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Spokane Futsal - Home
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Futsal Overview |
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Why Futsal?
Futsal is the only indoor
game sanctioned by FIFA. If skills development is important, Futsal is
recognized as clearly the best form of indoor soccer. But that's not
the only reason.
- Better Skills
Development - Futsal promotes quality touches
- Safer - Futsal
eliminates the injuries associated with all collisions
- Less Expensive -
Futsal makes quality soccer more affordable.
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Is Futsal New?
Futsal is the new rage in
American soccer. However, as is often the case, the US is just
catching on to what the world already knows. Superior soccer skills is
built by stimulating the outdoor game indoors with small sided games and a
smaller ball. World famous clubs such as Ajax have used this approach
for years. Futsal has been around for over fifty years but the US
interest in soccer skill development has only recently focused attention on
the training techniques used in successful soccer powerhouses such as
Brazil, Holland, Germany, France, and Italy. So, Futsal has been
around for many years but interest is just starting to explode in the United
States.
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What is Futsal?
Futsal is FIFA's official indoor soccer game which is, essentially, a scaled
down version of outdoor soccer played indoors.
It
is a small sided game (5v5) played on a smaller field (roughly basketball
court sized) with a smaller (size 3-4) ball. Futsal is played with touchline
boundaries. There are no walls in play. This is the game that outdoor
soccer players around the globe play when they are indoors to refine and
maintain their control skills and touch.
It
is superior to walled soccer in terms of developing better skills and
technique. In traditional American walled soccer, players regularly whack
the ball (and sometimes their bodies) against the boards which promotes
improper technique and too often rewards errant play. In Futsal,
players are constantly reminded to play the same quality control game that
is required for success in the outdoor game.
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What is the History of Futsal?
The
origin of Futsal can be traced back to Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930 when
Juan Carlos Ceriani devised a five-a-side version of soccer for youth
competition in YMCAs.
The game is played on basketball-sized courts, both
indoors and out without the use of sidewalls. The term FUTSAL is the
international term used for the game. It is derived from the Spanish or
Portuguese word for "soccer", FUTbol or FUTebol, and the French or Spanish
root word for "indoor" or "room", SALon or Salle or SALa. Taken literally,
Futbol means 'foot and ball' (i.e. playing outdoors) and Futsal indicates 'Futbol
in room' (i.e. playing indoors).
The game is frequently referred to as Five-A-Side. Once Ceriani got the
ball rolling, Futsal gained rapid popularity throughout South America,
particularly in Brazil. The skill developed in this game is visible in the
world-famous style the Brazilians display outdoors on the full-sized field.
Pele, Zico, Socrates, Bebeto and other Brazilian superstars developed their
skill playing Futsal. While Brazil continues to be the Futsal hub of the
world, the game is now played, under the auspices of FIFA, all over the
world, from Europe to North and Central America and the Caribbean, South
America, Africa, and Asia and Oceania.
The first international competition took place in 1965, when Paraguay won
the first South American Cup. Six more South American Cups were held through
1979, with Brazil winning all of them. Brazil continued its dominance with a
victory in the first Pan American Cup in 1980 and won it again the next time
it was played in 1984. A U.S. team took part in the 1984 cup, but finished
out of the running.
The U.S. Futsal Federation was incorporated in
January, 1983. Osvaldo Garcia was the first president The game originally
was referred to as Minisoccer and then became known by its official
international name, Futsal. The current federation president is Alexander
J.C. Para.
The first Futsal World Championship was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1982,
with Brazil finishing in first place. The Brazilians repeated as champions
at the second World Championship in 1985 in Spain, but lost in the third
World Championship in 1988 in Australia to Paraguay. FIFA took over direct
sponsorship of the event in 1989 in Holland and 1992 in Hong Kong. Brazil
won both times. The U.S. Futsal (Indoor Team), finished third in 1989 and
second in 1992.
The highest showing by any team from the United States in a FIFA tournament
until the U.S. Women's team won the gold medal in China for outdoor soccer.
The Third FIFA World Futsal Championship was to be held November 24 through
December 11, 1996 in Spain.
The first international Futsal match in the United States was held in
December, 1985, at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Calif. The U.S.
select team, defeated Australia, 9-5.
U.S. Futsal has conducted a National Championship each year since 1985.
Futsal is establishing itself at the youth level in the U.S. The Boys and
Girls Clubs of America took a strong interest after the Columbia Park Club
in San Francisco asked the Federation to give a demonstration. The national
organization adopted the sport, and it is now played at about 1,100 Boys and
Girls Clubs throughout the U.S.
