Junior futsal continues on an upward curve – Kev Bryant blog

My junior futsal training group, from the Thursday 5-6 p.m. session took on Liam Williamson’s Grimsby Borough under 9’s this week. A tough welcome to competitive futsal for my YMCA group.
3-0 down within three minutes was the sort of start that can destroy children.

Liam Williamson tutoring his Grimsby Borough junior protegees

Liam Williamson tutoring his Grimsby Borough junior protegees

To his credit Liam immediately rectified my lost position with a loan player of quality from his own squad. How many coaches would have done same in similar position, not many? His team’s generous help steadied the YMCA team and they continued the improvement over the next two fifteen minute sessions we played.
Coaches have to be so careful with juniors, a great under 8 can struggle when put against an under 9 opponent. Noticeable that the school year 5/6 league has split 50/50 with year sixes at top and year 5’s in bottom half.
Next league on the agenda is for school year 4 players, new entries welcome. At moment have six teams to start, which is excellent.
The under 16’s continue be star league, 3 divisions with just one space left in the Thursday division 3 league. High expectations that the LFA nominated team from league will excel at FA National Futsal Championships.
Understand half Chris Francis’s under 16 Grimsby Borough team are heading to Blundell Park to join the BTEC course which marries study with futsal training and competition. Grimsby‘s Jack Burrow’s captained team to National winners on Sky TV and had a successful tour to Barcelona as reward. Jack then continued his education at Loughborough University and is in both the England and Scotland training squads. All aided by playing futsal at the YMCA.
Hard to measure just how much futsal can be credited for a team’s football success; what I am observing is that the junior football finals I am watching have a majority of players playing that I recognize from futsal league.
Had a long conversation with Mark Davis (Immingham Pilgrim u9’s) and great futsal devotee. Mark asked the pertinent question just what are LFA doing with futsal, how many courses have they out on for coaches/referees? Not many when you give it some thought.