FUTSAL MAY BE a new concept to fans of the Arnold Sports Festival, but the sport is rapidly growing in popularity in the U.S.
By placing a strong emphasis on technical skills in high-pressure situations, futsal – which joined the Arnold line-up in 2019 – creates the perfect environment for players to develop quick reflexes, fast thinking and pinpoint passing.
The rules of futsal are similar to soccer’s, but the game is played indoors, uses a smaller ball and has five players on each side. It has some 12 million players worldwide.
Lincoln Justice, a sixth-grader at Hilliard Tharp Middle School, has been playing for five years with Columbus Futsal and, in January 2020, competed in a tournament in Spain.
“It’s a funny story, actually,” says Lincoln. “My best friend’s dad emailed my dad to tell him that there was this new sport called futsal that my best friend was signing up for, and he asked my dad if I wanted to join, too.
The game was originally developed to meet the needs of players who don’t have the space to play soccer. Futsal is officially recognized by both FIFA and UEFA and, while it’s most popular in Brazil, U.S. athletes are quickly catching on.
“In futsal, you always have to keep moving and have to have quick reflexes,” says Lincoln. “In soccer, you can always pass the ball around, but you don’t pass as much in futsal. And since you have to move around quicker, you always have to be ready.”
Soccer superstars such as Pelé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zico, Lionel Messi, Kaká and Kátia have credited futsal for improving their athletic skills. Though the sport is big in South America and Europe, it’s not as well-known here in the U.S. – likely, Lincoln says, simply because it’s new.
Lincoln points out numerous unique advantages to playing futsal that make it worth a try.
“It’s a little more advanced when it comes to ball movement and skills with the balls, so I think that helps a lot of kids be more focused, both on and off the playing field,” he says.
Columbus Futsal consists of several men’s teams, a women’s team, pick-up futsal, league play, instructional free play as a volunteer and a youth academy. The organization also has a mentor-mentee program for high school students wanting to earn volunteer hours, as well as introductory programs for newcomers of all ages to learn balance, coordination and creativity all while honing a new skill.
“It has helped me a lot throughout the years,” Lincoln says. “I would recommend it to others because it can only help you in the long run.”
Sanaya Attari is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.