Anonymous
07/15/2025 14:29
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Beyond the regional tournaments at the end of the winter futsal season, all of the hype about "national" futsal tournaments is just that -- hype. These aren't national tournaments, just summer tournaments where regional winners get automatic acceptance (but still end up competing against random teams that haven't won anything). It's a money grab.
The names and titles of the tournaments aren't important
Are the kids playing futsal and getting in quality time for improvement?
The kids absolutely are getting quality time and improving. But it does come at a cost... burn out, expensive flight/ hotel to attend & court injuries. I know families that have attended 3 fly away tournaments this summer for their U-Little player. Those players are on top teams, they have big aspirations to play high level. I just got to wonder about the drawbacks down the road.
There is a saying, "Behind every highly successful youth athlete, you can find an overly driven parent." I think futsal is good for development fore some players, but in a lot of cases the juice just can't be worth the squeeze for most players.
Comes at a cost to who?
The parents are voluntarily going and spending their money that they apparently can afford.
Kids can get injured anywhere. Futsal doesn't allow the same body contact as outside.
Whats the burn-out measuring stick?
Anonymous
07/15/2025 14:25
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Never really considered the injury risk perspective (other than lack of time off), but apparently that is a thing?
A top YNT caliber player in our area tore her ACL as freshman last winter during futsal. Of course this could happen anywhere/anytime, but is it more likely with fustal due to the playing conditions?
This is the PP...
Another sobering statistic:
The incidence of injuries among youth soccer players (under age 16) participating in indoor soccer was 4.5 times that of youth players in outdoor soccer when calculated per 100 hours of team play, and 6.1 times greater when calculated per 100 hours of player game participation. Injuries were few among players under age 10 in either game, and the number of injuries increased with age in the older players. Medical assist ance was required for 6.5% of the injuries among outdoor players and for 24.3% among indoor players. Overall, 66.6% of the injuries were the result of physical contact between players. No relationship was observed between the risk of injury and playing position, conduct of warm-up exercises, or the team having a licensed coach.
Anonymous
07/15/2025 14:22
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Never really considered the injury risk perspective (other than lack of time off), but apparently that is a thing?
A top YNT caliber player in our area tore her ACL as freshman last winter during futsal. Of course this could happen anywhere/anytime, but is it more likely with fustal due to the playing conditions?
Yes, there seems to be more injuries:
"Studies have reported higher injury rates in futsal comparable to outdoor football, with ankle sprains, muscle strains, and knee injuries being particularly common [5,6]."
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11275960/
5.Junge A., Dvorak J., Graf-Baumann T., Peterson L. Football Injuries during FIFA Tournaments and the Olympic Games, 1998–2001: Development and Implementation of an Injury-Reporting System. Am. J. Sports Med. 2004;32:80–89. doi: 10.1177/0363546503261245. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
6.Hoff G.L., Martin T.A. Outdoor and Indoor Soccer: Injuries among Youth Players. Am. J. Sports Med. 1986;14:231–233. doi: 10.1177/036354658601400309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Anonymous
07/15/2025 14:18
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Never really considered the injury risk perspective (other than lack of time off), but apparently that is a thing?
A top YNT caliber player in our area tore her ACL as freshman last winter during futsal. Of course this could happen anywhere/anytime, but is it more likely with fustal due to the playing conditions?
A top YNT caliber player in our area tore her ACL as freshman last winter during futsal. Of course this could happen anywhere/anytime, but is it more likely with fustal due to the playing conditions?
Anonymous
07/15/2025 14:11
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Beyond the regional tournaments at the end of the winter futsal season, all of the hype about "national" futsal tournaments is just that -- hype. These aren't national tournaments, just summer tournaments where regional winners get automatic acceptance (but still end up competing against random teams that haven't won anything). It's a money grab.
The names and titles of the tournaments aren't important
Are the kids playing futsal and getting in quality time for improvement?
The kids absolutely are getting quality time and improving. But it does come at a cost... burn out, expensive flight/ hotel to attend & court injuries. I know families that have attended 3 fly away tournaments this summer for their U-Little player. Those players are on top teams, they have big aspirations to play high level. I just got to wonder about the drawbacks down the road.
There is a saying, "Behind every highly successful youth athlete, you can find an overly driven parent." I think futsal is good for development fore some players, but in a lot of cases the juice just can't be worth the squeeze for most players.
