With the U12s playing a friendly game at home at midday to DB4 from Leeds, we shoehorned all the other players into 3 hours of training. We welcomed a new girl to try futsal for the first time, welcome Betty, we hope you had fun and hope to see you again very soon!

The girls worked on dealing with an overload, i.e. when the opposition has more players than you, especially out of possession. If you lost the ball, or misplaced a pass, you had to sprint to the oppositions goal and tag in one of your team mates, meaning for a short period of time the opposition had a player advantage, or even two depending on the situation. The games started very frantic but as the players got used to the rules, they started to be more aware of the game situation, great to watch and see them change the way they played. All the groups worked very hard to get back into position to delay and ultimately stop the opposition from scoring. This is not an easy topic as it covers lots of different skills but they showed great understanding and we got some outstanding results. Well done everyone!

Session Plan

Players of the Week:

First Hour – Beatrix P – another new player to the club, and she never stopped running throughout the whole hour. Great attitude and some crutching tackles to add into the mix. Fantastic start to your futsal journey, top job Beatrix!

Second Hour – Anna W – it was so nice to welcome back Anna after a nasty back injury, and I know she thought she wasn’t very good, but the attitude to keep going showed what a top young lady she is. Give yourself time Anna, but it is so good to have one of our longest serving members back training!

Third Hour – Daisy S – another new player and we noticed she struggled at the start of the session, so we had a chat and talked about keeping everything simple. She went back on court and looked a totally different player, much more composed. Well done, Daisy, good learning from you!

Final Thoughts of a Coach…

I have recently seen futsal being touted as a necessity for football.  Futsal should be valued as a sport, not just as a tool for developing footballers. It has a unique identity with its own set of skills, strategies, and culture that deserve recognition and appreciation. Futsal emphasises quick decision-making, creativity, and teamwork, and its players often display vast technical abilities.

Unlike football, futsal’s smaller court and fewer players make every touch, pass, and decision crucial. The game requires specialised skills like ball control in tight spaces, rapid transitions, and precise shooting on smaller goals. These attributes aren’t just a stepping stone for football—they are the essence of futsal itself.

Futsal also has its own competitive ecosystem, with professional leagues, international tournaments, and a passionate fanbase. It offers players a clear pathway to build a career specifically within the sport. Moreover, it allows athletes who might not excel in the physical demands of football to thrive in a game that rewards intelligence, finesse, and technical mastery.

By treating futsal as its own sport, it gains the respect and investment it needs to grow. Promoting futsal for futsal ensures that players, coaches, and fans can fully enjoy and develop the unique beauty of the game.

I will leave you with one thought, you never see tennis being used as a development tool for squash…or vice versa…