Brazilian Football at Local Schools Tournament

 

Young footballers from Newcastle Borough have been practicing the silky skills of Brazilian soccer when secondary school teams from across the Borough took part in a tournament playing an exiting new small-sided game called ‘Futsal’.

Players aged 11 & 12 from various high schools in the area took part in Staffordshire’s first ‘Futsal’ competition, which was held at Wolstanton High School on Wednesday 7th February.

Working in partnership with the Staffordshire Football Association, the tournament was organised by the Newcastle Borough Council’s Sports Development Officers, who have been working with the Staffordshire FA to raise awareness of this exciting new game.

The project started back in the summer of 2006 when two of the Sports Development Officers at the Borough Council, Andy Taylor and Andy Moon, attended an introduction to Futsal course organised by The Football Association.

The two Andy’s, along with Staffordshire FA’s Football Development Officer Gareth Thomas, then delivered a Futsal ‘taster session’ to the secondary school teachers from around the Borough in December. The teachers in attendance were suitably impressed with the new small-sided game and agreed to deliver it to the children back at their respective schools. They were all able to access a free Futsal equipment starter pack from The Football Association.

The teachers and their ‘new’ Futsal players returned to Wolstanton High School on the 7th February to battle it out in a round robin style tournament. Following a hugely entertaining couple of hours, Madeley High School came out on top whilst playing some ‘South American’ style football along the way! 

Both the Staffordshire FA and the Newcastle Bourough Council were very encouraged by the new skills displayed by the young players, and a huge amount of credit must go to their teachers for their enthusiasm in delivering Futsal during PE lessons at their schools.

Futsal is currently being promoted at grass roots level by the Football Association in the UK in a bid to develop technical skills from a young age. Children aged as young as five are learning new ball skills as part of the initiative.

“Having introduced Futsal to high schools in the Borough, it is proving very popular,” said the Council’s Community Recreation Leader Andy Taylor. “The five-a-side games are very different to the usual style, with smaller, heavier balls that encourage more skill and control. “Following on from the tournament we are hoping to set up leagues for boys and girls.”

 

The Staffordshire FA Football Development Officer Gareth Thomas added, “It was great to see children of a young age attempting tricks & techniques which you would not usually see in the current formats of football played in this Country”. He added, “Futsal can only enhance the skills of our young players, many of whom are already transferring their new skills and taking them into their mini-soccer and 11-a-side games. We now intend to repeat this project in other areas around the County”.

 

If your secondary school would like more information on Futsal, please contact Gareth Thomas 

Tel: 01785 256994 or gareth.thomas@staffordshirefa.com