Athens Futsal Style of Play

The Athens Futsal "Style of Play":

Be welcoming to all players:  this means that we “take it easy on those that need to be taken easy upon” and we alter our play to support the growth and success of players of all ages, genders, abilities and backgrounds.  

Demonstrate honor and compassion:  the quality of the game experience is best when players demonstrate honor for the spirit of the game, and compassion for their competitors.  Players follow both the letter and the spirit of the rules.  Because we are entirely self-officiated, we call fouls on ourselves and err on the side of generosity.  Advanced players are expected to demonstrate leadership through honoring the spirit of the game and by watching out for the safety of players on both teams in the game.

Elevate skillful team play:  we encourage and cheer for the quality of good plays, while helping others develop and express their skills.  This means that the most advanced players need to facilitate the success of the players on their team. Encourage players to express themselves and develop their skills in the game.
Best players need to show leadership: In combination these three principles require the most advanced players to demonstrate leadership in how they play. The quality of the play experience for all should be obviously more important than the outcome. This is the key to preserving a high quality learning experience for all players.

The structure of the games:

1. Teams play 7 v 7 or 6 v 6 depending on what the two teams prefer.
1. Historically we played on basketball courts at the Athens community center, so the fieldhouse courts will be much larger and should offer great quality play with either 6 or 7 players.
2. We play without keepers-  all players are field players.  Two related constraints on shots:
1. No long shots (the final 1/4 shooting range will be marked with cones)
2. Shots are kept low (knee high or lower)
3. The exception to both rules is that headers can be scored from anywhere, at any height.
4. Shoot with precision and control.
3. Teams will play a series of 4 games of about 13 min in each hour.
1. The rotating basis of teams allows more variety each game day
2. Rotation also prevents the need for a schedule.
4. Games are completely self-officiated
1. This means that all players, especially the team leaders and most advanced players need to exemplify the principles listed above.
2. Three basic rules
1. Have fun.  Don’t hurt anyone (including yourself).  Take it easy on those that need to be taken easy upon.  
3. Futsal is a minimum contact sport (world cup level futsal is much less contact than rec soccer) our expectations are for even more self control.  We are playing for fun and quality.
5. Restarts of play
1. Out of bounds is an indirect kick from location of out of bounds, or corner in case of corner kick.
2. Opposing players must be at least 3 meters away from the kick-in.
3. Restarts must be taken quickly, within 4 seconds of placing the ball on the ground
4. Goal kicks can be taken from anywhere in the final 1/4 of the field.
1. after a goal is scored the defending team makes a quickly taken goal kick.

Fall 2016 updates

Please see the update for Fall 2016.  

January 29th, 2016:  Your futsal weekend looks like this: 

(1) Friday Youth Late night 9 to 10:45 pm. Still open slots, interested ACS registered players should bring $25 to Ted in the gym in the ACC at 8:45. * Must be ACS 2016 Member, see link for sign up.
(2) Family Futsal 5-7 Saturday
(3) Saturday youth latenight 7 to 9:45 (will need subs for this week, all ACS registered youth welcome)
(4) Sunday 1:00- Possible Turf Field, depends on absence of snow and decision from Coach Simon. Will update.
(5) Women's Futsal 5:00 Sunday, ACC.

Link to sign up for ACS for Youth or Adults.http://athenscommunitysoccer.org/leagues

Update for youth futsal options

If you have not already signed up (with Ted or Doug, via email or in person).

Step 1.  ACS annual membership?  




  http://athenscommunitysoccer.org/








  If you signed up your player in the fall for ACS then they will still be registered.  If not you can sign them up for $15 for the whole 2016 year, which provides the organizational liability insurance, etc. for a wide range of local futsal and soccer programming (like GASA and local club soccer).   But go ahead and visit their page, login and check if you are not sure.

Step 2.   Pick your youth latenight programs.











Friday night latenight (9:00 pm to 10:45; $25) is open for intermediate and advanced players.  The league is composed primarily of middle school and high school age players.   There will be 6 teams playing a series of brief (~10 minute) games in a pattern of 2 games on, one game resting for a period of 1 hour and 45 minutes.


