Youth National Team Takeover: Madallyn Peveler

Happy New Year! My name is Madallyn Peveler and I play pivo for the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 Girls National Team


It has been a great week for the U.S. Youth Futsal National Teams. This trip to Canada is a major step in sharing the game of futsal with our country, and the four teams made a great showing. Each team played with heart and showed a true passion for the beautiful game of futsal. Speaking of beautiful, Toronto is an amazing city to visit! Along with its many restaurants and shopping, this trip provided us with the opportunity to play in the brand new Pan American Sports Centre. The facility was top notch and we received a warm welcome each day.



The first day was a great opportunity to get to know our teammates and coaches. When I arrived at our hotel, The Ramada, I got to meet my roommates: Raleigh, Riley, and Amber. We had a team meeting with our coaches and reviewed the schedule for the week. It was obvious a great deal of planning and effort went into this trip to make it a great experience for all players. You could feel the excitement in the room!​ We had been waiting months for this trip and couldn't wait for the chance to step on the court.



On Sunday, each team trained with their coach to go over strategy and get a feel for playing with our teammates, who came from every corner of the country. The training was very intense and helped us prepare for the upcoming matches with Coach Tozer and the other U.S. coaches helping to improve our knowledge of the game.



Matches began the next day! I think it was an amazing experience to be able to walk out in front of a crowd with USA across our chests and hear our national anthem and the Canadian anthem play. That is a memory I won't ever forget. Our first match went pretty well. We came out with a strong win against Canada with a score of 7-3. This was the very first win ever for our U16 national team. Our second match, we came out strong with a 5-1 lead in the first half, but a break down in the second half led to a tough 7-6 loss. However, this inspired our team to come back and prove that the USA never lets a loss keep it down. We came back with a 15-0 shutout against the Lady Futsalers. This was the first shut out of the week. After every game Coach Jason Miller had our team give ourselves grades for several different aspects of the game and Coach Ty Stauffer shared his observations.   Overall, I think this week was a great opportunity to play internationally as well as a learning experience for our team.



Wednesday was a very special day for all, since all the teams came out to support each other. The atmosphere was exciting as we screamed out chants to support whichever team was playing. The entire section of fans and players shouting, "I Believe That We Will Win" and "USA" was so awesome! Each team came out with a win on that final day of competition, which was a huge accomplishment and so fun to watch and be a part of.



Over the course of this week, social media has been a huge part of spreading the word about futsal and what went on here in Canada. Coach Daniela as well as parents and players tweeted, posted pictures on Instagram, and updated Facebook statuses to show everyone this historic event for the game of futsal and the USA. It allowed our family and friends and other futsal programs to see what was taking place here.



Some of my favorite memories include playing in our intense matches, going out to eat with the team, watching hours of The Kardashians with my roommates Raleigh and Riley while laughing hysterically and the farewell dinner at the Pickle Barrel!



All in all, this trip is one I will never forget!  I will definitely remember it as one of the best futsal experiences of my life. I would like to thank all the coaches for making this trip possible and helping me continue to play the game I love at a high level. Also, thank you to all my teammates for making this week unforgettable. Playing for the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 Girls National Team was a true honor and something I hope to continue in the future.



Happy New Year, safe travels and best wishes for  2015!

Madallyn Peveler is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 girls national team and a resident of Kentucky.

Youth National Team Takeover: Auburn Suttles

My name is Auburn Suttles and I am from Chandler, Indiana. Futsal is a sport I have played for several years, and on the U.S. Youth National Team my preferred position is ala. This trip to Toronto has been the first time I have traveled outside of the United States.

After getting up early to eat breakfast at 6:30 on Wednesday, both girls teams had a meeting with the coaches. We talked about how our formation would look like during our games later on. Then we were reminded how special this trip was and that we had already made history in a lot of ways. Afterwards we loaded the bus with the U14 girls and during the ride we sang many genres of music to get pumped for our games.

It was the best feeling walking into the brand new Pan American Sports Centre as representatives of the United States of America. The U14 girls game was first. We cheered them on with the help of the boys’ teams. Well, I should probably rearrange that to: the boys cheered them on with the help of our team!

After eating lunch at the facility we headed to the locker room to get ready. Then we went back to the court to warm up during the boys U14 game. When the boys game was over we got to continue our warm-up on the court to get a feel of how the ball would travel across its surface. Then we did our walk-out and listened to our national anthem as well as the Canadian anthem.

