By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations
Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
November 20, 2018-You know that when snow arrives, the futsal season cannot be far behind as it is the perfect solution to the New York winter. The Long Island Futsal League (LIFL) kicks off its 22nd season next month on December 29 and 30 and plans to conclude the season at the end of February, before the outdoor season starts.
The LIFL, officially a recreational club of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), will again play its games at gymnasiums in central Suffolk County as it has been doing for more than the past two decades. Saturday games will be at the Our Savior New American School in Centereach with the many Sunday games being played at schools in the school districts of Connetquot, Middle Country and Three Village. Nearly 200 teams are once again expected to play.
Started in Uruguay in 1930, futsal is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlike other forms of indoor soccer, the game is played with a smaller, low-bounce ball on a hard court surface without walls or boards. The surface, ball and rules together favor ball control and passing in small spaces. US Soccer has been utilizing futsal in its Development Academy as futsal is increasingly cited in the discussion about how to improve player development.
LIFL registration is now open for Under-8 to Under-19 teams, both boys and girls squads, and concludes on December 1. To register or for more info, log on to http://lifutsal.website.siplay.com or contact LIFL President John Branca at 631-790-7481 or lifutsal@gmail.com
With over 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 nine 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 Association. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.