Saturday early session (7:00 to 8:20; $30)   This league is almost full!  The league is composed primarily of middle school and high school age players.   There will be 4 teams playing a each opponent twice each night in a series of brief (~12 minute) games.

Step 3.   Send an email to Ted with your player's preferences.  Fill out this form and bring it to the first night along with payment..











 The form is available here.  Fill it out (copy and paste content of form into an empty Word or Google document); then print and bring on the first night of the league.  Ted's Email address is listed on the form. 


 Other futsal programs to be aware of:

 Freestyle  (Wednesday 4:00 pm; free to ACS Members)  Players should bring their own ball, and dress for the weather as this program is held outdoors in the roller hockey rink behind the Athens Community Center.  Interested players should send an email to Mitch ( to get added to his announcement list, or check and follow the Athens Futsal Facebook page for announcements.

Turf field futsal (Sundays 1:00 pm; free to ACS members)  Players should dress for the weather because this program is held outdoors at the Athens High School turf field.   This program is also announced via the Athens Futsal FB page and email list.

How to sign up for Latenight Futsal Jan 2016

It is tricky to get all of these details clear and accurate.  Thanks for bearing with us this for winter season of 2016. 

NOTE:   See updated and more current sign up procedure for youth Futsal on the more recent post, above.

Interested players should print and complete the Winter 2016 registration form.   This form is due by Friday January 8th and should be delivered to Ted Welser at the Athens Community Center during family futsal, between 6 and 8 pm.  The form can also be delivered via email for players who are out of town.  All latenight futsal leagues will begin during the first week of the OU spring semester, from Tuesday January 12, through 13, 15, and Saturday the 16th.

All late night futsal leagues are organized under Athens Community Soccer, and all participants need to be 2016 annual members of ACS.  Sign up for the very inexpensive annual membership is available online.   Currently the youth sign up for the annual ACS membership is available, and the adult sign up form will be available shortly (Update:  John Buswell is working on updating the ACS webpage, he will be done by the 8th, hopefully).

Mixed adult and high school age players

Tuesday Latenight Futsal  has room for more players.

This program is a friendly recreational league composed primarily of adults, but also includes highly skilled high school age players. The focus of the league is on fun and skillful team play. Teams will play a series of short games, encountering each of the other teams at least once in each evening of play.

How do participate:   come to the Athens Community Center for an organizational meeting (tables to the right in the ACC lobby) at 8:30 pm on Tuesday January 5th (1 week before our league begins).  At that meeting we will:

1.  Answer any remaining questions about the league
2.  Collect participation fee of $30 from each player (to confirm place on roster)
3.  Identify team leaders / captains who are willing to organize communication for a team of 6-7 players.
4.  Establish the league roster and email list. 

 If you are unable to make to the meeting on Tuesday January 5th, fill out the registration form and email it to Ted Welser (address on the registration form).

 

Wednesday Latenight Futsal is the same type of program as the Tuesday league but is already effectively full.  This league will include players that participated in the Autumn league, and depending on the responses from each team there might be room for a couple of additional players which will draw from players who have already expressed interest in participating.



 

                  

Middle and high school age players.

Youth Latenight Friday  is open to middle and high school age players.   It has room for more players.    We are aiming for 6 teams of 6 players and I have been contacted by about 20 interested players already.  

How do participate:   fill out the registration form, bring it and meet with Ted Welser in the gym at Athens Community Center during family futsal on Friday January 8th (1 week before our league begins).  At that meeting we will:

1.  Answer any remaining questions about the league
2.  Collect participation fee of $25 from each player
3.  Identify team leaders / captains who are willing to organize communication for a team of 6-7 players.
4.  Establish the league roster and email list.

Youth Latenight Saturday (early session, 7:00 to 8:20)  has room for more advanced and intermediate futsal players.    We are aiming for 4 teams of 6 players and I have been contacted by about 18 interested players already.  

