By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
May 17, 2023-Winter is the primary time to play futsal in the northern United States as field players work on their ball control and goalkeepers their shot-blocking indoors when the soccer fields outdoors are frozen, wind-swept and unplayable. Played 5 vs. 5, futsal is a great skill-developer, demanding quick reflexes, fast thinking and pin-point passing.
The Futsal Laws of the Game allow for artificial turf in “exceptional cases” and one of those exceptional cases will occur this July when the Long Island Futsal League (LIFL) hosts its Inaugural 5v5 Summer Shootout at the Medford Athletic Complex on the weekend of July 22 and 23. Plans are to divide the soccer field into six futsal pitches.
The cost for Under 10 to Under-13 teams, both boys and girls, is $275 and the entry fee for Under-14 to Under-19 for both genders is $325. Fees for the certifed futsal referees are included.
The Summer Shootout is a great way for players to keep touching the ball in the summer and since it’s 5v5, it is a wonderful solution for those teams who cannot field a full squad and play in the other outdoor tournaments because of sleepaway camps and vacations.
The LIFL is one of the largest futsal leagues in the United States and this is the first time it is planning to play outdoors since its inception in 1996. For more info and to register, please log on to https://lifutsal.com or contact LIFL President John Branca at lifutsal@gmail.com or phone him at 631-790-7481.
With approximately 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/