JON KURRANT believes the emergence of futsal will continue to go from strength to strength following the participation boom with Jewish youngsters.
While numbers in the MGBSFL and MJSL dwindle, there is no stopping futsal – the world’s fastest growing indoor sport.
Kurrant, the head coach of ProFutsal Academy, has seen numbers rise with dramatic effect within the last year.
Now 130 children, ranging from under-eight to under-16, head to their centres in Bushey, Parmiters and Mill Hill every week.
With their first-team having also entered into the National League, Kurrant says he is not surprised ProFutsal London have caught the eye of Barcelona following an invitation to the World Futsal Cup in Spain at the end of the year.
Kurrant said: “We have 95 per cent presence of Jewish players in Bushey. We have around 80 per cent in Parmiters and Mill Hill. That figure will hopefully keep rising.”
"There is real interest. The knock-on effect of the European Maccabi Games in Berlin cannot be underestimated.
"We want to continue the development of young Jewish players for 20, 30 and 50 years to come. It’s about creating a pathway and a youth system for these players to go on and shine in this sport.”
Young players are turning to futsal given the fast-paced high octane game that has been compared to basketball and handball. Jared Rand (11) and Charlie Hyman (10) are the top-scorers in the first-team in a sport in which Team GB won three gold medals at last year’s European Maccabi Games in Berlin.
Kurrant said: “In an 11-a-side game a young player can barely get a touch as the ball whistles over his head on a big pitch.
"But you certainly get more touches and are involved in Futsal, which is surely what it’s about at a young age.
"It's a different discipline required. Your control, movement, speed of thought and technique is what is important.
"Futsal is transferable to football but not really the other way round. It’s a high-intensity sport. It’s less physical and players can make the step up through the age-grades without thinking they are too small to cope with older players.”
He went on: “Our level and development has seen Barcelona invited us to the World Futsal Cup in Blanes in December.
"This is for five age groups, under-10s all the way through to 18s playing against the likes of Corinthians, Benfica and Barcelona El Pozo among others. All the boys are excited and it will be an amazing experience."