How do participate:   fill out the registration form, bring it and meet with Ted Welser in the gym at Athens Community Center during family futsal on Friday January 8th (8 days before our league begins).  At that meeting we will:

1.  Answer any remaining questions about the league
2.  Collect participation fee of $30 from each player
3.  Identify team leaders / captains who are willing to organize communication for a team of 6-7 players.
4.  Establish the league roster and email list.


Youth Latenight Saturday (late session, 8:25 to 9:45)  is effectively full.  This league will largely include players that participated in the Autumn league, and depending on the responses from each team there might be room for a couple of additional players which will draw from players who have already expressed interest in participating.

This program is the same as early session Saturday, but with slightly faster paced play.  

Planned Futsal Programs, request for interest and feedback

Athens Futsal and Athens Community Soccer have been working to organize futsal programs for January 2016.   We thank everyone who participated in our fall programs, and are trying to make the January options even better.  Detailed descriptions of the programs and survey/sign up form are linked here, and at the bottom of the page.

• Detailed description of the futsal programs. 
• Interest survey and comments.

We need your help, by letting us know which programs you or your family members would like to participate in.  Below is a brief overview.  Currently there are three basic ways that futsal programs are organized in Athens:  ACC programs, Drop-in programs, Recreational leagues.

ACC Programs
ACC Youth Futsal, Autumn
ACC Youth Futsal, Winter

ACC Youth Futsal is a recreational and instructional league that has been offered in the Autumn of 2014 and 2015.  The program helps players develop fundamental skills and have fun playing futsal.   The Autumn program includes players from 3rd to 8th grade, with select older players acting as mentors to younger players.  We are working the with ACC on the possibility of a Winter program including 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders on Fridays at 5:00, immediately before Family Futsal.

Drop-in programs:

Family Futsal

Women's Futsal

Turf field Futsal

These are low cost and accessible ways for new players to get started with futsal, and for advanced players to act as mentors teaching the enjoyment of skillful play.  Our goal is to grow participation in the sport for all players in a manner that is as safe, accessible and welcoming as possible. In all of these programs we work to obtain permission from the facility managers at the Athens Community Center, and the Athens School District to schedule pick-up futsal programs at their facilities.  These events are scheduled around the existing uses of the ACC gyms and the high school turf field.  We would love to have more offerings of this type, but we are limited  by the availability of existing facilities.  However,  we need as many players and families to describe their interests in these programs so that we can accurately advocate to meet those needs.  We work to keep these grassroots programs as inexpensive and accessible as possible.

Recreational league programs

Latenight Futsal

Youth Latenight   

These leagues emphasize recreational play for enjoyment and learning.  Athens Community Soccer offers latenight programs by renting the Community Center gym after normal operating hours.  This allows us to use both halves of the gym (doubling our playing capacity) and greatly expanding the hours available for futsal.  Winter hours are in high demand at the ACC, and playing after hours is the only way that we can get gym time mid-week during the busy winter months.  We collect fees in order to schedule and pay for the facility rental and staffing costs prior to the season.

A note about Latenight programs, costs and futsal equipment.  

Athens Futsal is the futsal facet of Athens Community Soccer, a non-profit, volunteer driven organization.  Athens Futsal emerged as a collaboration between Athens Community Soccer, GASA and the Athens Community Center.
GASA provided money for our initial purchases of goals, balls, pinnies, and cones.  Currently we are working to fund the replacement and expansion of these resources through the fees collected from the latenight futsal programs.  Two thirds of the fees cover rental and staffing; the remaining one third is used to purchase goals, balls, and pinnies for futsal programs at the ACC and the Athens High School.
Because of our 2015 fall programs we were able to purchase new pinnies for the futsal programs.  If our winter programs fill we will be able to purchase new goals and balls for use at the ACC and Athens High School.  We hope to build full sets of equipment at both the ACC and the High school to support programs at both locations.

• Detailed description of the futsal programs. 
• Interest survey and comments.

New Futsal programs planned for January 2016

Games start Nov. 18th!

