U.S. Youth Futsal National Futsal I.D. Kicks Off In Kansas City
This is America’s first-ever futsal player identification program, designed to identify and develop elite players in the most challenging and competitive environment possible. Launched in 2014, the U.S. Youth Futsal National ID program includes multiple regional Futsal I.D. camps held all across the country. Here, at the National ID Camp, the most elite players gather for further evaluation. The dream? To be selected to represent our country at the international futsal competition in Costa Rica on a U.S. Youth Futsal National Team.
The 2015 U.S. Youth Futsal National ID program kicked off their four-day event yesterday. More than 400 top youth soccer and futsal players from across the country traveled to Overland Park, Kansas to train and compete for roster spots on the U.S. Youth Futsal National Teams.
U.S. Youth Futsal teams will compete in a series of international friendlies against top Costa Rican futsal programs from July 30 – Aug. 1.
U.S. Youth Futsal Technical Director, Keith Tozer, along with the help of the Regional Directors and U.S. Youth Futsal coaching staff, started evaluating the youth players – ranking each individual player #1, #2 or #3 in a variety of drills and action packed games.
How does the player ranking system work? #1 is the top rank indicating the player was the best or performed excellently at the drill. The #2 rank is awarded to players who are above average and #3 is given to players who may need improvement. All coaches who are observing the players may help assign each player a grade. All players are from birth years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
“Today’s training and matches far exceeded my expectations and I’m looking very much forward to the rest of the National Futsal ID camp,” said Tozer.
The U.S. Youth Futsal training and ID program is highly professional and well-organized, and the competition is fierce. The player talent pool is deep and these high-caliber, elite youth players attending this event are eager to learn. Each age group was evaluated in three separate and intense sessions.
“All players will be evaluated by the Technical Staff and have the opportunity to play in the pool games each night,” said Jon Parry, Executive Director of U.S. Youth Futsal and a member of both the 1996 United States Futsal Team which competed in the World Championship in Spain and the 1998 team that played in the Brazilian Olympics.
“In 2014, we had the regional teams compete against each other and we changed the format this year by mixing the players from the regions,” said Parry. “We feel this provides a great format to find the best Futsal players at this National ID Camp.” Parry, who holds an USSF “A” License, is also the Academy Director of Sporting Kansas City where he is the Head Coach for the U14 Development Academy teams.
“The first day of the National I.D. Camp started with two outstanding training sessions and concluded with some intense, well played games,” said Jason Miller, Director of Communications for U.S. Youth Futsal. “If day one is an indication, the rest of the week is going to be incredible.”
The players attending this National ID session were selected at their local U.S. Youth Futsal Regional ID Camps and were invited to travel to Kansas City.
Sean Bowers of 619 Futsal who worked with Tozer to identify the top players in the Southwest Region said, “The U.S. Youth Futsal National ID camp has made tremendous strides in making the futsal experience a great one. The program includes high level training as well as group and pool games, during which every player is evaluated by 3-5 coaches. It is an awesome experience.”
Bernadette Sandmeyer, whose son Jack is participating in the U.S. Youth Futsal National ID camp said, “This has been a great experience for my son, Jack, who plays competitive soccer in San Diego for Noah Gins at Albion SC. He is learning so much from the Futsal coaches and is being challenged both mentally and physically. The players here are top athletes trying to push themselves harder, learning new techniques and gaining skills that will also help them in their outdoor game.”
Travis Eilers from Hebron, Kentucky said, “This is great, there is a lot of talent throughout the ages packed in one building. For the kids to get this kind of excellent coaching is wonderful and will take Futsal to the next level. My son Spencer plays for Ginga in Cincinnati, Ohio loved Day One.”
“This is a unique opportunity, well worth the expense and very professionally organized,” said Dan Lachenbruch, whose son Cooper plays for Brian Quinn at the San Diego Soccer Club.
“This is a great experience and I love it,” said Kimberly Atkinson whose son plays for City Futsal and Coppell Developmental Academy in Dallas, Texas. “This is really great training and the coaching is super.”
Who will make the National Futsal Team? This is only Day One and the dream is alive for all the players competing. Those players selected will become the 2015 U.S. Youth Futsal boys and girls U18, U16 and U14 Teams and will travel to San Jose, Costa Rica to compete with the esteemed futsal programs of Colegio Ezcazu, Colegio Santa Ana and Borussia Futsal.
“For a young player’s development, competition is a high priority, and for players to compete against the level we will experience in Costa Rica will be tremendously beneficial,” said Tozer, the U.S. Youth Futsal Technical Director.
The youth futsal teams will stay in San Jose, the host nation’s capital, and train and play at the official training center of the Costa Rican National Futsal Teams. The visit will include one day of training and one day of team-building adventure – expected to include rainforest ziplining and whitewater rafting — prior to the three match days.
Costa Rica, the reigning CONCACAF men’s futsal champion, has participated in two Futsal World Cups and hosted the CONCACAF Championships twice. In December 2014 it hosted the first-ever Women’s World Championships.
“It’s going to be exciting to play futsal academies — kids who play futsal on a regular basis,” said U.S. Youth Futsal Regional Director Otto Orf. “Costa Rica, along with Guatemala, has the most comprehensive futsal program in CONCACAF, including futsal championships for boys and girls. It will really put our players’ skills to the test.” Orf was at the Women’s Championships and as a former Men’s National Futsal Team goalkeeper played in Costa Rica many years ago. He has been to the country more than 12 times in the past five years and knows the experience will be rewarding and unforgettable for the U.S. players.
RELATED ARTICLE: 2015 SOUTHWEST FUTSAL ID CAMP RECAP U.S. YOUTH FUTSAL NATIONAL I.D. – DAY 2 U.S. YOUTH FUTSAL NATIONAL I.D. – DAY 3
Photo Credit: Claudia Uno & Diane Scavuzzo