When our game was over we took many pictures and, like any other game, evaluated our performance. Looking back on our previous team grades we noticed that they gradually increased, including how we used segundo pau. 

Auburn Suttles is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 girls national team and a resident of Chandler, Indiana. 

Youth National Team Takeover: Candace Metcalfe

Today we made history. Okay, so actually we first made history yesterday, since that was our first game against Canada, but I'm blogging today so let's just go with it. As Coach Keith Tozer said, "We are pioneers." We are the very first ever U.S. Youth Futsal National Team, which is a pretty huge deal. Most likely some of you reading this just assumed that we are perfect or close to it because we're on a national team, right? Nope, we're not. Otherwise there would be no need for coaches! The point is we are all phenomenal players, but we are still honing our skills, so we make mistakes just like you. We put in our best efforts, work hard, communicate, but sometimes things just don't work out, and that's okay. 

Today we lost by one goal, and at half, we we were up by two. I'm not going to lie. I was a bit upset, as anyone would be, but I know that the game today will be a reminder tomorrow of why we have to work ten times harder, finish strong, and strive for excellence (tomorrow is our last game). A great man once said, "The greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." So tomorrow when we step out onto the court, THAT'S what we plan to do. 

Over the past couple of days, I've had the amazing opportunity to bond and play with experienced and amicable futsal players. Everyone seems to gel very well on the court, despite the fact that we only had our first practice the day before our games began, which is probably due to all the time we spent hanging out during down time. Just the other day, when we were walking back to the hotel from dinner, the entire team broke out singing and rapping. Rock, our goalie, sang especially loud, and I swear she knew almost every word to the songs we were singing (she's kind of awesome like that). We weren't quite harmonized like Pitch Perfect, but it was definitely a show-stopper on the streets of Toronto. :) 

Oh, and I can't leave out the coaches. I would like to give a special thanks to Jason Miller, Ty Stauffer, and Keith Tozer for all their helpful input and taking the time to go over every little detail of the game so we would understand. I especially liked the very, VERY many meetings we had to breakdown the different aspects of the game. 

I'm VERY excited for our final game tomorrow. However, I'm not looking forward to breakfast at 6:45 and having to say goodbye to all my new friends. I wish everyone a safe trip home and a Happy New Year. See everyone next year in 2015 at Costa Rica!

Candace Metcalfe is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 girls national team and a resident of Florida.

Youth National Team Takeover: Chris Pinkham

My name is Chris Pinkham and I play as a fixo for the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 boys National Team. This is the first time I have left the United States, more specifically Concord, N.H.

Traveling to a different country has been a fantastic experience so far! The people of Toronto are very friendly and love their hockey. The most fascinating part of Canada and Canadians has been to experience their customs and traditions.  They act a certain way, talk a certain way, and even have different money than Americans, which I thought was cool!   Toronto as a city is very clean and enormous! I would compare it to Boston, Chicago, or New York. 

The first day of the trip we all got settled into our hotel, The Ramada. We got to introduce ourselves to our teammates,  We also got to meet all the wonderful coaches, who have already taught me so much and will continue to do so. I am very grateful for these coaches because they are here to help us improve and teach us new things -- but not only do they make us better players, they make us better people.

The second day we trained with our respectful teams at the Pan Am Sports Centre. The employees at this wonderful facility were pleased to give their assistance and help in anyway possible. During training Coach Tozer taught us new patterns to run off the ball, how to fortify our goal using our defensive shape, and how to use the fifth attacker if needed. 

The third day was the day everyone was waiting for: game day. This was the time to show everyone what the USA was about, what we all had been working so hard for. The time had come and everyone was ready to take on the opposition. Before the game we all walked out together and stood before the crowd to showcase ourselves and listen to the American and Canadian national anthems. We then proceeded to the game. Everyone was so excited and prepared, it was a great feeling and atmosphere to be in. In the first half we had a dream start -- we did everything right and were all working for each other, and the scoreboard reflected that at 9-1. During the second half we didn't have the same attitude toward the game. We had a big lead so we were more relaxed. The end result was 17-3, a good start for the team. The major key to our success was that we played as a team, everyone played for each other and with a passion for the love of the game.

