The St. Paul Soccer Association began its third year of futsal last Wednesday night at St. Paul Elementary School.
Futsal is played with five players per side on a hard surface enclosed by lines, while in indoor soccer, there is no out of bounds.
Michelle Duffy, president of the soccer association, said it was fortunate to have soccer offered year-round, particularly since it’s a cheap sport that families can afford.
She noted the kids involved love futsal, and each year brings more to the program. “Their ball skills are just amazing, just from the extra touches on the ball.”
The program, which runs from October until the end of February, features 47 kids across three age groups, under 4/6, under 8/10 and under 12/14.
“We’re excited, the kids were looking forward to it. Our outdoor soccer season is so short that kids don’t have enough time,” said Duffy. “They feel that two months is not enough, so this is a great way to continue.”
For parents like Jolene Fodness, whose nine-year-old son Brady and seven-year-old daughter Emma play together in the under 8/10 division, futsal provides a way for her kids to remain active through the winter.
“We had looked for something and they showed an interest in indoor soccer. It’s something new and we thought we’d give it a try,” Fodness said. “I think it’s going to build some good coordination skills.”
The league began Wednesday night, but for the first month, the focus will be on teaching the young players the fundamentals of ball skills and teamwork.
League play begins in November, and Duffy says she hopes to see a number of other communities sign up to compete with the St. Paul teams.
“This is considered a league but we don’t know if we’ll be able to play other communities at this point because they’re still in the process of registrations,” Duffy said.
The St. Paul Soccer Association is also trying to start up an adult team. While eight players have expressed an interest in the program, Duffy says they will need a few more in order to start the team up. Anyone interested can contact the St. Paul Soccer Association.
“It’s fun, it’s good exercise, our coaches are fantastic – we have top notch coaching – and you get to meet new friends - that’s what it’s all about,” Duffy said.
