Courtesy: The Barnstable Patriot


Futsal for all

by Kathleen Szmit

Indoor soccer club gets kids in the game

Some would say there aren’t many reasons to make the trek from Boston to Cape Cod, but James Boden has one that’s close to his heart: Futsal.

What is futsal, you ask? Futsal is a fun type of soccer played indoors and Boden, along with pal Andy Tucker, helms Cape Cod Futsal, a club aimed at getting folks in the game and keeping them there.

Now in its second year, Cape Cod Futsal features a program that teaches players how to play indoor soccer, helps seasoned player hone their skills, and offers players the opportunity to keep playing soccer even when the ground outside is frozen.

“I’ve essentially been working with soccer on Cape Cod in some form for the last eight years,” said Boden, who developed his passion for the sport as a lad in England.

Because there were no formalized indoor soccer leagues on Cape Cod, players interested in participating in winter leagues were forced to travel to Plymouth, New Bedford, or Fall River.

With soccer teams at every area high school, Boden saw a need for a Cape soccer league and worked to create Cape Cod Futsal.
“[Players were] traveling for longer than they were playing, which is quite a burden in the winter,” Boden said. “I want to keep kids on Cape Cod.”

At pick-up games of soccer on the Cape, or at summer league games, Boden shared with players his plans for a league, and last year formed a six-team men’s league, along with two winter sessions of futsal for players ages 10 and up.

His league is part of the Massachusetts Futsal Association, as well as US Youth Futsal, and is affiliated with US Futsal.
“It’s the only form of indoor soccer that is FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) accredited,” said Boden.
Futsal is played similarly to outside field soccer, but involves slightly different rules, a smaller weighted ball, and is played on an indoor court. Members of Cape Cod Futsal teams and clinics play at Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable.

Boden’s first session this year included teams with players from Cape Cod Reunited Soccer, Barnstable Youth Soccer, Mashpee Youth Soccer, the Y-D Soccer Club, and Sandwich Youth Soccer.

“The reason why it’s growing is the type of play really is the best way to develop players indoors,” Boden said. “Movement is very important.”

Boden and Tucker said that futsal is a possession game in which players must be constantly active and alert.
“It really keeps you focused and switched on the whole time,” Boden said. “I hope that it will become [a feeder program] because it will encourage more kids to continue to play year-round.”

Ideally, Boden would like to see his program grow enough to necessitate use of more facilities throughout the Cape.
“We want to start a women’s league, too,” added Tucker.

A team in their men’s league, known by the name Barcelona, has been so successful they’ve won every game they’ve played across three sessions and will compete in a regional tournament in January.

With the younger generations Boden and Tucker keep sessions fun, infuse them with music, and aren’t afraid to get silly. At a recent birthday party, Tucker incorporated super hero moves into the session.
“There’s really nothing better than waking up each morning knowing we get to go teach soccer,” Tucker said. “It’s fantastic.”
“It’s the world’s most popular sport,” said Boden.

Cape Cod Futsal is planning a youth clinic for the beginning of February, followed by its second winter session. For more information visit their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CapeCodFutsal).






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com