Every Saturday evening from 8 to 10 pm, or every morning before school on late start days, in Glore Gym, there are at least 10 to 15 students ready to compete and have fun, playing an intense yet joyful game: futsal. Futsal is a variation of mini soccer played on an indoor hard court smaller than a regular soccer pitch.

The Futsal Club at LFA was founded last semester by Ryo Nambara ‘22, Kamal Nigmatullin ‘22, and Ryan Nutt ‘22, with JV Soccer Coach Ackim Mpofu as the club sponsor. During the cold winter, the experience of soccer, a very popular sport in LFA, is often restricted by weather, venue, environment and many other factors; Futsal Club was founded in LFA to help counter all the obstacles during the off-season and paved a way for students to continue their passion for soccer. According to Nambara, “I made this club so that people like me who want to play but can’t find the people and the place during the off-season can all gather.”

In addition to bringing the soccer kids the continuity of playing something they love, futsal is also a place for students to meet different people and develop friendships. According to Mpofu, “when you think about futsal, you have to think about soccer. Soccer is more than a global sport, it’s a language that everybody understands. You don’t need to know English or Cantonese; you play with your feet, it’s easier to make friends. In LFA, we have a lot of diversity, and if you come when we are playing futsal, you can see that.” 

Futsal Club builds a diverse and inclusive safe space which brings all LFA kids together from around the globe, and even those who haven’t played soccer before.

When asked about what they enjoyed the most about playing futsal, Riko Kishitani ‘23 shared, “I really enjoy playing it with people from different grades and classes so I can spend time with people who I don’t usually get to hang out with.” 

Playing futsal also helps students to entertain and de-stress from the heavy school work. Jose Onofre ‘23 shared, “Playing futsal, especially during the weekend is an exit slip to rough weeks. It is a way to spend time with friends, helps me to improve as a soccer player, and to release stress that I carry throughout the week.”

Compared to the start of the Futsal club, now more and more students have joined to play this fun sport. As more people are willing to play, the club can now even get permission to use the full court and get funding for prizes for tournaments. Bringing happiness and friendships, Futsal has gradually developed into a unique part of LFA students’ life.