South based league system and progress to compete for their place in the top tier.
 
The top futsal players in the country play in The FA National Futsal Leagues, and this is where The FA selects players for the England national squad. Players and clubs in the National Futsal Leagues are dedicated and hardworking, continuously striving in their efforts to rapidly develop futsal in this country – particularly the elite end of the game. 
 
Clubs are structured and organised and expect commitment from their players to train regularly and work hard to improve their performances. The FA National Futsal Leagues are developing and improving rapidly – these are exciting leagues to be involved with. Clubs also encourage spectators to come and watch their games and support their local team!
 

Joining The FA National Futsal Leagues

If your Futsal club is interested in playing in The FA National Futsal Leagues, The FA welcomes applications around April time each season. New clubs are required to complete an Application Form and return to The FA by the stated deadline. (The application form and deadline will be listed on these pages during the window when The FA is actively recruiting new teams).
 
The FA will review all applications, and for those clubs that it feels meets the demanding standards expected from The FA National Futsal Leagues they will be invited to be interviewed to discuss their club. Those clubs that are suitable will then be put forward to entering the FA National Futsal League Division 2.
 
At the end of the season, the bottom club in each of the three FA National Futsal Leagues has to compete against the leading Division 2 sides in the Promotional Play-Offs to remain in their respective division. This will open opportunities for new clubs to join the league at the Second Division Level. 
 
Clubs considering applying to join The FA National Futsal Leagues should note that they need to be structured and organised, and have demonstrable experience of playing Futsal to a high standard. Playing in The FA National Futsal Leagues requires serious commitment from both the club and the players. The FA looks for clubs that as a minimum meet the following guidelines:-
 
1. The club has been playing Futsal at a competitive standard for at least one season.
2. The club has played competitive Futsal preferably in a league and can demonstrate success.
3. You have a club structure (e.g. Reserves, Junior teams etc) or are willing to develop such a club structure.
4. Your club has appropriate financial sustainability.
5. Your club has access to a venue that meets The FA National Futsal League Venue Specifications.
6. Your club has a committed pool of players to draw upon.
7. Your club has a coach that has attended The FA Coaching Futsal: A Beginners Guide course.
Current applications for the FA National Futsal Leagues are now closed.