We are all looking forward to the next couple of days, to play some more futsal and win!

Chris Pinkham is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 Boys National Team. He resides in Concord, N.H.

National Team Takeover: Ellie Pope

Bonjour! My name is Ellie Pope and I am posting from the U.S. Youth Futsal National Team event in Toronto. I am 16 years old and from Concord, N.H.

In futsal, my preferred position is pivo, then fixo. This is my second time playing my favorite sport, futsal, outside the U.S. -- the last time was in Spain. This is the first U.S. Youth Futsal event for the youth national teams and it is an honor to be posting about it!

Today was the second full day of activities. We had breakfast around 9 and then had a team meeting to prepare for our first match against a Canadian team. We had lunch as a team at noon and left on the bus with the U14 girls for our matches.

Our game against the Canadian team was played at the brand new Pan American Sports Centre, which is amazing. It was great to be able to play on a larger court and gave us all a sense of what it is like to play at the highest level and with a stopped clock.

The group of girls on the team are really nice and fun to play with. I am excited for the future of women's futsal in the U.S and can't wait to continue to grow in and learn about the beauty of futsal! :)

Ellie Pope is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 girls national team. She lives in Concord, N.H.

Youth National Team Takeover: Mikayla Kappes

Today was the first full day of activities for all the U.S. Youth Futsal national teams. This morning after having breakfast as a team, we did some team bonding. Our coach, Jason Miller, has us write down our goals for the trip. Along with improving on technical and tactical skills, most of us said that we wanted to win our games against Canada. After we all shared our goals, Coach Ty Stauffer advised that we make more specific goals than just 'to win." He urged that winning and overall success will come as a byproduct of hard work, focus, organization, heart, etcetera and if we strive for those characteristics then success will follow. His message really hit home with me and throughout the day I made little mental notes and even physically wrote down specific personal and team goals as they came to me. 

Later that day we had training at the beautiful Pan American Sports Centre here in Toronto. The training was really fun and it was great to get my legs moving and start playing with the team. On the bus ride back to our hotel as I sat talking with my new friend and teammate Raleigh, I couldn't stop thinking how grateful I am for this opportunity to play with such high level and friendly girls -- and how excited I am for our first game against the Canadians on Monday. 

At night my team and I had dinner at a local restaurant with all of the other U.S. Youth Futsal national teams and the coaching staff. After just one full day of already so many awesome memories and experiences, I can't wait to see what the rest of this trip holds.

Mikayla Kappes is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U16 girls national team. She hails from San Diego.

Youth National Team Takeover: Vida Raietparvar

The experience has been amazing! At first it's kind of awkward being around people that you don't know from different states, but when you talk to them you realize that they're not different from you. They're from different states and yes they have different habits and such, but once you talk to them you're like "oh, this is someone I can actually hang out with."

Canada isn't a different story. I mean yes it's a different country and yes they were going to be different in some sort of way, but once you go into the country you realize it is nothing like you expected. Once you finally step out of your shell and you have the courage to talk to them, you realize that they're pretty cool people. Another cool thing is that you can go see different talented players from different places around the world and can take inspiration and put that into your game. 

This is my experience so far and it's been a heck of a good one, too!

Vida Raietparvar (below left, with teammate Abby Smith) is a member of the U.S. Youth Futsal U14 girls national team. She hails from Dallas.

Welcome to Toronto

The United States Youth Futsal National Teams arrived in Toronto Saturday with little fanfare but enormous excitement. Fifty-three of the best futsal players from across the country met their teammates and started to bond in advance of international matches scheduled for Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday with top Canadian teams.

The outstanding efforts of coordinator Soorena Farboodmanesh made for a very smooth start to the trip -- arrivals, the welcome meeting and the kit distribution went swimmingly.

If the first few hours were any indication, it will indeed be an incredible futsal experience for everyone. I am proud to be a part of U.S. Youth Futsal and honored to be serving as coach of the U16 girls team.

This long-awaited competition is a wonderful opportunity to develop individually and collectively, and show the world that the U.S. Youth Futsal National Teams play with tremendous quality, intensity and class. 

Over the next few days this space will be filled by the players, who will share their observations from this historic event.

