City Futsal U13 Winter League

I just wanted to take a moment to publicly compliment the great folks at City Futsal.

They run a top-notch organization. Enrolling was a breeze. Best of all, City Futsal has been very helpful in the scheduling and re-scheduling process. Particularly with teams playing outdoor tournaments and of course, due to the recent ice storm. The referee crews have also been very good at prefacing each match with a rules overview.

Playing futsal is completely different than playing indoor with walls. There is no crazy rebounding balls or long-ball clears, etc. Players really need to focus on retaining the ball and short-ball passing. The hardwood playing surface is much less sticky than the green carpet. So the boys had to adjust the firmness of their footing. The smaller and heavier "Penalty" ball required another form of adjustment. A lot of adjustment, but all in a good way.

There is very little body contact or fouling when compared to old-school indoor facilities. Why? Because the boys are not caroming off each other like pinballs. The quick short-passing and elimination of slide-tackling diminishes the chances of sloppy collisions. The focus is on ball retention, not the brow-beating that is common in traditional indoor facilities. It is a players game.

There was an initial clear difference between the the boys playing futsal on a regular basis and the kids coming in from the outdoor leagues. At first, the "regulars" schooled many the D1 outdoor players.

There are sixteen U13 teams participating in the Winter League. The competition has been keen in the Blue and Red Divisions with so many talented boys showing their skill in a fun environment, free of the crazy stress of Classic League.

My bb and his friends simply love the futsal action. They depart the IAD facility itching to return for the next game.

I entered a U12 team there for the first time also and it has been a similar good experience. I wanted to try the league because I got tired of watching indoor games descend into smashing the ball long cos the wall will keep it in and all the high speed fouling that is tolerated.

Futsal is so fast and tight it really promotes foot skill and speed of play/thought.

Yup, we always enjoy the City Futsal leagues.