Tozer leads two-clinic for USYF participants in the Boston area
US Men's National Futsal Team Head Coach Keith Tozer was in the Boston area Jan. 7-8 to lead futsal clinics and training sessions.
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| U.S. National Futsal Coach Keith Tozer has worked closely with USYF. |
Tozer, who has appeared at similar training programs in other US Youth Futsal cities, including Cleveland and Kansas City, presented an interactive training session Jan. 7 at Pine Manor College in Brookline. Tozer explained his coaching techniques and answered questions for players, coaches and parents involved with Missouri Futsal Association, the USYF-affiliated league in Boston.
The same league was to host the Northeast Regional Championships Jan. 13-16.
On Jan. 8, Tozer lead separate youth clinics for boys and girls 9-12 at the Park School in Brookline. He concluded his appearance that afternoon with a 90-minute classroom session for coaches at the same location.
Tozer, one of only a handful of FIFA Futsal Instructors and the dean of American futsal coaches, has worked with USYF to upgrade futsal instruction for players and coaches. He is also working on a national identification program for future national-team players.
Cleveland-area USYF league streams regional games
Games from the Great Lakes Futsal Regional Tournament were broadcast live from the Ohio Nets facility in Parma, Ohio in a cooperative arrangement with the host league's technology partner,
AtNetPlus, Inc.
Great Lakes Futsal is owned by Otto Orr, the former US National Futsal Team goalkeeper and indoor-soccer star.
Emerging Paraguayan midfielder credits futsal for close control
Marcos Pflingst, a midfielder who could eventually play international soccer for Paraguay or Germany, told an interviewer it was futsal that developed his skill, vision and decision-making for Olimpia, a profession club in Paraguya.
Pflingst, 18, was elevated to the club's first team this year.
“I moved to Olimpia’s football school when I was about 12 years old and from there I went through all the youth teams” said Pfingst, who at just 16 was called into the reserve team by former Olimpia striker Mauro Caballero.
“I was only on the bench at first” he recalls, also recounting how he was dropped back down to the U17s and U18s before joining the reserves again 18 months ago.
Pfingst plays as a central midfielder, and while comfortable in a defensive role he is blessed with wonderful close control and ability to use both feet - which he attributes to playing futsal competitively until the age of 14.
“I started playing futsal aged seven” explains Pfingst. “It helped a lot when I was younger … it makes you confident [on the ball].”
Pflingst carries a dual passport and is undecided where his outdoor future will lie in international competition.
Futsal continues to grow recreational facilities, soccer clubs and colleges
Greg Caldwell, a reporter for the Virginia-based newspaper Web site www.delmarva.com, wrote recently about a futsal and clinic tournament at a community center in Ocean Pines.
Futsal was to begin with a clinic on Jan. 20, and continue with one-day tournaments for different age groups, with a championship at the end of the season.
Caldwell reported that the new program, operated by former soccer player and coach Adam Manning, would conclude with a futsal open house in February.
"Futsal is FIFA recognized," Manning told the newspaper. "It is what the rest of the world plays instead of indoor soccer. Players improve their skills so much by not playing the walls. It is perfect for development of all parts of the game."
Games and clinics would take place on the community center's gym floor.
"Futsal is a much harder game than traditional indoor soccer," said Manning. "Your mistakes are exposed and you will fail at it before you succeed."
Caldwell said that Manning had been using futsal to train players with the Henlopen Soccer Club. His players will be assisting him in training younger players at the winter program.
"Many local high school players already are familiar with Futsal and I hope this helps raise the awareness of the sport across the peninsula," said Manning.
The Ocean Pines tournament is one of four Manning expects to have running in 2012. The others will be in Easton, Caroline County and Queen Anne's.
For more information, visit www.burytc.com or call 443-529-4099.
Wilkes College in Pennsylvania hosts girls' futsal tournament
The women's soccer team at Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., hosted a one-day futsal tournament Jan. 14 for 16 teams.
The teams played half-hour games on three courts, a total of 36 concluding with the championship.
The Futsal Frenzy Tournament, the fourth sponsored by the women's program, was a fundraiser for the team's trip to Italy.
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