~ Jason Miller, Director of Communications, U.S. Youth Futsal

National Team Takeover: Keith Tozer

U.S. Men's National Futsal Team
Head Coach Keith Tozer (l) and
Assistant Coach Vava Marques

My futsal journey started in 1986 when I had the honor of representing the United States in Budapest, Hungary with the U.S. Men's National FutsalTeam in one of the first international futsal tournaments. Since then I have been the head coach of the U.S. for 17 years coaching in five CONCACAF Championships, two World Cups and the 2007 Pan American games. In addition to my coaching duties I am also very proud to be the Technical Director of U.S. Youth Futsal as well as serving as a FIFA Futsal Instructor.

This past summer has been nothing but amazing for so many reasons regarding U.S. Men's National Futsal Team matches, U.S. Youth Futsal Youth National Teams, U.S. Soccer Futsal coaching education, player identification and so much more.

After playing five matches in Argentina, the national team has played a total of 10 matches in the past three months! This has been such a great opportunity to identify players, gain valuable game experience and tactical analysis as well as building team chemistry. In the past, we sometimes didn't play 10 games in three years! U.S. Soccer is now very much committed toward qualifying in the 2016 CONCACAF Championships.

We had great U.S. Youth Futsal I.D. camps this past year throughout our original five regions, culminating with the National I.D. Camp in Kansas City where we had all regions represented and subsequently selected the first-ever U.S. Youth Futsal National Teams. The talent level was fantastic -- in fact we selected John Leisman from to the full men's national team for our trip to Argentina and John did quite well scoring his first goal at the senior level! The U.S. Youth Futsal coaching staff has been created with some of the best former national team players like Sean Bowers, Jon Parry and Otto Orf. The future looks bright for our youth players direct path to the full men's national team. I firmly believe that we are not far away from creating a full women's national futsal team to create the same path for girls.



We have conducted two U.S. Youth Futsal coaching courses last year in Boston and Dallas. Just recently I presented a futsal module for the first time in U.S. soccer history during the outdoor "B" license course and now we will offer U.S. Youth Futsal Coaching Certification courses in all the regions starting in Boston in October.

Last Sunday in Brasilia, Brazil, the Argentina and Brazil Men's National Futsal Teams contested the first-ever international futsal match played in a outdoor stadium and drew more than 55,000 spectators. Brazil won 4-1 but most importantly it showed how much the game of futsal has grown world wide in just the past 10 years.

As you can see there has been so much growth within the game of futsal regarding coaching education, player development and identification, creating youth national teams, regional coaching staffs, national coaching certification courses that the   future is very bright for the game of futsal! VIVA LA FUTSAL! 

National Team Takeover: Brian Harris

H

Brian Harris

ello from Argentina! My name is Brian Harris and I'm a fixo for the U.S. Men's National Futsal team. I play for the Missouri Comets in the MASL (Major Arena Soccer League) and I'm a defender.

Our final full day started with breakfast and afterward we had a great walk through for our game that night. Danny Waltman challenged me to a whipping childhood cancer challenge which consisted of taking a pie to the face. In Argentina they have a different kind of cream. The video is coming.

That night we played a local pro team that was a quality side. After he game we were invited to the Governor's house for a nice dinner. 

The overall trip was an amazing experience. We played four games against the fifth-ranked team in the world and there was vast improvement for each individual and most importantly, the team. I look forward to the day that we are able to train and play futsal on a regular basis -- especially given how fast we picked up on things and improved.

Also, that says so much for the coaching staff as they do an awesome job preparing us for each training and each game. It has been a great journey and was nice to end with a win.

National Team Takeover: Nick Romansky

After more than 22 years of traveling on domestic and international trips as a team doctor with both the men's and women's U.S. National Soccer Teams, yet again this trip to Argentina provided me with additional life and professional experiences to take home.

LIFE is a collection of experiences. Coach Tozer has sacrificed his personal life and dedicated his 17+ years of his professional life to the futsal movement. Coach VaVa Marques and coach Mark Litton consistently teach and explain futsal to young and experienced players in the United States.

Nick Romansky, Team Doctor

The coaches have been an international liaison and represent the USA as a country and as the U.S. Futsal Men's National Team on personal and professional levels interacting with The Federation of Argentina Futbol, politicians, coaches, citizens and fans of Argentina.

For me, this exposure and experience to Argentina makes me a better treating clinician to my private patients and other amateur / professional athletes of other sports I take care of.