Anonymous
07/15/2025 13:57
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Beyond the regional tournaments at the end of the winter futsal season, all of the hype about "national" futsal tournaments is just that -- hype. These aren't national tournaments, just summer tournaments where regional winners get automatic acceptance (but still end up competing against random teams that haven't won anything). It's a money grab.
The names and titles of the tournaments aren't important
Are the kids playing futsal and getting in quality time for improvement?
Anonymous
07/15/2025 13:48
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Beyond the regional tournaments at the end of the winter futsal season, all of the hype about "national" futsal tournaments is just that -- hype. These aren't national tournaments, just summer tournaments where regional winners get automatic acceptance (but still end up competing against random teams that haven't won anything). It's a money grab.
Anonymous
07/15/2025 13:12
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:I think there are some talented players who play futsal and its clear futsal develops great skills and ability to play in tight spaces.
At the younger ages, with the advent of Insta Marketing, this is producing a cohort of parents who have FOMO. They will sign their kids up for futsal, winter and summer, and clamor to post highlight clips.
The Futsal community has noticed this and has allowed for multiple futsal 'national tournaments,' it's hard to keep track...National Championships are being held in Las Vegas, KY, FL.
But this is because there is no way to have 1 governing body. Just like outdoor soccer, you can't have 1 governing body, especially when parents will pay to have their kids participate.
Unfortunately most are just playing soccer indoors with the same poor outdoors techniques instead of learning and playing futsal
Anonymous
07/15/2025 13:04
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Why do 4 [5?] Futsal national tournaments exist? Does this tiny sport have that many fake governing bodies?
I mean soccer has many national tournaments too. In the US there aren't really single governing bodies that control youth sports in any sport. It's a competitive market and with body trying to gain market share.
Anonymous
07/15/2025 12:53
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Why do 4 [5?] Futsal national tournaments exist? Does this tiny sport have that many fake governing bodies?
CASH!!!!!!!!
Anonymous
07/14/2025 11:28
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
I think there are some talented players who play futsal and its clear futsal develops great skills and ability to play in tight spaces.
At the younger ages, with the advent of Insta Marketing, this is producing a cohort of parents who have FOMO. They will sign their kids up for futsal, winter and summer, and clamor to post highlight clips.
The Futsal community has noticed this and has allowed for multiple futsal 'national tournaments,' it's hard to keep track...National Championships are being held in Las Vegas, KY, FL.
But this is because there is no way to have 1 governing body. Just like outdoor soccer, you can't have 1 governing body, especially when parents will pay to have their kids participate.
At the younger ages, with the advent of Insta Marketing, this is producing a cohort of parents who have FOMO. They will sign their kids up for futsal, winter and summer, and clamor to post highlight clips.
The Futsal community has noticed this and has allowed for multiple futsal 'national tournaments,' it's hard to keep track...National Championships are being held in Las Vegas, KY, FL.
But this is because there is no way to have 1 governing body. Just like outdoor soccer, you can't have 1 governing body, especially when parents will pay to have their kids participate.
Anonymous
07/14/2025 11:05
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Same answer as why there is MLSN, GA, ECNL, USYS, Elite 64, etc. It's all about the Benjamins.
My DD played futsal up thru U15 and enjoyed it, but it became more of an issue making trainings, etc due to conflicts with her outdoor schedule. Plus, they ran out of competitive local girls teams to play and grew tired of playing boys.
She played with a group affiliated with US Youth Fustal while my nephew played for a club tied to US Futsal. All about the $$.
My DD played futsal up thru U15 and enjoyed it, but it became more of an issue making trainings, etc due to conflicts with her outdoor schedule. Plus, they ran out of competitive local girls teams to play and grew tired of playing boys.
She played with a group affiliated with US Youth Fustal while my nephew played for a club tied to US Futsal. All about the $$.
Anonymous
07/14/2025 04:26
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Anonymous wrote:Why do 4 [5?] Futsal national tournaments exist? Does this tiny sport have that many fake governing bodies?
Money. Plain and simple. Futsal is great for skill development at younger ages. If you want to play soccer at older ages, futsal has diminishing returns for this goal as you get older and a higher injury risk. It's a completely different sport.
Like the PP said, too many governing bodies that just want to make money and aren't coordinated. Futsal in this country is really only about money. But then again, so is soccer. Why we suck at both.
Anonymous
07/13/2025 22:36
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Futsal is awesome but its leadership is equivalent to rec soccer.
Anonymous
07/13/2025 22:30
Subject: Why so many futsal "nationals"?
Why do 4 [5?] Futsal national tournaments exist? Does this tiny sport have that many fake governing bodies?