Who: U10-U17 Competitive Boys; U10-U14 Competitive Girls and U11-U14 Recreational Boys and Girls
What: Advanced Training Program
When: 8 weeks this spring - beginning the week of March 12th
Where: Platt Middle School, 6096 Baseline Rd., Boulder, CO 80303
Why: Because developing and improving a technical skill set is essential for all soccer players. Because playing on the only outdoor Futsal fields in Colorado is cool. Because playing soccer is FUN!
Cost: $125 for the 8-week fall session - includes nutritional seminar and Soccer Nutrition Handbook for all participants.
Each session is limited to 24 players, please register early to secure a place in the fall program.
Weekly Schedule
Mondays 4-5:15PM U10 Boys; 5:30-6:45PM U11-U14 Recreational
Tuesdays 4-5:15PM U11-U12 Boys; 5:30-6:45PM U14-U17 Boys
Wednesdays 4-5:15PM U11-U12 Girls; 5:30-6:45PM U10 Boys
Thursdays 4-5:15PM U10 Girls; 5:30-6:45PM U13-U14 Boys
Fridays 4:30-5:45PM U13-U14 Girls
What is Futsal?
This short overview outlines our hopes for this new training ground, including a brief description of what makes futsal training so important… and so much fun for players (and coaches!). Included is a description of our new Advanced Training Program which will be housed at the new futsal site. We are very excited about what this program will add to the future of soccer in Boulder County and beyond.
Much conversation within the U.S. soccer community reflects the general lament that our soccer culture is not one that promotes the “street soccer” that is infamous for developing some of the greatest players the world has known. As the argument goes, soccer in the U.S. has for years been largely played on nicely mowed suburban fields a couple of times a week, between the hours of 4-5:30, when the youth soccer clubs hold their weekly practices. As we know, many of the most talented players in the world did not grow up within such a structured soccer environment. Rather, they played on beaches, in the alleyways, at the park, on the school playground, from sunrise to sunset.
Futsal training is our attempt to fight back -- to even the playing field! There is no reason that U.S. players cannot develop the sublime touch and finesse seen in kids their own age from all over the world. We just need to institutionalize the sort of creative play that other children across the world grow up knowing and engaging. Enter Futsal.
Futsal is a rapidly growing part of the U.S. soccer context. Played on a small court surface (rather than grass), and played with a smaller “dead” ball that demands skill, finesse, and proper technique, futsal is a mirror of the organic training environment in other countries. The hard court (as opposed to grass), and the dead ball, make for an interesting combination: futsal demands speed of play, creativity, and technical proficiency. While the ball moves more slowly (imagine a heavy size 4 soccer ball that doesn’t bounce much), the playing surface is true: no bad hops, and no excuses for poor touches. On top of that, the close confines of the playing area (and a ball that arrives more slowly than a real soccer ball) ensure that players are under pressure almost immediately upon receipt of the ball. Thus…they are forced to develop speed of play and skill. No quick touches equals no more ball at your feet.
On top of all of this, futsal is just plain fun to play. The speed of the game is high. All players are forced to be involved; nobody gets to hide. Lots of goals are scored (the best part of playing the game!). Creativity is a necessity. And, given the pace of the game, the fitness acquired while playing futsal is remarkable.
Why is it important for the development of young players?
As noted previously, futsal provides a training context that is unique. The combination of the dead ball, small field, the hard and true court surface, and small numbers of players (usually no more than 5v5) on the court, ensure a development of skills that simply cannot be acquired in the same amount of time on a typical grass surface. Moreover, the small numbers on the field require that players adopt the key principles of play that coaches work diligently to instill in players: defensive pressure, cover, and support... offensive combinations, angles, spacing, and passing lanes. Young players intuitively learn and adopt key principles of play that translate to the big field. Futsal is widely recognized as an essential component of the development of the new (and more highly skilled) North American player.
The Outdoor Futsal Field
We have entered into an agreement with the Boulder Valley School District to convert two tennis courts at Platte Middle School into a year-round outdoor futsal court. The school district gets an outdoor gym classroom space during school hours, and BCF gets first rights to the facility as a training ground for our players and teams during all after school hours. This is a great arrangement for both parties.
We have big plans for our new futsal training facility. Of course, teams will have opportunities to train on the surface on a rotational basis (as they desire). We will run camps and clinics throughout the year. There will be open time slots for inter-aged “pick-up” games. Most importantly, we are excited to announce a new program for our BCF players that will begin this fall. The Advanced Training Program (ATP) is an opt-in program for those players seeking additional training opportunities to supplement what they receive through their regular team practices.
The ATP is our effort to provide yet another training context for our players. Players may sign up for age-specific training groups that meet once per week (one hour and 15 minutes each session) throughout the fall. Training sessions are capped at 20 players to ensure ample opportunity for growth and development. Players will participate in functional training activities, ball work, speed and agility training, and of course, small sided scrimmages. We are convinced that the benefits of this supplemental training will make themselves known quickly for all players in the program. Registration information, session schedules, and other related information will soon be available on the BCForce website. We are making every effort to offer enough sessions such that all players have the option of participating in the program without having to miss one of their own team practices.
Fundraising Plan
We are currently seeking local partners who are willing to provide financial support toward the development of the futsal training facility. We seek individual donors, and businesses alike, who share our vision of creating top level experiences for all aspiring soccer players in Boulder County. This futsal training facility is a positive and exciting step in that direction.
While we hope that the futsal training site will eventually be self-sustaining through tuition-driven programs, we are working to raise the initial money necessary to clean up the tennis courts, prepare them for a new surface, and then purchase and install the futsal court. I would be delighted to speak with you if you might be interested in supporting this effort financially. As a non-profit organization, contributions toward this BCF training facility are a tax write-off. Further, we continue to seek creative ways to provide exposure to local businesses through the BCF channels (our website, club correspondence, banners, billboards, etc.) in exchange for their donations to the club.
Specific to this futsal facility, sponsors may purchase corner board/banners, upon which we will produce logos or advertisements for sponsors. We have corner board advertising spaces available for the following amounts:
8’ x 4’ foot corner banner: $2500
8’ x 8’ foot corner banner: $5000
Please feel free to contact Jeff Frykholm if you have any questions about this exciting project. We look forward to seeing hundreds of soccer players from Boulder County and beyond on our new futsal court throughout the spring and beyond!
Spring Practice Schedule