The "Gold Rush" of Futsal is coming of age in the USA. JOIN IT. WATCH IT GROW.

--

Nick Romansky is the team doctor. He is from Pennsylvania.

National Team Takeover: Nic Jaimes

Nic Jaimes

Hello! My name is Nic Jaimes and I am 17 years old from Overland Park, Kansas. Like my teammate John Leisman, I also play for the Sporting Kansas City Academy, but as a forward or defender. In futsal, my position is ala.

This past weekend the team took a bus ride from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata. The bus ride was about six hours long but felt shorter than usual due to everyone playing cards, chatting, and blasting music. The hotel we stayed at in Mar del Plata was on the beach giving the team an amazing view and something to do with our time off. The days started with a team breakfast at around 9 am. After that we had a few hours of time off until lunch at 1 pm, so most of the team decided to take a walk on the boardwalk. After lunch we would go over game film for an hour, rest for an hour or so, then take off for our match.

We had two matches against Argentina while in Mar del Plata. We lost both but played our hearts out and improved greatly since our first game with the use of game film and team training sessions. Also, hanging out with the team on our time off has made our team chemistry skyrocket.

Being invited to Argentina to play has been a great honor and a huge improvement to my game. These games have taught me to make quick one- or two-touch passes, turn and face up with the ball as fast as possible, and take people on when the chance presents itself. We, as a team, are up against some of the best futsal players in the world and being able to contend with them and give them a strong battle in every match is something to be proud of. Tomorrow is our last game and I am hoping we can come out with a win!


--


Nic Jaimes is on his first trip with the U.S. Men's National Futsal Team.

National Team Takeover: Mark Litton

Mark Litton

My name is Mark Litton and I am the goalkeeper coach for the U.S. Men's National Futsal Team. I have the honor and priviledge of working with two of the best futsal goalkeepers our program has ever produced -- Danny Waltman and Jeff Richey.

After a quiet day off yesterday, today was a very long day as we traveled this morning from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata to play Argentina for our 3rd and 4th games.  The 6-hour bus ride was a wonderful bonding experience for the players and staff as they played cards, sang songs, and just enjoyed each others' company.

This is my first trip to Argentina, so it was nice to experience the landscape and sites along the way.  I am from Wisconsin, and the landscape is very similar, including the miles and miles of cows everywhere!  We arrived in Mar del Plata around 5pm local time, which gave us enough time to check into our hotel rooms, grab a quick pre-game meal, and then load up the bus to head to the arena 20 minutes away.  The arena in Mar del Plata is very nice.  Much larger than the Villa La Nata Sporting Club arena in Buenos Aires that we played our first two games in.

We came out with the same fire and intensity to start the game that we have become known for.   Each of our games against Argentina has given us the opportunity to learn more about our opponents, and learn more about ourselves, and the areas that we need to continue improving.

Today's game saw several areas of improvement over the last two games, but we are still falling short against one of the best teams in the world.  Tonight's contest ended with a 5-1 loss to Argentina.  They are so organized and experienced, and every player executes.  Even though we have lost our first three games, this has been invaluable experience for our futsal program and players, as we are preparing for the 2016 CONCACAF qualifying tournament and hopefully -- if we qualify -- the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup that will be held in Bogata, Columbia.

Tomorrow we play Argentina in our fourth and final game.  In preparation, we will have a light morning training session with the team, then the coaching staff will watch game film tomorrow afternoon.  But for now, our long day is finally winding down.  The players are off to bed, and the coaching staff is soon to follow.  Thank you to everyone following this blog and supporting our U.S. National Futsal Team!  Go USA!

--

Mark Litton is the goalkeeper coach of the U.S. Men's National Futsal Team.

National Team Takeover: Pat Healey

It was team bonding day.

Healey is third row right,
shown here on the team bus.

We original had plans to do some sightseeing in Buenos Aires today, but some things are out of our control, and we had to stay in the hotel all day. For most teams, this might be a little upsetting.  Players would just sit in their rooms all day and sleep the day away, but this team has what all teams look for: CHEMISTRY.

The team started out with an early breakfast to get the right nutrition in our body to prepare for the hard four games in five days.  After breakfast, guys either got treatment with the excellent medical staff or got an hour more of sleep. After an afternoon of lunch and a gym session on your own to get the lactic acid out, the team bonding continued.  Guys hung out and played FIFA, listened to music, or played a card game called 22.

