Kansas youth selected for U.S. Futsal Team
Ten-year-old Scott David Conklin of Hutchinson joins Wichita player on international squad competing in Argentina
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Scott David Conklin, a 10-year-old soccer player from Hutchinson, has been selected to represent the United States on the youth futsal international team competing in Argentina this August.
The Hutchinson Soccer Club Azzurri announced the selection on Facebook, calling it "a huge honor that represents his incredible talent." Scott David will join 9-year-old Eli from Wichita, who has been playing soccer since age 4, on the U.S. squad.
"Scott David will be competing against some top Argentina talent — alongside some of the best in our nation," the club said.
The international competition marks the first time both Kansas youth will compete on a global stage. Eli's parents are raising funds through GoFundMe to cover essential trip costs including uniforms, flights, hotel accommodations, tournament fees, food and local transportation.
"Your generosity will help make Eli's dream of representing his country a reality, and we're grateful for any contribution to support his journey," said GoFundMe organizer Lindsey Mbawuike.
What is Futsal?
Futsal is the FIFA-recognised form of small-sided indoor football, with the word being a contraction of the Spanish 'fútbol sala'. The sport features two teams who each have five players on the pitch at any one time, with rolling substitutes and a smaller ball than soccer that is harder and less bouncy.
The small amount of space means players must have great technique and skill, and as well as a professional sport in its own right with national and international championships, it is also considered a development tool for 11-a-side football.
The game is played on basketball-sized courts and emphasizes quick decision-making, close ball control and technical precision. Many of soccer's greatest stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, credit futsal with developing their skills.
Origins and Development
The origin of Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) can be traced back to Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani devised a five-a-side version of soccer for youth competion in YMCAs. In writing the laws he took the five-a-side team sizes and 40-minute match duration from basketball, pitch and goal dimensions from handball, and goalkeeper rules from water polo.
The game soon spread throughout South America, where the rules were standardised and the first international confederation was formed in 1965. Once Ceriani got the ball rolling, Futsal gained rapid popularity throughout South America, particularly in Brazil.
Brazil became the sport's dominant force, with legendary players like Pele, Zico, Socrates, Bebeto and other Brazilian superstars developing their skills in futsal before transitioning to outdoor soccer.
FIFA Recognition and Global Growth
In 1989, FIFA took over as the sport's governing body, holding the first edition of its World Cup that January in the Netherlands, Brazil beating the hosts in the final.
The sport continued expanding internationally. The first UEFA tournament came in 1996, won by hosts Spain, and there followed a full UEFA European Futsal Championship in 1999, Russia victorious. The competition has grown from eight teams in the early finals to 16 teams by 2022.
U.S. Futsal History
U.S. Futsal was founded in 1981 and incorporated in January, 1983, with Osvaldo Garcia as its first president. The first international Futsal match played by the U.S. Futsal National Team was in May 1984 in Nanaimo, Canada, and the United States won 6-5.
The U.S. team achieved notable early success, finishing third in 1989 and second in 1992 at the FIFA Five-a-Side World Championship. These results represented the highest showing by any team from the United States in a FIFA tournament until the U.S. Womens team won the gold medal in China for outdoor soccer.
Game Rules and Format
Futsal differs significantly from traditional soccer in several key ways:
- Teams have squads of 14, of which five (including one goalkeeper) can be on the pitch at any one time, with rolling and unlimited substitutions
- Each half lasts 20 minutes, with a clock that stops whenever the ball is out of play
- Once a team have committed five fouls in one half, for every subsequent foul their opponents get a free shot at goal from the second penalty mark, ten metres out
- For kick-ins, free-kicks, goal clearances and corner kicks, the player in possession of the ball has four seconds to restart play
The sport has become a crucial development tool for soccer players worldwide, with countries like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Spain making futsal a normal part of youth soccer development.
Scott David and Eli's selection for the U.S. team represents the continued growth of futsal in America, where the sport is now played at about 1,100 Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the U.S. and has partnerships with major youth soccer organizations.
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