Futsal is a form of 5 a side football which originated in Brazil and is played around the world. It is recognised as being the best type of training for all other forms of football and, after many years, it is now taking off in the UK in a big way.
Futsal Cup of Nations One long weekend of Futsal. 22nd-25th June- 2009
Written by Gavin Sartain
Saturday, 04 July 2009
I was recently lucky enough to be asked by the FA to travel
to Lagoa in the Algarve,
Portugal.
This was to referee at the Women's Futsal Cup of Nations, which involved Teams
from around the world including Brazil
(pro's), Spain
(pro's), Portugal
(Pro's), Russia,
Japan
and Iran
(National team). The tournament was of a high international standard and was a
successful, well organised event and was assured it would be an eye opener.
Myself and
my two colleagues from the National list met with the other officials from Portugal, Iran, Japan, and Chile. This was
somewhat difficult to begin with because of the language barrier but with time
we got round that. We refereed with our own colleagues and other nationalities,
so not only where you presented with two foreign speaking teams, but also a
foreign colleague as well, a challenge for any individual taking on this role
of referee this brought out other communication skills that enhanced your ability
to referee well. Body language, signalling, whistle tone, extra eye to eye
contact with referee's and correct and efficient application of FUTSAL law.
This was done in such a way that there was minimal confusion among the players,
coaches and spectators who all just want to play or watch Futsal played at its
best.
Adding to this, the local and
national press where very interested in the tournament and had a high presence
around the venues, recording the games on camera, sending them out live on internet,
interviewing players and coaches and highlights for their national news
channel.
The venues where all seated arenas which where
full to capacity to watch these games. The atmosphere with the supporters'
noise and energy added to the games and was a great experience to witness such
enthusiasm for the game.
The
Brazilian met the Portuguese in the final with Brazil winning 4-2 adding another
Cup of Nations to the merit list. The game was watched on by a packed arena and
was a great spectacle. These two teams would give any of our men's teams a
lesson or two. Highly skilful and tactically aware.
The tournament was played in a very competitive spirit but everyone
was very friendly. With out doubt one of the best experiences I have had
refereeing the game so far.
Any more interest can
be fulfilled by visiting the website below.
Nearly 80 junior Futsal teams were in Sheffield over the weekend for The FA National Youth Futsal Festival, which was a resounding success with some excellent Futsal being played in the full spirit of the game.
The FA National Youth Futsal Festival
Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2009
English Institute Of Sport, Sheffield
Teams from all over the country were at the English Institute Of Sport on both Saturday and Sunday for the Festival, with competitions for both boys and girls in the U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s age groups.
Double success was achieved from the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA region, with Barnsley Ladies taking the U10s Girls title, followed by Crosspool Juniors winning the U12s Girls.
The FA National Youth Futsal Festival was established to provide an event that could inspire young people to take-up and play Futsal on a regular-basis, the aims and intentions of the Festival are to not just provide a one-off Futsal event that young people enjoy and then forget, but to provide a goal to encourage schools, clubs and young people to play Futsal throughout the year with the climax being the opportunity to attend the National Futsal Festival.
Saturday saw the U10s and U12s in action, with the group fixtures starting just after 10.30am. With ten teams in each competition, the sides were separated into two groups of five with the top two from each group then meeting in a semi-final.The FA National Youth Futsal Festival
Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2009
English Institute Of Sport, Sheffield
Teams from all over the country were at the English Institute Of Sport on both Saturday and Sunday for the Festival, with competitions for both boys and girls in the U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s age groups.
Double success was achieved from the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA region, with Barnsley Ladies taking the U10s Girls title, followed by Crosspool Juniors winning the U12s Girls.
The FA National Youth Futsal Festival was established to provide an event that could inspire young people to take-up and play Futsal on a regular-basis, the aims and intentions of the Festival are to not just provide a one-off Futsal event that young people enjoy and then forget, but to provide a goal to encourage schools, clubs and young people to play Futsal throughout the year with the climax being the opportunity to attend the National Futsal Festival.
Saturday saw the U10s and U12s in action, with the group fixtures starting just after 10.30am. With ten teams in each competition, the sides were separated into two groups of five with the top two from each group then meeting in a semi-final.
With both
a men's and women's title up for grabs, the competition will be as fierce as
ever over the three days of Futsal with a total of 32 teams involved.
Teams
qualified via The FA National Futsal League, the university BUCS
Championship and from a series of regional qualifiers and the countdown is
now on until the start of the games this Friday (3 July).
