GO Indoor

p o nt c unter o nt i o -p i Turning the Point Counter-Point a bit on its Indoor With Boards side, this installment explores the indoor game, as most of us know it, and compares it to a futsal hybrid – a game with boards but adapted to the rules of futsal. Futsal With Boards like the boards as well. We have no problem with injuries because Howie Charbonneau, Owner and we're very strict with our rules operator of Charbonwith regard to boarding. Even neau's Rec. Center, regular legal contact that forces Mechanicville, NY someone into the boards is called to the foul. There is also no slide tackling. We feel that for player development the boards allow kids get more touches on the ball, and the game becomes more fun. ll three The Futsal people came here and met with of the us several years ago. We looked at their and fields at our rules and we created what's called "modiCharbonneau fied Futsal rules" because we use the boards. Recreation We use a Futsal ball on our small field for the Center have little kids, but we use a regulation sized soccer boards. We have Futsal rules, but they are ball on our larger fields. We have futsal's five called "modified." We believe in using the foul rule, where there's a penalty kick for each boards mainly because it is more fun to play foul a team commits after their fifth. That cuts Futsal with them than without them. down on rough play. Once a team gets up to My competitor in Albany, Afrim's Sports, five fouls you'll hear people yelling out, took all his boards out last year. My son was "Don't foul!" on a team that played there. I found that, Under the Futsal rules players are not unless the team is very good, the ball goes out allowed to pass the ball backwards to the goalof bounds a lot. When the ball is thrown into keeper. We allow them to play it back, but we the goal mouth, you get a lot of head-banging follow FIFA rules, which prohibit the goalinjuries, like little cuts around the eyes and keeper from handling the ball. smashed noses. Throw-ins cause these kinds There are of injuries pros and cons because teams Call it what you will, most agree to both indoor throw the ball that indoor soccer is best played and futsal into the mouth with boards for reasons of skill rules. If of the goal, you're a purist where a lot of and fun. and you're trycrashing haping to develop players for outdoor, playing pens. I've watched under-twelve boys' teams without the wall is good because they lose the that are around the B or C level play on a ball if they don't keep it in play. With the small field with five players and a goalkeeper walls the kids get to touch the ball more often. on each side. Without any walls, the ball is Charbonneau Recreation Center does a lot constantly out of bounds, so the game of instructional programs for which we use the becomes a series of throw-ins. boards, because they have a natural rebound Afrim's Sports prepares for the outdoor effect. If we're working on instep drives, each game. We play indoor soccer, a modified verkid can have a ball and a section of the wall. sion of Futsal. Afrim draws a lot of the preShe can kick the ball many more times than mier and high-level teams. We cater to the she would back and forth to a partner. For repyouth, who are a larger part of the market. We think that a majority of the youth teams etition, the walls have been great to work on technical skills. are not premier or high level, and the adults A P Meir Cohen, General Manager, Las Vegas Indoor Soccer, NV laying indoor soccer with boards encourages the player, especially youth. Even if she makes a bad pass, the ball will bounce off the wall and she is still going to have a good time. Playing the outdoor game, or indoor when there are no boards, discourages the youth player if he passes the ball and it goes out of bounds. He feels that he has made a mistake. The boards help to correct mistakes. The main thing, especially for the youth, is to have a good time. Any tool that helps me to give the kids a better experience and more fun is a tool I will continue to use. In Futsal, when a youth player is not yet skilled, she's going to kick the ball out of bounds quite often. She is then going to feel disappointment, discouragement, and that the game is too tough. That doesn't serve our purpose. Our purpose is to get as many kids as possible to have a good time. If boards help to bring more kids to the game and more smiles to their faces, I will use them. Boards may help to develop skills, which is, of course, a good thing. Players learn how to use the boards. They notice how to work the angle, a skill that will help in indoor as well as the outdoor game. Outdoor players utilize the give-and-go: Instead of a board, there's a player. They work the same technique they do with the boards by using their teammates. Boards teach them about tactics of the game. Playing indoor soccer with boards, however, is not as much about developing skills as it is about having a good time. Got an opinion? E-mail USIndoor at pr@usindoor.com. G O A L In d o o r • Oct.-Nov. 2002 • 7

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