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Futsal, Expanding At Lightning Speed
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Nov/Dec Issue #73
By Kris Fernandes
The most exciting brand of soccer is expanding at lightning speed across the world. What are we talking about? Futsal, of course!
But ah, what exactly is futsal you ask? Well, great question and here’s the answer and why more Canadians should be playing it.
Futsal is an extremely action-packed game played indoors; think of soccer on a basketball court. It is commonly referred to as 5-a-side, obviously meaning it’s a 5v5 game including the goalie. There are no boards, only boundary lines, which help players develop proper technique and promote individual skill. There are two 20-minute halves that are always at full throttle. There are no sliding tackles and the heavier and smaller futsal ball (about size 4) has very little bounce, which forces players to exercise their ability. The goals are 2m high and 3m wide.
It is the only officially recognized version of indoor soccer by FIFA and it is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing sports on the planet. Not to mention that it is well documented to be the ultimate tool for developing young soccer talent.
Brazilian superstars such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Zico and Pele, among others, have all attributed their phenomenal skills to their futsal origins. Ronaldinho, in particular, is a major advocate of futsal and its significance in enhancing young players. This is what he had to say about futsal in FIFA’s 2005 Activity Report;
“You learn to make snap decisions, as everything’s much tighter and happens more quickly than in normal football. Speed, perfect technique and the ability to weigh up the situation fast are the key things futsal teaches you. It’s better for youngsters to play on small pitches because that way they get the ball more often, which is really important. You only get better by practicing and getting the ball a lot. That’s why futsal is an extremely important way for kids to develop their skills and understanding of the game.”
One thing futsal does is allow for more touches. According to that same FIFA report, in an average 40-minute futsal contest an outfield player will touch the ball roughly every 29 seconds, or 80 touches. Now compare that to a 90-minute outdoor game where it’s only around 30-40 touches. That is more than double in just half the time.
In addition to more touches, there are other numerous advantages from playing futsal. Not only does it help improve ones agility, speed and balance it also significantly allows players to learn to become more creative and dynamic in their individual skills. The fact that there are no boards on the pitch forces players to think and react quicker, something that indoor soccer with boards does not teach. Also, since the pitch is smaller than regular indoor pitches, it further enhances the ability for players to emulate that highly effective and electric Brazilian pass and run system.
Though Brazil is the dominant team in futsal, many other countries are rapidly realizing the benefits that the game has to offer and are starting to invest heavily in it. One prime example is in Japan, where one company recently announced that it would be building 420 futsal pitches over the next 5 years at a cost of around $450 million US to accommodate the sports demand. More nations are playing the game and that is evident by comparing the high number of participating teams for the last futsal World Cup Qualifying stages in 2004, 86, to a mere 23 in its first installment in 1989 (Canada finished 12th at this event). This number is expected to easily surpass 100 for the next installment in 2008.
But what about Canada? How is futsal doing here and where is it going?
Currently it’s in its infancy stages but it is looking to grow heavily over the next few years. The CSA has mandated to its provinces that it must differentiate their indoor soccer programs from futsal and are asking them to push the latter. Although many regions in the country have many various futsal leagues and tournaments, nothing is really concrete in terms of structure. However, Ontario, BC and Quebec are leading the way for many futsal players in local leagues though many of the national team’s players are based in Alberta. Ontario held their 1st official provincial championships last winter, while BC hosted a futsal challenge, both at the U-13 level. Other provinces and territories are quickly following suit.
While tournaments are slowly emerging, where are the facilities for soccer?
The game itself can be and is predominantly played in local school gyms. More futsal specific facilities will have to be built to enhance the overall quality of the sport in Canada by increasing the number of its participants. Two newly built centres in the Greater Toronto Area are trying to go this route rather than build another typical indoor dome.
The Toronto Futsal Centre opened in October ‘06 after converting an old curling facility into a 4-field futsal super-plex and is hoping that this translates into new era for the sport.
“We have a prime location in central Toronto and really believe that the future development of the game lies within futsal,” said manager Bert Lobo. “We are looking to attract youth soccer clubs and adult groups to develop leagues that will give the soccer community what they want, futsal.”
In Woodbridge, ON the Astra Sportsplex is a pilot project by a consortium including well known Canadian soccer personalities Bob Iarusci and Carmine Marcantonio. The new complex, located in the heart of the massive 905 soccer community, features a fantastic field turf that can convert into 3 pitches and will be hosting futsal specific leagues. But the plan isn’t to stop there, proclaims Marcantonio, a former NASL standout.
“This is the beginning of a much broader project in futsal for us that will have an indoor pitch that will also include two outdoor fields for a total soccer experience.”
There is also talk of futsal centres being constructed in Victoria, Vancouver, as well as Montreal, possibly in 2007. Futsal, though slowly, is gradually creeping its way across Canada and will eventually overtake regular indoor soccer as the CSA, provincial associations and local regions work further to develop the game. If you are looking to effectively develop you or your child’s soccer abilities, then this game is a clear cut choice in making that happen. With the passion for soccer expanding in Canada combined with our long winters, futsal is destined to become an essential aspect of the Canadian soccer scene.
The one big question to ask is, how soon is now?
Back to Basics: Shifting The Focus From Winning And Losing To Skill-Mastery
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INSIDE SOCCER 2006 Tournament Camp Guide
By Angela Musso
Similar scenes play out at fields across the country. Children as young as 8 years old are thrust into the ultra-competitive rep soccer environment. Win, and your team may move to the next level. Lose, and you may find your team is torn apart in the off-season because you did not live up to the expectations of coaches and parents.
The rep soccer culture is one of high pressure and high expectations. These pressures and expectations increase as a player gets older and as his or her team becomes more successful. Unfortunately, in many cases the goal of developing Canada’s next top players is overtaken by the need to win at all costs.
The parent that truly wants their son or daughter to develop their soccer skills and maximize their talent is caught in a tough position. They have to balance the training and development options available to them with the harsh reality that in order to consistently play against the best players available, they either have to move their children from team to team, or continually deal with the stresses of having to try-out against a steady stream of players brought in to keep the team at the top of the heap.
If you want your kids to be as good at a sport as they can be, the priority has to be skill-mastery, not winning games. Finding soccer environments with that priority is difficult in traditional soccer settings, but it’s worth it to keep looking until you find it.
Studies show that, at the group level, teachers and coaches who create a mainly mastery climate (by letting kids know that personal improvement and learning are the most important things), are helping to build not only skills, but self-esteem and a continued motivation to practice.
Let’s say we have two talented soccer players who have just lost a game; one is a girl who was taught that she is learning how to play soccer so that she will win games. The other is a boy who was taught that he is learning how to play soccer so that he can become a highly-skilled player. Even if they have both learned good skills and used them during the game, the girl will still feel like she has failed, while the loss won’t change how the boy sees himself. It won’t make him think he was wasting his time in learning skills, either, although she might think that. The fact that he knows that the most important issue is skill-development will motivate him to continue working hard at the game.
A study of 10 and 12 year-olds showed that in mastery-oriented conditions, natural motivation grew a lot more than in competitive conditions. In other words, young athletes are more likely to continue developing their skills if it’s about being the best they can be, rather than about winning and losing. The more willing they are to work at skill development, the greater their successes will be.
Learning how to win and lose is an important part of player development. However, it should not come at the expense of the development of the basic skills necessary to become an elite soccer player. A program that reinforces the importance of skill development over that of winning and losing is the optimum environment for player development.
Angela Musso is an elementary school teacher in York Region (OON). She has a Bachelor of Psychology and Masters of Education from York University.
