Futsal was created by a Uruguyan named Ceriani. He wanted to develop a "mini-soccer" game for youth competition that could be played in the local YMCAs. The basketball courts were a perfect fit for the 5-aside game. And with courts available outside and in, the game was able to be played year-round. Unlike the more common indoor soccer leagues that had developed in hockey rinks, this game did not use walls. Futsal has grown to become a worldwide sport played under the regulation of FIFA. With international tournament play starting in 1965 in what was known as the South America Cup, we now have a Fifa Futsal World Championship that occurs every four years.
Starting with Ceriani in Montevideo, the game became wildly popular throughout South America. It spread like wildfire and really took hold in the soccer powerhouse of Brasil. Many past and modern day Brasilian soccer stars attribute their skills and success to learning the game of futsal. Having seen the likes of Robinho and Ronaldinho on the futsal court, it is easy to see how their special abilities transfer from the court to the pitch. Here are a few videos that highlight the skills of futsal players and what it means to Brasilian players.
Ronaldinho - Joga Bonito
Her are some other highlights of the technical ability learned from playing Futsal:
A long clip, but worth a watch. From the great soccer series Ginga:
It's a fact, Futsal has a huge impact on the development of Brasilian soccer players. It has got to be one of the main reasons for their success found year after year. How many World Cups have they won? Well, if there is any correlation at all, they have won over 30 various Futsal championships since 1969.
Back in 1989, our US Futsal team placed 3rd in the Fifa Futsal World Cup and 2nd in 1992. Only spotty relationships formed in 1995 and again in 1999 between US Futsal and US Youth Soccer to promote the game as the "official choice for indoor soccer". Since then, there is almost no progress to be found.
Why can't the USA figure this out. Our Futsal program is virtually unseen, unrecognized, and surely undervalued in the US Soccer system. With the clear benefits of the sport's ability to raise the level of play of American soccer on the pitch, what exactly is the problem?
So what is holding futsal back? The lack of knowledge. The local sports community needs to be educated. In the setting of an inner-city, the focus on basketball as a way to "get out" of the hood is very apparent. The sport is flooded and not everyone is good enough for a college scholarship or a ticket to the NBA draft. So why only focus on B-Ball? Dunno. Bring in futsal and you have another option for the kids. Its another team sport that teaches cooperation, creativity, agility, humility, quick-thinking, and decision-making. The sport is so easy to play. The rules are so easy to learn! There is never going to be an argument for offside. With the lack of bodily contact and no slide tackling allowed, there are much fewer injuries than in the outdoor game. And with the game being 5-aside, with no real positions, players have many more touches on the ball and end up developing as all-around players. I can't find any negative aspect of the game. Can you? This game should be played across the country. Especially in the cities, where the kids need & want to play.
Everywhere I look we have soooooo many basketball courts, city gyms, YMCA's, church gyms, school gyms, etc. that are ready to host a league. In fact, they are just itching to bring in the money, right? The problem is that they have no clue of the added revenue that could be rolling in. The basketball lines are used as the futsal court lines, just add a couple of futsal goals and voila...there you have it. Your very own ready-to-go Futsal court. Just add kids and watch the talent grow. Maybe we need to develop a study, make a short film, and get the story to the news stations or something.
The City of Charleston has many opportunities throughout the city to install futsal courts. they are very easy to maintain and very inexpensive to put together. Using the same dimensions as a full basketball court, and building the goals into the fence, you have a futsal court set up in no time. These would take up a very small space. Installed at the local parks, they would add a wonderful recreational option for our citizens. And I believe that the courts would be occupied from dawn to dusk on the weekends for sure. With minor supervision, the cit could easily organize leagues and find another source of income for the recreation dept. Or a few rules laid out, the courts can be self-governed by the players.
I call for a meeting of the soccer minds. I say that we get together and come up with some plans, cost-estimates, and locations for possible outdoor courts. Let's get organized and do our best to see this through. Public Futsal courts...I like the sound of that. Hey, the city is a progressive one. And so is our Mayor. It's worth a try for sure. And while we are at it, does anyone else see those Upward Basketball magnets on the back of minivans around the Lowcountry? Why don't we come up with a plan and invite the Church's into the game. If they have the space, I don't see why they would oppose the new stream of revenue into the church coffers.
Here is a great example of futsal benefiting urban youth. From an article linked here, US Soccer and Sport Court donated two futsal courts in DC after holding a fundraising event. It was done in partnership with Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign encouraging youth to get out and play for at least 60 minutes a day.
You see! We already have a wonderful example of futsal/urban sports development to throw in the face of naysayers. So who is with me? Let's get this ball rolling....
And if you still have no clue what Futsal is, come out to watch the Charleston Indoor Soccer League on Friday nights starting at 7pm at the Arthur Christopher City Gym in downtown Charleston. It's located in between the Riverdogs Stadium and Johnson Hagood Stadium.
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