Atlanta’s youth soccer players beat the summer heat in a new futsal league
Vine City and Healthy Lifestyle Healthy Kids score trophies during the first summer season with Atlanta Parks and Recreation.
ATLANTA — When the final whistle sounded on Vine City’s first futsal championship, there was no holding back the emotion from the bleachers. Rushing the court, normally a basketball tradition, was the perfect exclamation point to a title-winning season at the MLK, Jr. Recreation Center.
Atlanta’s first recreational youth futsal league finished its inaugural playoffs over the weekend, with Vine City capturing two of the three trophies that were up for grabs. Jill Robbins, chief program officer at Soccer in the Streets, delivered a quick pep talk on the court after the final — and even informed the squad about a pizza party to reward the successful futsal debut.
“I knew you guys would come here and play hard,” Robbins told the young players, with a hand on one of the new futsal trophies Vine City would take back to the Westside. “This is just the beginning.”
A New League in Atlanta
Atlanta Youth Futsal didn’t happen overnight, though. Throughout Soccer in the Streets’ 27-year history, coaches have frequently used foundations of futsal to introduce the sport to recreation centers and after-school programs, but this summer was the first time the different pieces came together in an structured intramural league.
“It has taken a long time to get all of the stars aligned to make this happen,” Robbins said.
“Now that people are starting to see it, they are catching the vision. It’s already generating a lot of enthusiasm among players, coaches, center directors and parents.”
Once players, coaches, student referees and staff members were ready to get the ball rolling, opening ceremonies kicked off the inaugural Atlanta Youth Futsal season on June 11 at the MLK, Jr. Recreation Center. Four organizations — Soccer in the Streets (Vine City), Healthy Lifestyle Healthy Kids, FCA Urban Soccer, and students from the MLK Rec Center — fielded teams this summer.
In total, 80 players hit the court for an inaugural season filled with highlights. Check out a few of the details from year one:
Why play futsal?
Accessibility, playing style, and smaller squad sizes make futsal an ideal medium for youth soccer development, especially in large cities. More touches and quicker decisions allow futsal players to complement their outdoor soccer season with intensive technical work on the court. Indoor space, like gyms normally used for basketball and volleyball, is often much easier to find than suitable outdoor space.
Abdul Bangura and Abu Tommy, who both have experience as professional players, regularly coach Vine City’s outdoor teams and continued their usual roles on the sidelines during futsal season. As the playing style shifted indoors this summer, the pair of Soccer in the Streets coaches spotted plenty of growth on and off the court.
This clever turn and finish was one of the highlight-reel strikes during Vine City’s title-winning futsal debut.
“As we progressed in the league,” Bangura said, “we’ve seen a lot of positive things from them: the ability to dribble in tight spaces, passing to one another, and most importantly they’ve become more competitive and work as a team.”
Robbins agrees with Bangura’s assessment of the quick futsal development: “The kids are not disappointing — they are showing marked improvement in ball control, accuracy in shooting and finishing, amazing dribbling and movement off the ball.
“It’s also creative and fun — it’s exciting to watch and exciting to play. It really draws in new players and fans right away.”
Taking one look inside the gym on a summer Saturday would immediately support that notion. Families and friends from each of the teams packed the Center of Hope’s bleachers on a weekly basis, cheering on the kids in a way that might make you believe the league had been around much longer than a couple months.
What’s next for futsal in Atlanta?
With the inaugural season as a game plan, Bangura and Robbins both see futsal playing a massive role in Atlanta’s thriving soccer culture.
“The organization of futsal will rapidly improve Atlanta soccer as a whole,” said Bangura, who played locally for the Atlanta Silverbacks at both the NASL and NPSL level. “If you want to succeed in soccer, the grassroots are the foundation.”
“Futsal will help soccer become more entrenched quickly,” Robbins said. “It’s easily adapted and costs less. It could become the summer sport of choice, particularly during those sweltering summers when it’s too hot to be outside.”
If the inaugural season is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before kids across the metro Atlanta area — experienced soccer players along with newcomers to the game — will be able to experience futsal’s various benefits.
“The recreation centers will embrace it, one by one,” Robbins predicted. “Kids of all ages will be playing, and the Atlanta Public Schools will also use the sport as a means for improving the level of soccer in their athletic programs.
“There is no doubt that futsal has a future in the City of Atlanta.”
Festival 16: Young Leader Adam Adam elected to streetfootballworld’s first Youth Council
Coach Adam's international peers nominated him to represent the network as one of five founding members.
Coach Adam’s international peers nominated him to represent the network as one of five founding members.
ATLANTA — “Best week ever.”
