Courtesy: Times Herald


Kids learning a new game

Futsal gaining popularity for improving soccer skills

By PAUL COSTANZO - Times Herald

Miranda McCaleb said she's still getting used to keeping the ball in bounds.

Having played outdoor soccer for as long as she can remember, the 13-year-old eighth grader at Croswell-Lexington Middle School is still trying to get used to futsal, the scaled-down, indoor version of soccer that is picking up speed in the United States and the area.

"The main difference is the size of the court, it's a lot smaller so there's not as much running," McCaleb said. "(The ball) was heavier, so you can't really pop it up.

"We still have trouble keeping it in bounds. It's really hard."

McCaleb plays in the middle school division of the Futsala Futbol Club which plays Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Blue Water YMCA.

The league -- formerly the Blue Water Futsal Club -- has nearly 200 participants in divisions that range from ages 9-11 up to adults.

"Everybody has a blast with it," said David Jock, the league's founder. "It's designed for skill building and movement of the ball in a condensed area.

"They feel like they have all sorts of room to maneuver when they get outdoors."

History of the game
Futsal's history can be traced back to 1930 in Uruguay, when Juan Carlos Ceriani came up with the 5-on-5 (including a goalkeeper) game for youth competition at YMCAs, according to futsal.com.

The game is played on basketball-sized courts, with smaller goals and a smaller, double-bladdered ball.

The double bladder causes less bounce and provides for more control of the ball, Jock said.

Unlike traditional indoor soccer games, where the walls can be used, futsal has boundaries, which Jock said can take some time for players to get used to.

"Most of the adjustment is in having the confined space," he said. "The first game they play, it will go out of bounds a lot."

Rather than a throw-in, the ball is kicked in, which is one of the few deviations from traditional soccer rules. Substitutions are made on the fly.

Jock said he picked up the game in Canada, where he would take his kids to play. But crossing the bridge became a hassle, and they started playing in Port Huron.

The Blue Water Futsal Club began in 2002 and played its games at Indian Woods Elementary School's gym.

When the space became too small, the league moved to the Blue Water Sports Dome. This is the first year at the YMCA.

"It's grown exponentially; it's a great game," Jock said. "It keeps kids running around in the winter time, too."

Skill development
One of the main objectives of the Futsala club is improving skills in the winter.

With the heavier ball and confined space, Jock said that the game improves a player's touch and vision.

"It definitely helps your foot skills," said Brett Mayer, who played in the league 2 years ago while at Port Huron Northern. The 2007 graduate was watching his younger brother Alex play Monday night.

"It's a shorter area, so you've got to pass a lot more," he said. "It's a faster pace, so you learn how to play faster."

Because of this, Jock said, several area high school coaches have pitched in with the league or encouraged players to participate.

"Any time that the kids can get more touches on the ball, it's a good thing for their skill," said Port Huron Northern Coach Bryan Becker. "One good thing about futsal is, since there's no boards, it forces them to control the ball a little more than they would in a traditional American indoor soccer
setting."

Said Jock: "It's a skilled game. When you're playing off the walls, you can hit the wall and run and chase. With this, you have to keep it in the lines (of the basketball court)."

Becker said many of his players were participating in the league, and they continue to sign up year after year.

"The good thing about it is, it's local," Becker said. "The kids don't have to travel as far to participate. That's the biggest draw."

Brett Mayer agreed that having somewhere to play locally was a plus -- much better than his other option.

"Playing soccer in the snow," he said, "is not too much fun."






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