Rule discussion with Referee Simon
League A will begin promptly at 6:00 with a rule review and introduction from Referee Simon.  The first match will begin at 6:10 after the review and introduction are completed.   The League Z rule review will begin at 7:30, games beginning at 7:40.  On thursday there will be a 10 min warm up period at the start of each league time period.

Practice time happens while your team is not in a game
We will be working with players on skills and  tactics during the games that their team is sitting out.  This includes watching the play and commenting on events, tactics, and positioning as well as players working independently in small groups on passing, trapping and dribbling.  This tuesday players should focus on cushion trapping and side foot passes in addition to watching the games to improve their understanding of roles and positions in futsal.

New skills introduced every Thursday
On Thursday Coach Mitch will introduce a new footskill for players to practice.

All teams will play 4 short games (12 min each)
During our first two weeks we will try playing 12 min games (with 1 min for transitioning), each team will play 4 games. Schedule of games, with the same pattern for both leagues :

1. Red/Orange        Vrs    Yellow/Green   [A 6:10]  [Z 7:40]
2. Yellow/Green     Vrs    Blue                  [A 6:23]  [Z 7:53]
3. Red/Orange        Vrs    Blue                  [A 6:36]  [Z 8:06]
4. Red/Orange        Vrs    Yellow/Green   [A 6:49]  [Z 8:19]
5. Yellow/Green    Vrs     Blue                  [A 7:02]  [Z 8:32]
6. Red/Orange        Vrs    Blue                  [A 7:15]  [Z 8:45]

Shin guards, clean shoes and team colors 

• All players must whear shin guards.   (I found a shin guard at the ACC on Thursday).
• Wear CLEAN shoes!  
• Wear your team color!   Double check the list-- some players are confused about which team they are on.

Important safety reminder 

Players are reminded to play with control and to avoid striking the ball out of control, and especially striking the ball high.   Hitting the ceiling, lights or sending the ball onto the upper level is a yellow card offense, and includes a penalty period of at least one minute.   

Futsal is not the same as indoor soccer. Read the full explanation of rules linked here. 

Some key futsal rule differences   

1. Futsal is minimum contact, not a contact sport like soccer.
2. ACC futsal requires players to use extra control due to the mixed use facility
3. Yellow card offenses include a penalty period (1 player deficit) at least 1 minute
4. Striking lights, ceiling or upper deck of facility is a yellow card offense.
5. All kick-ins must be taken promptly (4 seconds) or they are forfeited to the other team
1. Defending team must give 10 feet from ball.
6. Goal kicks can be taken from anywhere in the goal area
7. Shots are only scored if knee high or lower, and from within the goal area
8. There are no goalies, there are just field players

Initial Rosters for Youth Futsal

Here are our initial rosters for Youth Futsal 2014 at the ACC.  We had a short time turn around, so these are our current best effort to make teams that are even within both leagues, and to reflect player preferences for playing at the same time as siblings. 

As we get to know the players better we may need to adjust teams to foster better balances of players within and possibly across leagues.  

Thanks for all of your help Thursday night!

Update: 

Practices and games for A League are from 6:00 to 7:30, and Z League is from 7:30 to 9:00. 

I am very much looking forward to helping all the players improve and enjoy the game of futsal.  This week our practices will include work on the obstacle course from Thursday, the team passing exercise, and short scrimmages.  

All players should wear a shirt of the color of their team to practices as well as games.  We have pinnies to alter teams if needed.   Games are played 6v6, and therefore if we are short players on a team we will draw players from the other teams in the same league / time slot. 

All players need to wear shin guards, and it is really helpful if you can help make sure the players have *clean* shoes.   The gym floor becomes very slippery with dirty shoes. 

Thanks for a great first night!

Video clip of the great futsal style goal by Sevilla. 

Youth Futsal at the ACC got off to a great start tonight (Nov. 6th, 2014). Big thanks to all the parents and coaches who helped out with our first night.  The players seemed to have fun and it looks like we will have a super season.   

The video clip above highlights the great team play and precise, quick passing that makes futsal so fun.  I am pretty sure that all of those Sevilla players grew up playing futsal.  

