Courtesy: Soccer Nation.com


MVP Kraig Chiles praises Futsal for improving his indoors soccer game

by Diane Scavuzzo

Sunday, February 5, 2012

How do you top a PASL season in which you are named both the league and playoff MVP? If you are the San Diego Sockers’ Kraig Chiles, you simply set new league and personal records as you lead your team back to contend for a third straight championship.

So far, in the 2011-2012 season, Chiles has broken the PASL record for goals in a season, recording his 42nd in a game against Revolución Tijuana on January 28, scored his 100th career goal in that same match, and is on track to challenge the record for most points in a season. In 13 games Chiles has only been shut out once, against Anaheim Bolts, and has recorded eight hat tricks, including an amazing seven-goal performance against Tijuana in the third match of the season.

Chiles attributes a large part of his success to the team itself and the unselfish play of all on the Sockers. “It’s been a good season personally,” Chiles told SoccerNationNews. “The team as a unit is playing very well; it’s some of the best soccer I have seen in a few years. We bolstered our roster and we have a good core group of players. Everyone is starting to jell, and we are really connecting on the field.”

Although much of the attention has been on Chiles this season, and on team captain Aaron Susi who recently reached 500 career points, the team is unified in their goals. “The Sockers are very tight,” the team’s top scorer said, “there are no jealousies on the team. I get a lot of support, and my teammates are genuinely happy for each other’s successes.”

Another element that has helped Chiles to reach his current level has been his time spent playing with the U.S. National Futsal Team. In October the team traveled to Manaus, Brazil, for the 2011 Grand Prix of Futsal, considered to be one of the premier competitions in futsal. During the competition, Chiles scored four goals in a match against Belgium.

While indoor soccer and futsal have some similarities, and are both very technical games with similar dynamic moves, the absence of boards in futsal forces players to focus even more on control. Studies have shown that the increased demands on players help to build skills that can be used in all types of soccer. “Any time you can play futsal it is a great opportunity to improve your soccer skills,” Chiles declared.

“Playing with the U.S. Futsal National Team really helped me prepare for this year’s PASL season,” Chiles explained. “I came in fitter and really ready for extremely high-level, intense games. It is tough to get a better training than my trip to Brazil with the U.S. Futsal Team. This really helped me improve my abilities in the indoor game.”

Although the U.S. team did not do well in the competition, finishing 0-7 in their first appearance in the tournament, the learning experience was invaluable.

“Any time you can represent your country, it is a great honor,” said Chiles. “We went down to Brazil, and it was a humbling experience. We were a new team and it was disappointing not to win. But it was a chance for our team to bond and prepare for the upcoming Futsal World Cup qualifiers in August.”

Chiles also had praise for U.S. Futsa lhead coach Keith Tozer, who recently won his 700th career game as coach. “(Coach) Tozer demands a lot from his players, and you want to do your best for him.”

While futsal has become an internationally recognized sport, with sanctioning from FIFA and US Soccer, it has not gained similar attention in America. Chiles sees this due in part to a lack of an organized league similar to what indoor soccer has. “Futsal trounced indoor soccer by being recognized by US Soccer,” he said. “I think if Futsal had a league like the PASL and the MISL, fans would come out to games.”

Currently Chiles and the Sockers are in Monterrey, Mexico, competing in the inaugural FIFRA Championships against hosts Monterrey Flash and teams from Canada and Ecuador.

The regular PASL season resumes for San Diego on Saturday, February 11, when the expansion Arizona Storm make their first and only visit to the Del Mar Arena. The Sockers then travel north to take on Turlock Express on Friday, February 24, before concluding the season with a home game against the Tacoma Stars the next night.

The 2012 PASL Championships will take place in San Diego on March 9 and 10, and Chiles and his teammates are eager to contend for their third crown. “I am very excited about the upcoming championship and how well our team is doing,” Chiles said. “It is great to have fans coming out to the games. I want to say a big thank you for supporting the Sockers.”




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