Courtesy: The Windsor Star


Futsal on the rise

Local squad in London for Ontario Cup

by Mary Caton

March 18, 2011

The first time Rob Arce tried to play futsal he felt overwhelmed by the technical skill demanded for this South American version of indoor soccer.

"I was thunderstruck," said Arce of the experience he shared with his brother Steve on a playing trip to Argentina in 1995.

"You felt like quitting. It was incredible and at the same time it was inspiring." The memory stuck for Arce who has formed a local futsal team which will compete in the Ontario Cup Saturday and Sunday in London.

"We started last October and we've gone to tournaments in the states and we're playing local competition constantly," the 32-year-old Arce said.

Arce's club, Independiente, will field a team of boys ranging in age from 11 to 13 years old.

Unlike the more familiar version of indoor soccer played locally and throughout North America, futsal is a four-on-four game played without boards.

Instead, the game is played on a court larger than one for basketball with touchline boundaries. A smaller ball (size 3) is used and it's weighted so it doesn't have a lot of bounce.

"It's designed to stay on the ground so you really hone in on the technical aspects of the game," Arce said.

"The objective is to maintain maximum control at all times. The quality of your ball control really shows when you move to the outdoor season. When you go back to a size 5 ball (outdoors) it's like playing with a balloon." "One of the toughest things about training is you have to be user technical," Arce said.

Independiente has been sponsored by Umbro Canada where the southwestern Ontario rep is Arce's former teammate, childhood friend and fellow Windsorite, Mike Vonella.

Next year, with the sport's popularity growing, Arce envisions having a half dozen teams playing futsal in area gyms throughout the long winter months.


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