Futsal Skills and Assesment Avtivities

Nov 6th - Dec 18th 2014 

Tuesday and Thursday Evenings, 6:00 to 9:00

Recreational Youth Futsal League

Athens Community Center   

 

Skills assessment begins Nov 6th at 6:00 pm.   This is a learning focused league which aims to help all players develop, improve and have fun playing futsal.   Ted put together a three page overview of futsal skills that we will work on, the fun assessment activities we will do, and an overview of the three key roles in futsal.  Please take a look!

• Overview of futsal skills, assessment and player roles
• Three page handout   (feel free to leave a comment on the document)
• If any parents can stay and help with the assessment that would be great!
• Bring your smartphone or stop watch

• Materials
• ACC Futsal Information sheet
• Futsal Registration form (print this and bring to ACC)
• Rules for Recreational Youth League Futsal

In Brief:

• Players
• 5,6,7, 8th grade soccer players
• New Futsal players welcome
• Bring your friends, indoor shoes, shin guards
• Teams
• Teams will combine friend groups and ability levels
• Create balanced, coed teams in two leagues
• 8 players per team, 6v6 on court
•  Participation limited to first 48 players
• Sign up before November 2nd! 
• $32 includes practices and games at the ACC
• Nov 6th is rules, skill practice, form teams
• Nov 11,13 practices and scrimmages
• Nov 18 to Dec 18 games (except Thanksgiving)
• Two Coed Recreational Leagues 
• "A" league:  medium pace and younger players (6:00 to 7:30)
• "Z" league:  faster pace and older players (7:30 to 9:00)
• Teams and leagues organized to emphasize parity, learning, and recreation

Youth Futsal at the ACC: Early Winter League

Nov 6th - Dec 18th 2014 

Tuesday and Thursday Evenings, 6:00 to 9:00

Recreational Youth Futsal League

Athens Community Center   

 

The Athens Community Center is offering a Recreational Coed Youth Futsal League for players in grades 5,6,7 and 8.  Our hope is that this fun, fast paced game can be enjoyed by many players in the Athens community.  This is a learning focused, recreational league where emphasis is placed on skill development and team play.  

Futsal is different from indoor soccer in several key respects.  (1) Futsal is played with a low bounce ball on hard court surfaces with limited space.  The low bounce ball helps keep the ball on the ground for quick passes and controlled trapping.  (2) Futsal is a minimum contact sport, unlike soccer which is a contact sport.  This means that futsal players are held to a higher standard of self control, and the limits of legal contact are much more strictly enforced.  This is both to elevate the skillful nature of the game and to protect against unnecessary injury.  (3) Futsal at the ACC is played in a general purpose gymnasium and therefore additional restraint is required for all players in terms of rules of play, striking the ball and avoiding collisions.   

The ACC Youth Futsal League invites participation from boys and girls in grades 5,6,7, and 8.  The coed league will begin with a mandatory skills workshop.  During the workshop players will be encouraged to practice and demonstrate their skill with both feet in 5 fundamental areas of play:  dribbling, shooting, ball possession, quick passing, long passing. The goal behind this workshop is to assess player skill levels and to help the coaches and league organizers to assemble teams that reflect the goals of parity, fun, and high quality play.  

We anticipate dividing the league into two levels, the “A” League, composed primarily of 5th and 6th graders, and the “Z” League, composed primarily of 7th and 8th graders.  Players will be assigned into A or Z teams based on a combination of age, futsal skills, leadership ability, and maturity.  (Player preferences will be taken into account as much as possible, within reasonable limits).  We are aiming for three teams of 8 players in both the A and Z leagues. Teams play with 6 field players and no goalies. Within each league we will aim for approximate parity in team skills with the understanding that more balanced games are better learning and more fun for the players.  Practices and matches for A League will be held between 6:00 and 7:30; Z League between 7:30 and 9:00.   

The leagues will work to maximize playing time for all players.   If we have three teams in each league we will plan on each team playing 1 game against each opponent every night.  The league will hold 3 games per night, each team will play 2 games of 24 minutes (1 min for half time) with 5 min of warm up before each game.  The exact plan for game length and organization will depend on the number of players in each league.  

