A couple of local clubs will be on Oahu taking on some national and international competition.
The 2018 Pacific Rim Futsal Cup will be held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. Play begins today and runs through Sunday.
“It’s a big deal because they’re going to meet different teams — mainland teams, teams from Australia,” said Ramon Semblante, Kauai Futsal club coach.
Futsal is a varient of soccer. It is played on a hard court, usually indoors, that is smaller than a soccer field and is played five-on-five.
Also, a smaller, denser ball is used which is not as bouncy compared to typical soccer balls.
About 50 teams will compete representing clubs from Hawaii and the continental U.S. International clubs will also be represented, including teams from Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, Hawaii News Now reported.
The event is expected to draw about 800 youth and adult players.
Kauai Futsal, based in Kalaheo, will have three teams competing at the futsal tournament. Those teams will play in the boys 12-and-under, boys 15-and-under and boys 17-and-under divisions.
“(I want them to see) different cultures, different styles of this game,” Semblante said. “We go to tournaments, but mostly only interisland — Maui, Big Island, Oahu. But we’ve never met (players) from different places. This is big.”
The other club that will be representing Kauai at the Pacific Rim Futsal Cup is Futsal Kauai based in Anahola.
“I’m born-and-raised on Kauai. Futsal or indoor soccer was never a thing because we have prime weather all year round. This is something the mainland guys do on their winter time because they can’t use the field,” said Taryn Dizon, Futsal Kauai coach. “It’s awesome that indoor soccer is getting explored and all the kids are getting all these opportunities.”
Dizon hopes her club’s players will learn and grow from competing in a sport that is similar but not completely identical to soccer.
“The biggest glory is them learning to compete in soccer with a different environment,” she said. “We’ve played on the field — outdoor, dealing with the elements, learning that at a competitive level. Now, (we’re bringing) it indoors on a basketball court, learning the different environments of soccer. The biggest thing is to get their touch on the ball and mastering their touch.”
It was also reported by Hawaii News Now that U.S. Futsal, the futsal governing body in the United States, signed a four-year agreement to hold the tournament at the Hawaii Convention Center.
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Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
