Written by Ryan Flaherty for Sask Sport 

It’s relatively new to Saskatchewan but the sport of futsal is already a source of provincial pride after Team Saskatoon Green & White claimed the national women’s championship in April, going undefeated at the tournament en route to a dominant 7-1 win over Winnipeg’s Legacy FC in the gold medal game. 

The squad, featuring 13 players from the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s soccer team and one from the University of Regina Cougars, became just the second women’s side to be crowned as Canadian champions and in doing so, helped shine a spotlight on a sport that’s beginning to emerge from soccer’s shadow.  

“When we set out to compete in this, it was an opportunity for us as a university coaching staff, using the core of our university [team], to give them another opportunity to compete, to learn how to win and to build that winning mindset,” said Team Saskatchewan coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton, who also helms the Huskies women’s program. 
 
There’s a common misconception that futsal – which was added to the Saskatchewan Winter Games lineup in 2023 – is simply indoor soccer by another name, when in fact there are some key differences. For starters, it’s played on a hardcourt surface marked by lines and unlike indoor soccer, the walls or boards are not in play. Then there’s the ball, which is smaller, harder and less bouncy than a traditional soccer ball. Games are 40 minutes in duration, unlimited substitutions are allowed, and they’re made on the fly, like in hockey or lacrosse.

All those differences make for a game that highlights individual skill, ball control, tactical flexibility and quick decision making, to such an extent that Barandica-Hamilton believes young athletes should be playing futsal instead of soccer in their early years. 

“It magnifies your technical ability, it magnifies your movement and also your speed of thought. From a training perspective, it makes you that much more efficient” he said. “Sometimes in outdoor [soccer] you might touch the ball five, six times. I’ve seen games where kids go on and they don’t even touch the ball, so it’s hard to build that passion and love for the sport whereas in futsal, you’re getting the ball 20, 30 times in a minute, you’re probably going to get a lot better.” 

It’s not only a great development tool but from a competition standpoint, with only five players required to field a team, futsal is an ideal sport for smaller communities. Much in the same way that six- and nine-a-side football has provided more opportunities to play that sport. 

It’s also a boon for athletes seeking a competitive outlet or even just a way to hone their skills during the winter months, when playing outdoors simply isn’t an option. 

“We’re starting to see smaller communities embrace it because it suits their needs, it suits their accessibility, and it suits their numbers,” Barandica-Hamilton said. “Yorkton is a great example. They’re a phenomenal club that is now transitioning into full-time futsal in the winter and I would say they’re a top club when it comes to futsal at the youth level.” 

Another sign of the sport’s growth is the Saskatoon Futsal League, which began as an adult league but is now expanding to youth development. There’s even a new academy in that city dedicated exclusively to futsal. Meanwhile, established soccer academies and clubs throughout the province are starting to embrace futsal as a significant part of their training plans. The surge in interest led the Saskatchewan Soccer Association to recently introduce a provincial youth cup for futsal. 

Having a group of players from the province win a national championship certainly doesn’t hurt the sport’s profile, nor does the prospect of one or more of those players potentially donning the maple leaf in international competition. The first ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup is set to take place next year and based on the Green & White’s win at nationals it’s not a stretch to think that Canada’s roster for that tournament could feature some Saskatchewan content. 

“Imagine the impact that could have on the next generation,” Barandica-Hamilton said. “It’s another element that could inspire kids to say, ‘Hey, maybe soccer’s not my thing but futsal for sure can be my thing.’”