Futsal fun for talented youth
Hundreds of young players descended on Manawatū for the inaugural Palmerston North Marist futsal tournament at the Arena.
More than 30 teams from across the central and lower North Island competed in the tournament at the weekend, which was jam packed with group rounds and playoff games, many ending in nail-biting penalty shoot-outs.
As well as teams from Palmerston North Marist, there were teams from Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Tauranga, Taranaki and Palmerston North in age groups from under-8s to under-15s.
Palmerston North was well represented in the finals, with three teams playing off for the top spot in different age groups.
The Palmerston North Marist Panthers won the under-8s division. The under-12s and under-14 boys teams put up a strong fight in their finals, but lost to a strong teams from Samba Futsal Academy from Wellington.
Marist football and futsal academy administrator and tournament organiser Sarah Cowan said the inaugural tournament was a great finish to the first full year for the academy.
‘‘It was amazing seeing players across all courts having fun, being challenged and experiencing the highs and lows of tournament futsal. We are incredibly proud how our Palmerston North Marist teams played.
‘‘This is just the beginning for our academy, and we look forward to seeing our players continue to develop their skills and love of futsal.
‘‘We are passionate about futsal and are committed to growing this exciting sport in the region and offering pathways from juniors through to senior futsal and beyond.’’
Futsal is a fast-growing sport.
It is a five-a-side form of football played indoors on a smaller court and with a shorter playing time.