Adam Adam only needed three words to describe his time in France for Festival ’16. He sang, danced, played and mediated football3, and explored Lyon alongside fellow Young Leaders and representatives from 80 other like-minded soccer organizations in the streetfootballworld global network.
Adam, a Soccer in the Streets coach who progressed through the program as a player, earned his place at Festival ’16 as a consistent role model for Clarkston FC’s teenage players and other upcoming youngsters back home in the Atlanta area.
Adam (center) served as the Young Leader for Soccer in the Streets’ Festival 16 delegation, joining Ler (left), Destinee (right), and Lionel (not pictured) in France.
“[Festival 16] was an unforgettable experience,” Adam said. “I learned how football can impact, change and bring different cultures together and celebrate the each other’s uniqueness.”
At Festival ’16, Adam’s leadership was recognized on a global scale when his international peers nominated him to join streetfootballworld’s inaugural Youth Council. From the 80 Young Leaders like Adam in attendance, streetfootballworld’s network selected just five councilors to lead the way for the next generation.
“I feel honored that I am elected in a position to work with teams and help others,” Adam said. “I also feel very happy that my voice will make a difference — not only in my community but in so many different communities around the world.”
According to streetfootballworld, Adam and the other Youth Council representatives will ‘advise the network board and support the work of the network,” which currently includes 118 organizations using soccer as a method to benefit society. More than 2 million youth take part in some form of programming and development from streetfootballworld’s diverse collection of network members.
Introducing streetfootballworld's new Youth Council
Iesha Moustafa — SARI (Ireland)
Adam Ahmat Adam — Soccer in the Streets (USA)
Maccia Al-Hamwi — Football United (Australia)
Anthony Gitei Gathiru — TYSA (Kenya)
Cristian Camilo Rojas Velásquez — Tiempo de Juego (Colombia)
“I want to work with the team to accomplish something so that children and young people can express their perspective on the decisions that are important to them and their beliefs can be heard,” Adam said. “I also want to make positive changes in their communities and make a difference to the young people all around the world.”
Adam’s Dreams from Festival 16
My dream for the world: Build schools in every poor country to help everyone who needs help.
My dream for my countries: Stop killing and war and make Sudan a peaceful place. My dream for the USA is to make everyone help in everything.
My dream for me and my family: My dream is to finish school, get better jobs and build a company or organization to help my family.
My dream for my organization: Be a better member and help as much as I can. Also be a role model in every aspect!
My message to the world: No matter who you are or how you look, we are all the same.
How international experiences like Festival 16 impact young adults
Part 3 of our recap series from streetfootballworld’s global youth conference held this summer in Lyon, France.
ATLANTA — This summer’s Festival 16 brought together 500 players and coaches for a crash course in international culture and soccer from streetfootballworld, French hosts Sport dans la Ville, and peers representing 80 like-minded organizations.
Here’s what Destinee, Ler, and Lionel — the three players from Soccer in the Streets’ delegation — took away from the international travel experience, which included a week in Lyon and a stop in Amsterdam on the return leg.
What did you think about France?
Destinee: France connected me with a bunch of people around the world. France was a beautiful place. It was especially pretty at night. I didn’t enjoy the breakfast everyday, because it was very little to choose from. Visiting the church was also a great experience, because the upper side of France was very beautiful and unique. I enjoyed going out after getting back to the hotel to make food runs. The pizza was very good.
Ler: I think that France is a really wonderful place. It is really, really awesome. When I first arrived to Lyon, I was stunned because the city is amazing. I was very happy.
Lionel: When we first arrived in France, I was very happy because I made a lot of friends. They were brothers and sisters to me.
Do you think international travel has helped you grow as a person?
Destinee: Yes. It helped me open my eyes and see how different foreign places are from the United States.
Ler: The international travel helped me a lot, like for example you have to be early and on time. It is all about time management.
Lionel: Yes, my time management and always being on time.
What are the top five reasons that make international experiences so important for young adults?
Destinee
- Broaden perspectives
- Teach cultural differences
- Teach about the importance of peace
- Give children a chance to see more than their city or the states
- To get the stamps on the passports =)
Ler
- Experience other cultures
- Learn new things and ideas
- Make new friends
- Help develop travel experience
- Have fun while traveling
Lionel
- Be on time
- Following all the rules for the games
- Having fun while playing football
- Learn new things from others
- Meeting new friends and getting to know about the culture
Where is a place you would want to visit and why?
Destinee: Jamaica. I would want to visit there because I’ve only heard about how beautiful it is. I would love to actually see it.
Ler: Australia because I want to go see the kangaroos and other animals.
Lionel: France again. I would want to visit because my grandmother and uncle lived there and told me it’s a peaceful place.