By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
November 12, 2019-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that we are partnering with US Futsal starting this winter. That organization has been the governing body for American futsal since its founding in 1981.
“We welcome US Futsal and know that this new affiliation will result in greater exposure for all our futsal players,” explained ENYYSA President Richard Christiano. “Their expertise in organizing futsal leagues for the past four decades will also be very helpful to our affiliated futsal leagues.”
The origin of futsal goes back to Uruguay in 1930. From the euphoria of the Uruguayan National Team winning the inaugural World Cup that year, soccer’s popularity exploded and field availability was very limited. So Juan Carlos Ceriani devised a five-a-side version of the sport, now known as futsal, that could easily be played on basketball courts.
Without the use of walls, futsal is a great skill-developer, demanding quick reflexes, fast thinking and pin-point passing that players utilize when they return to playing outdoor soccer in March. Soccer superstars such as Pelé, Zico, Maradona, Ronaldo, Messi and Marta grew up playing the game and credit futsal with developing their skills. The Futsal World Cup is held every four years, just like the World Cup and Women’s World Cup, and will next be played in 2020 in Lithuania.
“We are very happy to have Eastern New York Youth Soccer as an affiliate member,” stated US Futsal President and CEO Alex Para. “This will unify many of the futsal leagues that already exist in Eastern New York under the banner of Eastern New York Youth Soccer/Futsal. This agreement furthers our goal to partner with all state soccer associations, and it now makes Eastern New York Youth Soccer the state governing body of all disciplines––soccer, futsal and beach soccer––to benefit all players.”
With the support of US Futsal, Eastern New York hopes to launch a State Futsal Cup where the first-place or champion team of each ENYYSA-affiliated futsal league play off to become state champion and qualify to represent Eastern New York at the Futsal Regionals from February 14 to 17, 2020 at the Atlantic City Convention Center in New Jersey.
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 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 on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.