Last year's men's champions Helvecia will be back to defend their
title, whilst the likes of FC White Bear, Tranmere Victoria and Kickers
amongst several newcomers like Streetly will be out to challenge them.
Doncaster Rovers Belles lifted the women's title in 2008, but they won't be
back this year to defend it so that will leave last season's beaten
Finalists and the 2007 champions Watford Ladies determined to prove their
Futsal worth again.
However,
with a growing number of teams beginning to compete in Futsal, they could face
a serious challenge this time around.
The FA Futsal Cup format sees four groups of four teams drawn out, before the
top two from each group progress to the knock-out stages which include a
Quarter Final, Semi-Final and then the Final.
The
Sheffield and Hallamshire FA representative futsal team will be flying the flag
for the host city of Sheffield in the men's competition. The team has a
mixture of experience, including some of the younger players that have been
involved with the junior programme. The team finished runners up in plate
competition at last years final and are currently top of the league in the FA
Futsal League North.
The team
have been drawn in Group B, and face last year's winners Helvecia along with FA
Futsal League North rivals Loughborough.
GROUP B
Helvecia
Sheffield & Hallamshire
Loughborough University
Lietuva
Brian
Peck, Sheffield and Hallamshire Head of Football Development said "The
representative team are very much looking forward to the tournament this
weekend; all the players have worked hard in training in preparation and are
proud to be representing the County FA, competing against the top Futsal teams
from across the country. We are hoping that people will come down and
support the team, watch our progress and find out a bit more about Futsal.
GROUP A
Middlesbrough
Worcester University
Team Bath
London United
GROUP B
Helvecia
Sheffield & Hallamshire
Loughborough University
Lietuva
GROUP C
Hartpury College
Kickers
Dengo United
White Bear
GROUP D
Leeds Met University
Tranmere Victoria
Streetly School
Genesis
The FA
UMBRO Futsal Cup Final Event Schedule
Friday
3rd July - Play starts at 1PM, with last matches scheduled to finish at 8.15PM
Saturday
4th July - Play starts at 9AM, with last matches scheduled to finish at 7.15PM
Sunday
5th July - Play starts at 9AM, Semi Finals and Finals will be played from 12PM
The Sheffield and Hallamshire FA region has become somewhat of a centre
of excellence for Futsal and other small-sided games. For the sixth year
in a row, Sheffield has been chosen to host the tournament at The English
Institute for Sport. The event will see both the Men's and Women's FA
Futsal Cup Competition played out over three days.
Copyright (C) 2008
Sheffield and Hallamshire FA All rights reserved.
The FA Futsal Cup Last 16
Written by Damon Shaw
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
The FA run the most prestigious club knockout competition in
the World - The FA Cup, and for those involved in futsal in England, the FA
Futsal Cup is the equivalent of the world famous competition.The likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and
Arsenal don't feature in the small sided game, however but household names for
futsal fans such as Ipswich Wolves, Helvecia and Tranmere could be likened to
the aforementioned teams.
While England can claim to have taken the eleven a side game
to the shores of South America, it is the other way round when it comes to the
five a side version of football, called futebol de salao by the Brazilians -
literally, indoor football.The FA
Futsal Cup was England's first attempt at a national championship in futsal,
held in 2003, when Sheffield Hallam won the first ever FA Futsal Cup, joining
Wanderers (first ever FA Cup winners...) in a statistic that will never be
forgotten.Back then it was a low-key,
invitational tournament and now, with a full national league also in operation,
The FA Futsal Cup is something of a major event, and a showcase one at
that.With a specialist events company
commissioned to run the event to the high standards The FA expect, and with over
sixty different qualifying competitions it has evolved significantly from its
lowly beginnings six years ago.
Despite becoming bigger and better, the FA Futsal Cup has
lost the one thing that made it what it was: a place in the UEFA Futsal Cup for
the winners.That now goes, and rightly
so, to the winners of The FA Futsal League.The buzz around The FA Futsal Cup, however, and the desire to win it
among the teams is far from down on previous years, in fact, with less at
stake, it may even make for an improved atmosphere and better spectacle.
The tournament takes over the English Institute of Sport in
Sheffield for three whole days, with four pitches set up in the international
venue.Sixteen women's teams join the
men's competition and on 3rd July it will be all go for the clubs,
organisers and spectators for three days of futsal drama.
