Fools for futsal
2007-03-30
Fools for futsal
Whatever your goal - training for the field or a more genteel workout indoors - futsal, that popular cousin of soccer, is gaining ground in Japan. And whether for fun-filled frolic or fierce competition, more fans in the Tokyo metropolitan area are taking to the court to get a kick out of fitness.
Take, for example, the third annual Urawa Futsal Festival from late April through May. Nearly 100 amateur teams in the lineup make it the biggest so far and organizer Junichi Tamate says registration is still open to all! Why? "We want to build up the futsal population - especially in Saitama City," he says. "Besides, this year marks the start of Japan's futsal league." It appears to be a sign of the times.
Even big-league football is getting into the act. Footy Japan, the Tokyo football marketer behind Tokyo Metropolis League (TML), British Football Academy and numerous local soccer tournaments, is one of the relative newcomers to the growing futsal scene. TML now hosts weekly futsal meets in addition to its cadre of footballers.
"It was started about a year ago for players who perhaps couldn't play for a team on the weekends due to family or work commitments," says Jonathan Day, Footy Japan communications and representative director. "That said, the primary reason was to form a friendly social football network, to contribute and enhance the major league on weekends. One of the attractive aspects of what we do is that although it's competitive, the atmosphere is always positive - there's a lot of love. In 11-a-side games you don't always get that."
Futsal's feel-good quality compared to some of football's intensities is one reason its popularity is on the rise among the ladies, according to Day. Moreover, he says its worldwide football-like popularity brings with it some added perks for casual players in Japan: "It's a great way to socialize with an international crowd and meet new friends. ... A more enjoyable way to stay in shape simply doesn't exist! I mean, how boring and lonely is yoga or the gym - or, heavens forbid, going for a jog by yourself?"
Up to 18 players gather under the TML banner from 7 p.m. for six-a-side bouts at Tokyo International School in Tamachi. Two sessions are offered: The first is for newbies and those who prefer a more relaxed "kick-about"; the second is a 90-minute sweat-soaked session for those a little more serious about getting their game on.
Tokyo Gaijins, a veteran organizer of pick-up basketball games, is one of the other new kids on the futsal court. Last year, it began hosting weekly five-a-side futsal most Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Aquafield Shibakoen, an outdoors synthetic field in Tokyo's Roppongi.
It's a no-frills meet geared towards fun, says Tokyo Gaijin owner Ricky Farinas, who has been playing for five years. "We just do pickup games," he says, "kick some ball here and there and play for laughs and a good workout. Players have various skill levels but I would say we're about average level."
Futsal, however, has long been a draw to more than just the casual weekend warrior. Hardcore footballers have long used it as a way to train for the field. "Most TML teams play 11-aside the majority of the time, but we enter a lot of futsal tournaments, too," says Day. "Also, the futsal ball is smaller and a great deal heavier than a regular size-5 football used in 11-a-side, which means it's great to practice close control and footwork. If you look at (TML) first-division league tables you'll see for yourself why."
That's a dedication that Morning Footie players understand. About dozen show up on Thursdays - before going to work - for serious bouts at Jingu Gaien. What sets this all-male group of six-a-side diehards apart from others is the size of their ball. A size-5 soccer ball is what they kick around. It has extra bounce on the court, which makes for a faster game and a bigger challenge to score in smaller futsal goals, says Taku Suzuki. The co-creator and organizer of Morning Footie says where he grew up, like in Latin America, people take their football - and futsal (or "mini-football") - seriously.
"I got really frustrated playing with hobby groups - which I really like - but I grew up playing football all the time," he says of a brand of futsal where there is scant time for socializing on the backcourt after an attack. "Anytime I go back to Finland I can find people that want to play hardcore." So Suzuki brought a taste of home to Japan's courts. "What we like to emphasizes is keeping our game at a competitive level," he says. "It's like playing an instrument: If you have people that play together in a band and they play at the same level they can enjoy it more."
That doesn't mean amateurs aren't welcome. Most of the players grew up playing some form of futsal and former pro-footballers are known to show up. But Suzuki says the group's overall credo emphasizes the right attitude: "Football is a game that involves a lot of running. A good runner can support defense after an attack. We have some players that are not that advanced but run like crazy." That craziness, however, is limited: physical contact is not allowed and players call their own fouls based on a mutually respected honor system, he says.
What are you waiting for? It only costs about 1,000 yen per session to play in most futsal groups and they usually have weekly mailing lists to update players on game plans. Learn more about Urawa Futsal Festival (in Japanese) at: http://futsal-passion.com. Anyone interested in joining Tokyo Metropolitan League futsal can e-mail: info@footyjapan.com. For more information about Morning Footie e-mail Taku Suzuki at: morningfootie@gmail.com. To get schedule and contact details on futsal offered by Tokyo Gaijins visit http://www.tokyogaijins.com.
