Courtesy: Ann Arbor.com


Heard of Futsal? Ann Arbor YMCA's indoor soccer league opens for kids ages 5-11

January 25, 2010

Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) is the fastest growing indoor sport worldwide, and it started at the YMCA! Futsal® has its origins in the 1930’s in Montevideo, Uruguay and Sao Paulo, Brazil. In Uruguay, Argentinian physical education teacher Juan Carlos Ceriani developed an indoor five-a-side version of the game that could be played in youth competitions in local YMCAs.

The game is played on basketball-sized courts, both indoors and outside, without the use of sidewalls. The name is derived from the Portugese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salon, which can be translated as "hall football."

Steve Petty, YMCA Sports Director, says: “Our Futsal leagues at the Y are proving popular with both kids and adults. Because there’s no slide tackling, it’s a lot safer than other forms of soccer. I think parents especially see the benefits of Futsal - it’s really the best way for children to develop skills required for soccer like balance, co-ordination and ball control. Children learn through repetition and practice in small areas, and with Futsal this learning occurs naturally. Children love playing Futsal because it’s exciting, they score more goals and there aren’t complex rules such as off side.”

Based on the success of the Ann Arbor YMCA’s first Youth Futsal league in 2009, we’re offering a Winter Youth Futsal League again in 2010.

All Futsal practices and games take place in the Ann Arbor YMCA gym. Practices and games begin the week of Monday March 1st and run through Friday, April 23rd. For more information or to register for our Winter Youth Futsal league, visit www.annarborymca.org or the Ann Arbor YMCA, 400 West Washington, through February 19th .

The fee for Youth Futsal is $45 for YMCA members and $85 for community members. Each year, the YMCA raises scholarship funds to enable people to participate in our programs, regardless of income. Applications for financial assistance are available on our website or at our membership desk.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help coach a Youth Futsal team for the upcoming season should contact Steve Petty via email at spetty@annarborymca.org


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com