The U.S. Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and U.S. Futsal signed an
agreement in August of 1995, to promote Futsal in all National State
Associations under the auspices of U.S. Futsal.
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How is Futsal safer?
Eliminating
walls makes soccer safer but there are other aspects of Futsal which make it
safer as well. Besides fewer broken bones and concussions (which too often
occur in hockey-rink walled soccer), there are fewer high speed collisions
because the field is shorter. You don't develop the same full head of steam
running for the ball in Futsal and consequently have less of those related
injuries. Finally, a game which emphasizes control under pressure versus
kick and run inevitably leads to more heads-up play. In general, it is safer
by virtue of the fewer injuries due to the nature of the arena and the game.
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Is this
just an oddball fad?
No. This is
the way the world develops great players year-round. None of the successful
major playing countries in the world including, Brazil, Italy, Germany,
France, Holland, play indoor soccer in hockey rinks.
Now that
America is taking soccer seriously and wants to compete at the highest
levels, Futsal will irreversibly dominate the US indoor soccer scene.
American soccer development will only advance to the next level when the
indoor game advances to the same level as the rest of the world.
Before
entering another 'hockey rink' style league, ask yourself "How important is
skills development to my players?" This is the question coaches are asking
and the conclusion people seem to be drawing is that Futsal is the wave of
the future. It is not a fad, it is the way the world plays and it is here to
stay in America.
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Why the Funny Ball?
Unlike
some myths, a Futsal ball is neither funny nor fuzzy. It is, however,
different
The
Futsal ball, also known as a reduced bound or low-bounce ball, is smaller
than a normal outdoor soccer ball and heavier. There is a FIFA
specification for the ball's size, weight and bounce.
These
properties are specifically designed to build confidence and develop skill
and technique. When a Futsal ball is received, it virtually 'sticks'
to the foot. This builds great confidence in tight spaces when rapid
passes are being issued repeatedly. Interestingly, that same property
which makes the ball easy to receive makes it more difficult to strike.
A Futsal ball gradually eliminates the 'lazy pass'. It is heavier and
players rapidly get acquainted with the merits of bending the knee, turning
the hips, and striking the ball firmly to propel it. Repeated touches
on the ball eventually produce a motion which, when transplanted outdoors
with a high bounce ball, translates into a firmer and proportionally longer
pass appropriate for the big field.
Many
programs around the world also claim that smaller size encourages more
precise striking of the 'sweet spot' of the ball. If one works during
the off season on striking a Futsal ball, then a larger bouncier ball is
struck with greater confidence and authority in the outdoor game.
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How is Futsal better than Walled Soccer?
Futsal improves player soccer skills better than walled
soccer for both offensive and defensive skills training.
As an offensive Futsal player, there are no walls to save errant passes.
There are no walls to stop long balls. There are no walls to rebound errant
shots. There are no walls against which to pin the ball or your opponent.
There are no walls to help you if you lack the feinting skills to beat a
defender. There are no walls to save you if your teammates are not moving
into space to support you. In general, you must control the ball, use proper
touch and technique, use correct pace, send accurate service, and truly work
dynamic combinations.
As a Futsal defender, you can 'face up' on an oncoming player just like in
outdoor soccer (there is no wall pass to beat you). You can let errant
passes go out of bounds to win the ball (the proper result of your
opponent's mistake). Goalies and defenders can concentrate on proper shot
blocking angles. You do not need to worry about long overhead balls which
should go out of bounds. You can drive an oncoming player into the side to
break up breakaways or outnumbered breaks. In general, you can practice and
perfect the defensive techniques which apply to outdoor soccer. You don't
waste time working on defending against phantom players (i.e. walls).
Consider some of the key problems with the following typical hockey-rink
style Indoor soccer scenarios:
Question:
In hockey-rink soccer, what happens
when a child bounces a ball against a wall in order to beat an opponent?
Answer: The child advances the ball past a defender
when there's a wall available without the need or effort of feinting,
cutting, or chipping. Hockey rink soccer supporters defend this as a useful
simulation of passing to a teammate who subsequently one-times the ball as
part of a 'give-and-go'. Futsal sees this as a lost opportunity to work on
skills to beat defenders (i.e. never waste an opportunity to work on the
skills required for the outdoor game).
Question:
In hockey-rink soccer, what happens when a child bounces a wall-pass to a
teammate?
