Futsal is Key for Player Development
619 Futsal’s Winter League is just around the corner as another session of futsal in San Diego helps youth players develop through the fast-paced indoor game. Registration closes on October 20th with the first match scheduled for November 19th.
Futsal News: 619 Futsal is gearing up for its 2017/18 Winter League scheduled to kickoff on November 20th. Founded by Sean Bowers, former U.S. Futsal National Team captain, 619 Futsal provides San Diego with competitive youth futsal in the region.
Bowers is a well-known soccer star in America’s Finest City — and was one of the first players drafted in the inaugural MLS draft in 1996. Bowers played for the Sporting Kansas City — which was called Kansas City Wizards back then.
Bowers initially played for the city’s championship professional soccer team, the San Diego Sockers and received the honor of Defender of the Year on four occasions. Bowers is now he is the General Manager of the Sockers which play in the San Diego Sports Arena.
619 Futsal is geared toward the technical development of youth soccer players and is an excellent addition to playing club soccer.
The most amazing part? All the smiles on the players’ faces.
While Futsal may be one of the greatest ways to improve your game, it is also a lot of fun.
The ball is constantly at a player’s foot — and there is never any player left out of the action.
While soccer is a team sport, often not everyone on the team touches the ball as often as they would like — in Futsal, the pace is so fast and passing is the only way to successfully and consistently move the ball around the court, every player gets into the action.
As a successful soccer professional with years of experience, Bowers knows that playing futsal is a great tool for player development. All U.S. Soccer Development Academy players play Futsal during their season — and most of the super famous soccer pros including Ronaldo and Messi also play Futsal. With so many more touches on the ball in an hour than could ever possibly happen on the outdoor field, futsal is an incredible training tool.
“Youth soccer players in our area are highly competitive and want to learn and develop their skills,” says Bowers. “Many of the top clubs have their teams sign up in groups of 8 or so to form a Futsal team — or sometimes it is just a group of soccer friends from several clubs — but either way, the kids are improving their skills with the benefit of an amazing workout.”
“And, let’s remember how fun it is too!”
619 Futsal is a professionally run organization — one of the most successful Futsal leagues in America. U.S. Soccer’s Head Coach for our country’s Futsal team is Keith Tozer and he is a big fan of Bowers. “Sean is an amazing teacher of the game — an incredibly talented player and a great human being. He was the captain of our National Team and I highly recommend 619 Futsal for anyone interested in playing Futsal.”
“In order to become a competitive threat, we must raise the bar on player development and Futsal is important to achieving this goal,” says Bowers.
“Futsal requires you to think and play fast. It makes everything easier when you later switch to football,” said Pele.
Winter League Registration is now open. Season dates are November 19 – February 25, 2018. All games will be officiated by 1 referee and all games are played on Sundays.
Registration Deadline: October 20, 2017
Winter Session Dates: November 19, 2017 – February 25, 2018
Conflicts: Teams may enter up to two conflict dates that will be granted.
Registration Fee: $595 per team
Discounts:
- Early Bird Discount – $25 off if you register and pay by September 30
- Multiple Team Discount – If you are registering 4 or more teams please email 619futsal@gmail.com for details
Divisions:
- Boys and Girls U7 – U14
- High School (U15-U18)
- Women’s Open
Game Schedule: All (8) games are played on Sundays. No games will be scheduled on November 26th, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Locations:
- Miramar Community College – 10440 Black Mountain Road, San Diego, CA, 92126
- Canyon Crest Academy – 5951 E Village Center Loop Rd, San Diego, CA 92130
Team Size Recommendation: With only 5 players playing at a time, it is smart not to have a big bench. The best option is 8 to 10 players. The minimum is 5 and the max is 18 for the roster.
Want to know more about Futsal?
What is the difference between Futsal and soccer?
Fewer Players = More Action: Only five players are on the court at a time – also increase the number of touches on the ball.
Passing the Ball = Better Technique: In Futsal, it is very important to pass the ball back and forth to successfully move the ball down the court to score — therefore playing Futsal provides a focus on passing and developing a better ball control.
Futsal Trivia #1: Did you know that Futsal is the only form of indoor soccer recognized by FIFA?
Futsal became FIFA’s official form of indoor soccer in the 80s.
The 5 v 5 (five players against five players) small-sided games are played on a hard surfaced – usually a basketball-sized court or a special Futsal court.
Futsal Trivia #2: Which is heavier? A soccer ball or a Futsal ball?
If you picked Futsal ball — you are correct. Futsal is played with a smaller, heavier low-bounce ball.
Related Articles: THE DEAL ON FUTSAL, US YOUTH FUTSAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
