Courtesy: Soccer Nation


San Diego's 619 Futsal to Host First USYF Western Regional Tournament

619 Futsal's Regional Tournament

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Pele, Ronaldo and Messi all play futsal – shouldn't you? Yes, all the experts agree – futsal is great for player development. The one single best reason to play? It is so FUN! The kids love it.

Claudio Reyna’s vision for U.S. Soccer includes futsal, and the U.S. Development Academy now includes futsal in its player development program. Futsal helps develop foot skills, speed and agility and is highly recommended for player development – and it is fun for all. These fast-paced games are also great for team bonding.

This summer 619 Futsal will be hosting the first United States Youth Futsal (USYF) Western Regional Tournament from June 7 through 9 at the Miramar College Gym. The tournament will bring together teams from around the West, with the champions receiving an automatic bid to the 2014 US Youth Futsal Nationals.

As the only national futsal organization affiliated with U.S. Soccer, USYF has the mission of developing and expanding the game of futsal throughout the United States. Founded in 1997, the organization now has over 40 leagues nationwide, including 619 Futsal in San Diego. These leagues offer both youth and adult players the opportunity to participate in organized futsal matches and tournaments, including the upcoming Western Regional Tournament.

In the recent Winter program, 619 Futsal saw over 600 youth players and 38 clubs represented from as far away as Temecula and Chula Vista. Former U.S. Futsal National Team captain Sean Bowers, the founder and director of 619 Futsal, is determined to help spread the word about this important method of player development.

“619 Futsal creates an environment for youth players to work on their technical skills and movement with or without the ball,” Bowers explained. “Other countries, especially the countries that are good in soccer, have youth futsal programs. We’re really the only country that hasn’t established that. We’re getting there, but we haven’t established it yet. Hopefully the kids who play here will grow up and be good at futsal and represent our country like I did.”

“Having the Western Regional Tournament here gives US Youth Futsal an important presence in Southern California,” Bowers continued. “There are so many futsal players out here that ODP is going to start having a futsal component through USYF.”

“Futsal is a key ingredient for player development,” said Bowers. “With nearly 3000 kids having played futsal at 619 Futsal, the growth in the game is clear. It will be interesting to see which teams make the finals in the championships.”

The USYF Western Regional Tournament will take place June 7-9 at the Miramar Fieldhouse Gym, located next to the Ned Baumer Aquatic Center at Miramar Community College. Participating teams will play a minimum of three matches, and local teams can expect to play on Friday night, June 7. First-place teams in each division will receive medals, and the champions receive automatic bids to the US Youth Futsal Nationals next year. Registration for the USYF Western Regional Tournament is open through May 9, 2013, with fees set at $395 per team.

The Miramar Fieldhouse Gym is a high-performance, state-of-the art “green” facility and is a perfect venue for futsal. Miramar Community College is located at 10440 Black Mountain Rd., San Diego, CA 92126.


US Youth Futsal Western Regional Tournament

Location: San Diego, CA
Dates: June 7, 8 and 9, 2013
local teams should expect to play Fri. night
Facilities: Miramar College Gym (10440 Black Mountain Rd., San Diego, CA, 92126)
# Of Games: Minimum of 3
Awards: Medals for 1st place team in each division
Qualifier: Champions receive automatic bid to the 2014 US Youth Futsal Nationals (location TBD)
Fees: $395 per team
Additional $12 per player for Non-USYF (and Non-619 Futsal) affiliated players for insurance/player card
Deadline: May 9, 2013

Registration: For more information or to register, visit 619 Futsal or US Youth Futsal.







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