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Chesterfield PostPutting The Fun Into FutsalTuesday 25th September 2012Now, when I was told there was an opportunity to spend a morning with some fit young men who would show me some fancy Brazilian footwork, I figured 'Strictly' was in town.
However, it was closer to home than that and I found myself in the thick of a training session with the Chesterfield FC young Futsal trainees.
Futsal, as regular readers may know, is the FIFA-approved indoor football game which is played throughout the world but is particularly popular in Brazil (who are the current World Cup Champions), South America and Spain.
The Chesterfield squad will be playing their games a little closer to home though and are in a league with clubs such as Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanders, Walsall and Crewe Alexandra.
Participants are between 16 and 17 and will earn themselves a BTEC Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Sport, which is the equivalent of 3 'A' levels and could see them progress into a sporting future in various ways.
It's been a big hit so far, with the course having been heavily subscribed. Kay Adkins, (left) Education and Skills Manager at the club says that it's been a valuable resource, "It's an approved indoor football game from FIFA and UEFA. It's a fairly new scheme - the FA are keen to bring it into the country and there are a number of Futsal Centres developing in the country.
"The Football League Trust saw this as a great opportunity for professional clubs to introduce this into the clubs and to provide an educational qualification to these young players - and that's almost as important as the playing of the football.
"They aren't sitting about doing nothing, they have to work very hard, so they're training and studying and I think they're enjoying it. We're a couple of weeks in. In our league we will be playing Derby County, Notts County and both Sheffield clubs are playing in it too - we're hoping to have a friendly with Bradford this week.
"We have a couple of places left - there's an end of September deadline and it is open to girls, it just so happens we've had boys apply. Certainly though, in next year's recruitment, which will start October 1st, we really do hope that some girls do apply. They need 4 GCSE's and preferably English and Maths, though we can help if things have gone awry, but they need this as the study programme isn't light, it's a hard course to do."
Community work is vital to the club and Kay says that this is an important part of its ethos, "The club moved to it's new stadium and we said that we'd do more and more and this is part of that programme. This brings an extra dimension to the football as well as the FUTSAL that we're seeing this morning and it's important that we are part of the community - this is a strong part of it."
The media were invited to share parts of the training session this morning and it's clear that the focus is on control of the ball. It's not an easy discipline and one which, though fun, is focused and skill centred.
The kids themselves, all local, were enjoying it though and afterwards, one told us just how he'd got into the course. Jake Crookes, 16, is from Dronfield and said, "I used to do work experience with Andy Morris - coaching - at Chesterfield Football club and he let me know about this and I wanted to have a go. It improves your fitness, football and you get better at playing and the BTEC part makes you learn, about fitness and parts of your body. I'd like to get involved in coaching or fitness in the future, maybe even playing, so this is excellent!
"I like it. I knew a couple from my school when I got here, but I'd recommend it, it gets you out and about - playing and learning at the same time."
Casting an eye over the proceedings was Chesterfield player Nathan Smith, currently injured, and he was itching to have a go saying, "The balls a lot heavier than normal, controlling wise, it's easier. I've watched it on YouTube and it's good to get involved.
"You never know what could potentially happen, they could get a report back and you never know, they might get a look in - players may come down from time to time, it's located in Chesterfield, so you never know."
Asked how he got an opportunity to play professional football, Nathan told us, "When I was playing, I got a couple of trials at Dagenham and Redbridge and Yeovil and that's how it happened."
Out injured for a couple of weeks, the popular defender told us that he was longing to get back on the pitch, "I've just had an ankle operation and have been out for two weeks so far. I start training again in two weeks and they say that two weeks after that, I can start and get back into it. I'm looking forward to getting back, words can't explain, I'd love to be out there now! I'm tempted to go out and play some FUTSAL now!"
Anyone interested in learning more, or in booking one of the remaining places for this year or next, should contact Kay Adkins on 01246 209765 opt 8 or by email at kayadkins@chesterfield-fc.co.uk as soon as possible for application details.
Posted by
Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com