Nearly 80 junior Futsal teams were in Sheffield over the weekend for The FA National Youth Futsal Festival, which was a resounding success with some excellent Futsal being played in the full spirit of the game.
Teams from all over the country were at the English Institute Of Sport Sheffield on both Saturday and Sunday for the Festival, with competitions for both boys and girls in the U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s age groups.
Double success was achieved from the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA region, with Barnsley Ladies taking the U10s Girls title, followed by Crosspool Juniors winning the U12s Girls.
The FA National Youth Futsal Festival was established to provide an event that could inspire young people to take-up and play Futsal on a regular-basis, the aims and intentions of the Festival are to not just provide a one-off Futsal event that young people enjoy and then forget, but to provide a goal to encourage schools, clubs and young people to play Futsal throughout the year with the climax being the opportunity to attend the National Futsal Festival.
Saturday saw the U10s and U12s in action, with the group fixtures starting just after 10.30am. With ten teams in each competition, the sides were separated into two groups of five with the top two from each group then meeting in a semi-final.
As can be expected, it was close in many cases, with penalties required in two of Saturday's eight semi-final games, but the first winners at this year's Festival were Westella & Willerby JFC who lifted the boys' U10 title with a 2-0 victory over KC Barsa, whilst Barnsley Ladies took the girls' U10 honours with a 4-1 win against Llanmynech Lemurs.
They were followed closely afterwards by Priory Sports College who beat Greenacre School by a single goal in the U12 boys Final before the U12 girls showpiece rounded off Saturday's action with a win for Crosspool Juniors against South Cave JFC.
On Sunday, it was the turn of the U14 and U16 teams to do battle and these groups proved just as competitive with both the U14s girls and U16s boys Finals being settled by penalties.
A thrilling encounter in the U14 boys Final saw Canon Palmer Catholic School beat Benjamin Britten High School by 3-2.
There wasn't quite as much goal action in the U14 girls Final though, where it finished 0-0 between Conyers School and Ashmole School, but it was Conyers who emerged victorious thanks to a 3-2 win on penalties.
At U16 level, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Oakengates shared a 1-1 draw in the boys final, with Oakengates running out 4-3 winners after kicks from the penalty spot in that one.
In the U16 girls Final, it was Lea Valley who were winners courtesy of a single goal victory over AFC Preston to round off the competition.
Whilst there could only be eight winners of each group, all 75 teams who attended contributed to an excellent two days of Futsal.
Later this week, the same venue will be hosting some of the best Futsal teams in the country, as the Finals of The FA Futsal Cup take place at the Institute.
