Courtesy: Blacktown City Sun

Passion for futsal

April 4, 2007

By John Macdonald

ONCE you've discovered futsal all the rest is just footsies - or so Laura Elliott would tell you.
''It's now everything to me,'' the 17-year-old Schofields year 12 student said of the game (indoor soccer to those who've been playing footsies when they should have been paying attention).

Everything  that's just about what Elliott has achieved at her chosen passion.
Twice a NSW premiership winner with reigning champions West City Crusaders, winner of consecutive Golden Boot awards for top goalscorer, this season's player of the year, NSW representative seven times for three wins, three seconds and a fourth, winner of the most valuable player award at the latest Australian titles, member of an Australian representative team which beat Canada 3-0 and now chosen to go to Spain in July for the Costa Dorada Cup.

All this after taking up soccer to fill in time.
''I was five and too young to play netball, so my mother suggested I play for a year,'' she said. ''At first I said 'No, that's a boy's sport'.''
But there was no way she was going to play that other round-ball game once she discovered soccer.
Elliott still plays outdoors, as a striker with St George in the state league, but for her futsal is in a different league - it's everything.
''It's more satisfying,'' she said of competing over the 42m of an indoor field compared with the outdoor game.
''You have to be a quicker thinker with quicker footwork, it's more strategic, more precise.''

It's also struggling for acceptance from the hierarchy. Elliott said it's regarded as destroying outdoor skills and long passes weren't used.
''You wouldn't dream of a long ball (in futsal),'' she said.
Elliott pointed to Brazil, where fields were scarce and both boys and girls played indoors and in the street until they were 14, employing futsal skills.
''The whole Brazilian women's outdoor soccer team all play futsal,'' she said.
The lack of futsal's acceptance here has only doubled her passion and determination.
She trains twice a week at Riverstone Sports Centre - three or four times in intense periods  and also has weekly team training with St George.
She's attributed her futsal skills development to coach Rob Hill and would welcome sponsors to help with the $5000 needed to go to Spain






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