Courtesy: Daily Breeze


Futsal courts open in Lennox for South Bay soccer lovers

by Nick Green

06/07/2013

The first county-built futsal courts in the South Bay opened Saturday in Lennox, where the facility is expected to be a popular draw for futbol-loving kids living in the shadow of Los Angeles International Airport.

Almost exactly a third of the neighborhood's population is under the age of 18, which is expected to be the prime user demographic of the two adult-sized futsal courts that can also be converted into four smaller fields for children.

"The area really plays a lot of soccer," said Joe Mendoza, deputy director of the South County Community Services Agency. "(The park is) so heavily used the grass has been trampled ... and when it rains it turns into mud and you can't play. So by turning them into artificial turf fields they're always playable."
Futsal is a derivative of soccer played on a smaller field. Instead of the 11 players deployed in the outdoor game, in futsal there are just five on a smaller court, who use a smaller ball, which also helps develop ball skills.

"It's a very good game for kids to develop fundamentals," Mendoza said. "Instead of the large field you're on a short field and you have to touch the ball more. It's like playing three on three basketball; you're a (constant) part of the game."
The futsal courts were built using $101,900 in Quimby funds, fees collected from residential developments for park and recreation improvements. The LA84 Foundation, the private nonprofit group endowed with surplus funds from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, contributed an additional $30,000 for the project.

The four Lennox courts and another two that also opened Saturday at Washington Park in the Florence-Firestone community in Los Angeles are the first built by the county.

There are others in the South Bay, such as Torrance's indoor Los Angeles Galaxy Soccer Center, which has five futsal fields, but they are privately owned.

At least for the summer months there won't be a charge to play on the futsal courts in Lennox, county officials said.

The courts are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, excluding Wednesday when they are open from noon to 9 p.m. Weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are available by calling 310-419-6712.

"We are thrilled to provide soccer enthusiasts in our communities with modern facilities that offer yet another new way to enjoy the game," said Russ Guiney, county parks and recreation director. "We expect these courts to be in high demand, providing enjoyment and healthy recreation for our patrons for many years to come."







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