FEBRUARY saw the completion of Youth Futsal County Cups and with it a groundswell of appetite to increase opportunities across the region.

Both clubs’ and schools’ competitions have been run in the county with the successful teams eligible to represent Suffolk at the Regional Finals at Bedford Futsal Club over the next few weeks.

The Club competitions saw age group competitions held at Inspire Suffolk, Ipswich and the Victory Ground, Bury St Edmunds with the following teams winning their categories:

• U10 Boys – Bury Town FC
• U12 Boys – Sporting 87
• U12 Girls – Ipswich Valley Rangers
• U14 Boys – Walsham-le-Willows
• U14 Girls – Felixstowe & Walton United
• U16 Boys- Stowmarket Town

With age groups staggered between clubs and schools, the schools’ competitions saw keen interest in the local rounds, with the Ipswich & South Suffolk area requiring days set aside to accommodate all the schools that had signed-up!

After some great days of competition, the following teams go onto the next stage:

• U11 Boys – Bealings Primary
• U11 Girls – Red Oak Primary
• U13 Boys – Ipswich Academy
• U13 Girls – Westbourne Academy

Senior Football Development Officer, Darren Scoulding said: “It’s been great to see so many Futsallers playing with flair in the county. The standard of play has been really high, with players, parents, coaches and teachers all providing really positive feedback on the creative environments that allowed for players to flourish.

“However, we must not rest on our laurels and we are already planning how to build on this to provide sustainable, increased opportunities for all players in the county.”

With this in mind, a short data form has been created which will allow players, parents and clubs to register their interest in playing Futsal in the County Futsal - Expression Of Interest

To support this, Suffolk FA are running a Level 1 in Coaching Futsal course at Inspire Suffolk, Ipswich during June. For more information Click Here