3 - Kids - what the Futsal? (small sided games)

Manifesto/ petition #3 Kids - what the Futsal? (small sided football - max of 5v5 up to & including Yr7) What the Futsal..? Did you know that the new football complex at Burton-on-Trent does not have a space to play and coach Futsal? After The FA’s 2010 Annus Horribilis, you might have thought that those in charge would have searched far and wide for answers - resulting in signing off a space for Futsal. Futsal is obviously a good strategic fit for the technical development of our young players. I would go further and say that we will never get anywhere without it. If you know about Futsal already you will know that this game is where players like Ronaldinho learned those amazing skills. Those who are turned on to Futsal already know how much of a step change this is and can be for our kids. If you don’t know about Futsal then I would urge you to go online and Google it (and prepare for a culture shock – we need to catch up!). For example, I sometimes pause my Sunday morning run to watch young kids playing at the local charter mark football club. This country is an uninviting environment for young players in winter outside, don’t you think? Despite mini football, all I see are: 1. pitches that are mud-caked in deep mid-winter 2. pitches still too big for young players 3. corner kicks being taken by kids trying to play an adult game who have not yet developed the power to lift the ball above waist height from that distance (What the Futsal?). 4. games being dominated by one or two who are more physiologically developed 5. still too many players on each side so none are getting enough touches. 6. etc, etc The ironic thing is that the infrastructure for a fresh coaching approach is already in communities at primary schools. Key Stage 1 kids need the best coaches available to give them the best start in their football development. The National Football Centre needs an indoor environment where coach educators can deliver quality Futsal coaching. This focus on technical development can then be taken back to your community and we can start – finally - to catch up. We need to show our show our young players how to master control of the ball above all else from a young age. Primary school halls and other indoor community facilities are a perfect space for this (schools often have internet connected display boards to show Futsal skills, too). Are you surprised, then, to learn that this has been missed off the list of requirements for St George’s Park..? Let’s petition The FA to change this. If we don’t it will result in another missed opportunity for you guys in the urban spaces that don’t have access to facilities – even though facilities are all around us! Please – sign the petition and let’s try to encourage The FA to make this happen. Together – we can do it! Yours in foobtall Kicboy Football should be a simple, fun game. There 2 things you need to know about football: 1 - Try to beat your opponent to score a goal 2 - To win, concede fewer goals than you score