The league is seeking parents and other adults in the soccer community who are willing to coach a team in the Recreational Coed Youth Futsal League.  Please contact Erin Helms [ehelms@ci.athens.oh.us] to learn more about getting involved in this exciting new league

• Materials
• ACC Futsal Information sheet
• Futsal Registration form (print this and bring to ACC)
• Rules for Recreational Youth League Futsal

In Brief:

• Players
• 5,6,7, 8th grade soccer players
• New Futsal players welcome
• Bring your friends, indoor shoes, shin guards
• Teams
• Teams will combine friend groups and ability levels
• Create balanced, coed teams in two leagues
• 8 players per team, 6v6 on court
•  Participation limited to first 48 players
• Sign up before November 2nd! 
• $32 includes practices and games at the ACC
• Nov 6th is rules, skill practice, form teams
• Nov 11,13 practices and scrimmages
• Nov 18 to Dec 18 games (except Thanksgiving)
• Two Coed Recreational Leagues 
• "A" league:  medium pace and younger players (6:00 to 7:30)
• "Z" league:  faster pace and older players (7:30 to 9:00)
• Teams and leagues organized to emphasize parity, learning, and recreation

Spring Futsal

Turf field futsal. 1:00 to 3:00; Springtime Sundays [Outdoors!]
Location:  Athens High School stadium field. 

To participate in turf field futsal you need to be a member of Athens Community Soccer (ACS) which organizes the Saturday soccer league during spring, summer and fall. You can sign up for ACS online, and enrollment includes a full 12 months of participation in ACS leagues. Another major benefit of ACS membership is that it provides per person facility and accident insurance during events. ACS is $35 annual for adults, $20 annual for youth.  We bring ACS forms to the field. 

ACC futsal, 6:00-8:45; Wednesdays Resuming April 16th [Indoors!] 
Location: Athens Community Center. 

ACC family futsal is free, but you have to pay to use the building. Day passes $5.00, punch passes 20 for $60, or membership in the ACC. Ted usually purchases a punch pass and puts it at the front desk for NEW futsal players to use, and then people who enter using the pass are asked to pay him $3.00. Once you plan to come regularly, you should plan to buy a punch pass.  

ACC late night futsal (9:00 to 10:30)
Winter league plays last 3 weeks on Wednesdays, April 16th, 23rd, 30th.
Spring league, would begin in May, would depend on interest in teams to lead it.  

Late night futsal is a recreational league for teams to practice and play just for fun scrimmage games.   This is scheduled when available during after hours times at the ACC.  Join the futsal email list for details.  

GASA (Greater Athens Soccer Association) supports soccer and youth soccer programs in Athens.  GASA recently purchased goals for the Walmart fields, and new goals and the equipment pictured above for Athens Futsal.   Futsal in Athens would not be possible without the support of GASA.   If you enjoy Athens family futsal please Donate to GASA online via PayPal!.  Thanks!


Futsal email list:    send an email to h.t.welser  AT   gmail.com

Turf field weather rubric:
Sunday participation depends on weather, but we are hearty souls, and will plan to play under most conditions: 

sunny and 27 or warmer? = play 
clouds and 33 and warmer? = play
rain 45 and warmer? = play
lightning? = no play

Winter Futsal

Turf field futsal. 1:30 to 3:30; Sundays all winter [Outdoors!]
Location:  Athens High School stadium field. 

To participate in turf field futsal you need to be a member of Athens Community Soccer (ACS) which organizes the Saturday soccer league during spring, summer and fall. You can sign up for ACS online, and enrollment includes a full 12 months of participation in ACS leagues. Another major benefit of ACS membership is that it provides per person facility and accident insurance during events. ACS is $35 annual for adults, $20 annual for youth.  We bring ACS forms to the field. 

ACC futsal, 6:00-8:45; Fridays in January [Indoors!] 
Location: Athens Community Center. 