The night ended with a great dinner and a film session of yesterday's game.  The 2-0 defeat showed improvement, but we want more out of the trip.  We want to get a win.  The film showed places where we can improve and learn ... and that is what this trip is about.  

I can't wait for tomorrow. It is another day to get better as an individual, as a group, and present our country.

--

Pat Healey is the captain of the U.S. Men's National Futsal Team. He is a fixo from Bel Air, Maryland.

National Team Takeover: Philip Suprise

Today, we started the day off with a great training session. During this session we worked diligently on building from the back as a team. 

After our session, our whole team felt much more comfortable on the ball and maintaining possession in our own half. We had a great lunch and an extensive rest period where we were able to kick back, relax, and focus on the upcoming match.

 

Philip Suprise

We arrived at the match a little later than expected due to the extensive traffic in Buenos Aires. However, this didn’t take us out of our element because we played significantly better. Even though we lost 2-0, we were still able to maintain ball possession and get some great looks on goal. The Argentine goalkeeper came up pretty big on a couple of shots I had, along with plenty of other chances my teammates had!

This was a great improvement compared to our game on Tuesday [which we lost by a wider margin]. Tomorrow we are strictly confined to our hotel due to the strikes and protests going on in the city. But we will be ready to get back to work on Friday!

--

Philip Suprise is a 23-year-old ala from Milwaukee.

National Team Takeover: Nelson Santana

Hello! My name is Nelson Santana and I'm a fixo for the U.S. Men's National Futsal team. I play for the Syracuse Silver Knights in the MASL (Major Arena Soccer League) and I'm a defender.

Nelson Santana

Here in Argentina, we just finished training at the AFA (Asociación del Futbol Argentino) camp grounds. We are preparing to face the Argentina Men's National Futsal team. I'm really excited -- as are my teammates -- to be playing against the 5th ranked futsal team in the world (as determined by FIFA).

Our team has been working hard to get to the next level of futsal and playing against Argentina will let us know where we are. I can't wait to face them! So far Argentina has been a great host; very friendly people and eager to talk to us ... knowing some of our players don't speak the language of Spanish.

I hope this trip will make our U.S Men's National Futsal team better and sharper. Thank you for your support. Go USA!!!!!!!

--

Nelson Santana is from Santa Clara, Calif. and is posing above with staff members at the Holiday Inn Ezieza in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

National Team Takeover: John Leisman

Hello/¡Hola! from Buenos Aires! My name is John Leisman and this is the first post from the U.S. Men's National Futsal Team camp in Argentina. I am 16 years old and from Kansas City, Missouri.

In soccer I play any forward position -- whether it is central or on the wing -- for Sporting Kansas City Academy in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. In futsal, I play pivo.

John Leisman

This is my first trip with the national team and I am honored to do the first blog post covering our trip!

This morning, the team woke up for 8 o'clock breakfast. The food and services of our hotel have been great and the people are wonderful. After breakfast, guys went back to their respective rooms to catch a few more winks of sleep or get ready for the day before getting treatment (if needed). Around 9:40, the team loaded the bus for the first training session of the camp. 

Getting out on the court with the others was great for a rookie like me. It gave me a chance to get a feel for the style of the play and learn from my more experienced teammates. After training, we returned to the hotel for lunch and then rested for a little bit. After some time to recover, the next session began. The second session was more tactical-based and allowed the coaching staff to implement some ideas for the games ahead. Following the second training, the team returned to the hotel once again and ate dinner. 

Getting to know the guys has been easy. Along with some of the other new players, my singing and acting skills -- or lack thereof -- are being called upon. As the team continues to come together, I am excited to see what we can produce on the court!

--

John Leisman was selected for the Men's National Team after participating in the U.S. Youth Futsal I.D. program. 

Men's National Team Takes Over Blog

The U.S. Men's National Futsal Team left for Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday, where it will train and play friendlies against the hosts country.

While taking over the futsal courts of Argentina, they will also be taking over this blog! Head Coach Keith Tozer and members of the team will be sharing their experiences with you in this very space!

As our first blogger will illustrate, participants in the U.S. Youth Futsal I.D. program might start out in a local gym ... and a few months later be playing against one of the top senior national teams in the world!

We encourage you to follow @USYouthFutsal on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and to check this space regularly.