Answer: The child advances the ball to a teammate
when there's a wall available without the need or effort of passing. Hockey
rink soccer supporters defend this as a useful simulation of passing to a
teammate who subsequently one-times the ball to the forward-most member of a
'triangle'. Futsal believes the best pass is to a live player. You should be
developing dynamic combinations of moving players who move into space. The
player with the ball looks for moving teammates and anticipates those
movements. Don't assume a stationary target (i.e. the wall) is always there
ready for your pass. You need to be trained on the realities of the outdoor
game and your teammates need to learn how to support you.
Question:
What happens when a child blasts a
shot against
a wall so an onrushing teammate can score on the anticipated rebound?
Answer: The child creates scoring opportunities when
there's a wall available to either side of the goal without the need to make
an accurate shot. While some soccer aficionados label this a useful exercise
others feel it is best to practice taking accurate scoring shots.
Question: What happens when a child beats a defender by 'dumping the ball
into the corner' (á la NHL) and chasing it?
Answer:
The child beats a defender when there's a wall available without fear of the
ball rolling out of bounds without the need or effort of passing or
dribbling. Futsal supporters argue that players should always be reinforcing
the need to control the ball and keep it in play (i.e. never waste a touch).
It should be apparent that there are serious problems
with the above scenarios in terms of developing proper technique for the
'real' game of outdoor soccer:
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These indoor soccer techniques assume
that a wall is available. If there is no wall available then these
wall-based skills have questionable value.
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These so-called 'wall skills' can account for a frighteningly high
percentage of the touches in a game. Therefore, the quality of the time
spent in terms of developing useful outdoor soccer skills is limited.
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Playing with walls introduces a real
danger to the child. What happens when a player pins his/her body against
the boards either to advance a ball past a defender (who is also pinned
against the boards) or to stop his opponent from advancing? And what can
happen when players run at full speed toward the boards? Real horror
stories abound.
Futsal places a premium on control and technique. Take away
the walls and you can still have as much fun as walled soccer. But there are
far more quality touches and repetitions which directly translate to the
outdoor game. With Futsal, you make better use of your time and money.
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Is
Futsal as much fun as walled soccer?
Absolutely.
If you like outdoor soccer, you'll love Futsal. It is fast paced and
exciting. With the field being so small, scoring chances abound and games
are often high scoring affairs with many different players scoring goals.
Even though the ball may go out of bounds, the ball must be put back in play
within four seconds or the opposing team gets possession. This not only
encourages better control but it also keeps players moving. You cannot sit
back and wait for the ball to rebound off the boards (as in walled soccer)
because you must fetch it promptly and kick it back into play within four
seconds.
It is interesting and important to note that, unlike outdoor soccer, THERE
ARE WALLS IN MOST FUTSAL CENTERS! The walls are typically three to ten feet
from the boundary lines. Therefore errant balls rebound quickly back to
players who subsequently put the ball back into play within four seconds.
So, you experience the speed and continuous play of 'walled soccer' along
with the benefits of small-sided skills-oriented gaming.
From a developmental standpoint, you satisfy the magic objective of teaching
proper technique while having fun. This is, perhaps, the most wonderful
achievement of Futsal.
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How does
Futsal promote better technique?
Just
watch Futsal players fight to keep the ball from crossing the touch line and
you'll immediately begin to see how Futsal develops skill, control, and
technique. A small field with lines puts players constantly under pressure
from other players and out-of-play boundaries. Players must learn to settle
the ball rapidly, cut sharply, shield effectively, pass quickly and move
into space.
Compared to walled soccer or large indoor field soccer, Futsal places a
greater premium on ball control. There is no reward for errant passes
because the other team gets the ball. There is no reward for errant shots
because the other team gets the ball. There is no incentive to 'kick and
run' because the field is too small and packed with players. Players with
the ball must use proper technique to maintain control and must seek out
other players in space. Players without the ball must move to 'real' space
and must truly support their teammates.
With Futsal, the emphasis is clearly on control and technique. Without
control and technique you cannot expect to succeed in Futsal. And, if US
players are to be more successful in the international arena, it is clear
that we must better train and prepare our youth on proper technique. If you
are serious about skills and technique development, Futsal is the superior
activity. Futsal promotes better technique and develops skills more rapidly.
And if you are serious about the quality of the time you spend playing or
watching soccer games, Futsal is clearly better.
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Who says
Futsal is really that much better?
FIFA says Futsal is better. And the
Brizilians are amoung the many nations that swear by it. Pele, Ronaldo
and Bebeto all credit Futsal for much of their skill and technique
development. All the major heads of US Soccer and FIFA declared that
this is the way to go. Once you experience Futsal, you will see the
reasons.
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