Futsal is free, but you have to pay to use the building. Day passes $5.00, punch passes 20 for $60, or membership in the ACC. Ted usually purchases a punch pass and puts it at the front desk for NEW futsal players to use, and then people who enter using the pass are asked to pay him $3.00. Once you plan to come regularly, you should plan to buy a punch pass. 


GASA (Greater Athens Soccer Association) supports soccer and youth soccer programs in Athens.  GASA recently purchased goals for the Walmart fields, and new goals and the equipment pictured above for Athens Futsal.   Futsal in Athens would not be possible without the support of GASA.   If you enjoy Athens family futsal please Donate to GASA online via PayPal!.  Thanks!


Futsal email list:    send an email to h.t.welser  AT   gmail.com

Turf field weather rubric:
Sunday participation depends on weather, but we are hearty souls, and will plan to play under most conditions: 

sunny and 27 or warmer? = play 
clouds and 33 and warmer? = play
rain 45 and warmer? = play
lightning? = no play

Turf field Futsal: starts Nov 17th at the Athen High School stadium

New program:  The winter turf field futsal program at the high school is a collaborative effort between Athens High Soccer, GASA, Athens Community Soccer, and Athens Futsal.   The program runs on Sunday afternoons from November into April and provides scheduled times for family futsal on the turf field of Athens high.  The program will support the development of youth players (from U8 through high school) and adults in a playing environment focused on fun participation and peer mentoring.  The fee for the turf field program will raise funds for GASA and equipment for highschool soccer and futsal.

Purpose:  This program creates wintertime opportunities for players of all ages to develop their skills, enjoy the game, and build community with other futsal/soccer players in Athens.  To support the development of youth players in an environment focused on skill and fun.  

Three fundamental rules of Athens Family Futsal:

1. Have fun!
2. Don't hurt anyone (including yourself)
3. Take it easy on those that need to taken easy upon.

Sign up online:

1. Become a member of Athens Community Soccer 
1. Includes membership in ACS spring, summer, and fall programs
2. Adult annual fee $35
3. Youth annual fee $20
2. Join the "Turf field futsal" on the ACS page  [This new page is not yet available]
1. Adult fee $20
2. Youth fee $10
3. Athens high student:  No charge

[Note:   Turf field futsal is a brand new program, so the page for it does not yet exist at ACS.  We are working on it and will let everyone know when we get it set up-- thanks for your patience!  Ted]

Where:   1 High School Drive, immediately off of Johnson Road in the Plains, the turf field in the stadium.
When:   Sundays 1:00 to help set up;  Play 1:30 to 3:30   (within constraints of reasonable winter weather) 

Bring:

• Shin guards and shoes:  cleats, turf shoes, and indoor shoes all work.  Cleats or turf shoes will be best for most players.
• Different layers of clothes: long underwear, sweatshirts and jackets, hats, gloves, as well as large t-shirts.
• T-shirts in several color options (dark, light, red) for outer layer (over sized tshirts).  We will have pinnies, but might need some fields to go with dark or light shirts. 
• Water
• Desire to have fun, play well, and help others learn.

What is Athens family futsal?  Futsal is played on a lined field with a low bounce ball that allows from greater control and encourages skillful, team play.  Our games are self officiated based on principles of fair play and compassion for fellow players.  Teams are formulated with the objectives of parity and maximizing the enjoyment and learning of all players. All players are field players, and the ball may not be picked up or touched with hands or arms.  Kicks or shots on goal are only scored if they are low (approximately knee height or less).  Height exceptions are made for artful shots made with the head, chest, or thigh.  Long shots on goal are not allowed. Plays out of bounds are restarted with an indirect free kick.

Mission of ‘Athens Futsal’ the organization
    Athens futsal is an Ohio University and Athens community based group that includes futsal players of all ages, genders, abilities and backgrounds.  We are dedicated to fostering opportunities for members of the broad OU and Athens community to develop the love of the game, improve skills and abilities, and to foster friendship and community among all players.  We do this by encouraging inclusive participation in recreational, just-for-fun games and by actively demonstrating our commitment to fair play, and compassion for the safety, enjoyment, and development of all players.   See more details on the Athens Futsal Mission.