Source: The Star

Gone are the days when junior futsal teams were just a group of children enjoying a session of indoor football — they are now organising themselves as professional teams and entering competitions.

Many teams today have a manager and coach who handle team affairs and monitor player development.

“The Milo Hidup Bola futsal tournament started in 2006 and I have watched the progress over the years,” said Nestle Products Sdn Bhd sports marketing manager Ng Ping Loong after the prize presentation ceremony of the Milo Hidup Bola futsal tournament recently.

“Not only are the players getting better at the game but the teams are so organised that some even have their own medical unit on standby.

“Some managers who want to try their luck by assembling a team from scratch are beginning to realise that the competition is getting tougher,” he said.

Ping Loong added that the number of participants had also increased over the years and the organisers have had to turn down some teams because of the overwhelming response.

For the preliminary rounds, each state is represented by 36 to 48 teams, with the exception of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which have 60 teams each.

The top two teams for the Under-12 and Under-16 categories from each state and the top four from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur will qualify for the grand finals in Kuala Lumpur.

With a cash prize of RM15,000 at stake for both categories, it is not surprising that there is fierce competition for a spot in the grand finals.

“Teams who enter multiple qualifying rounds are also getting more common and I have to commend their never-say-die attitude,” said Ping Loong.





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