history

This is the text of proposal put to a public meeting in November 2015.

At a public meeting at the Proact Stadium on 1 June 2015 it was decided to try to establish a futsal league in Chesterfield. The meeting decided to invite expressions of interest from clubs to see whether a league was viable. The proposal that is now being put to clubs is as follows.

Name: Chesterfield Futsal League

Where: The new Queens Park sports hall, Chesterfield

When: Starts January/February 2016, when the new facility opens

Time: Fridays 1700-1900

Age groups: Six ages groups: u7/8, u9/10, u11/12, u13/14, u15/16 and u17/18. Depending on demand a there may be a limit of eight teams in each age group.

Playing arrangements and rules: 25-minute games to Futsal 5 rules.

The season: Two age groups at a time will play their matches in a block of (say) 10/12 weeks; and then take a break when the other four age groups will play in pairs. For example, u11/12 and u13/14 might play September to November, followed by u7/8 and u9/10 in December to February, and u15/16 and u17/18 in March to May. But this is only an illustration.

Costs to teams: We don’t know yet but match fees are likely to be about £15 per team; perhaps a little more. Plus registration fees.

Referees: Use only qualified referees.

Player pathways: Open age group competitions are provided at Aldercar College; and there is elite provision at Loughborough. The Chesterfield Schools Sports Partnership has a proposal to set up a futsal club at Queens Park catering for 11-14 year olds with a mixture of “club” and “community” delivery. That would include mash-up provision.

FA advisers: Liam Rooney and Pete Collins

Philosophy: Kids first. FA Respect. FA Youth Review. Charter Standard. The aim is to get kids playing and enjoying futsal in a safe environment, and providing an opportunity for players, coaches and referees to learn and to develop their skills, whilst having fun.

This is our proposition based on ideas discussed at the public meeting and subsequent discussions. We could also provide time for women’s futsal and for adults, for coaching and referees courses, and for demonstration matches. We might also run cup competitions in all age groups and hold tournaments rather than leagues in the summer holiday period. The time available at Queen’s Park allows for about eight or ten teams in each age group. If one age group is undersubscribed another could run with more than that number.

The new sports hall at Queen’s Park will have two futsal courts with proper futsal goals, and we have agreement to use both courts for two hours a week, which gives us eight 25 minute games a week. The playing schedule we are considering would run something like this: two age groups, say u7/8 and u9/10, will play all their matches and complete their short season in about twelve weeks, before giving way to two other age groups, and then to the remaining two. Thus the commitment we need from teams is not stretched across a whole football season but confined to two or three months or so. Spectator viewing will be available in a gallery alongside one court and from windows in a corridor at one end of both courts.

We plan to pair age groups so as to provide an opportunity for a large number of players to have some experience of futsal. This is common in futsal leagues. Although it’s a 5-a-side game, squads of up to 12 players are permitted with frequent roll-on roll-off substitutions, which are necessary if the game is played at a fast pace. That is necessary for a full 40 minute game, but for a 25 minute match we expect most teams to settle on a match squad of 8 or 9 players.

We want to grow the number of qualified futsal referees and coaches in Chesterfield and with the FA will run courses for both at Queen’s Park.

Finally, we expect to learn a lot from planning and running the league and to adapt our plans in the light of experience. We don’t expect to get everything right first time so please feel free to give us your comments and feedback now, or later.