Written by Coach Daniel
Hayward, Calif.—Oaktown FC was invited to Sheriffs FC Futsal Cup 2020 last weekend, where we competed against Sheriffs FC, Anthem and Dovesport.
The Plan
Head Coach Daniel and Assistant Coach Emilio selected 10 players and two alternates to field the futsal team. They were chosen from a pool of 26 U11 players that Oaktown FC has been training for the past month in East Oakland. The majority of the players had not played in competitive leagues or under futsal rules before, so we aimed for our players to get at least 40% time of each game so everyone could gain playing experience. As a team we looked forward to having our abilities tested.
What the Coach Saw
Sheriffs FC, Anthem and Dovesport gave us a masterclass in futsal. We planned to employ an attacking and passing focused style of play. However, we were on the back foot within several minutes. The speed of play and technical ability was far higher than expected. But our players kept a strong mentality and fought for the whole 40 minutes of each game. As a coach, I saw an immense amount of growth in individuals, problem solving, and a desire to improve.
The Challenges Faced
Some of the challenges we saw in the tournament were specific to futsal. The formation of 5 on the field lead to flat lines and square passes. Transitions on turnovers were lightning quick and loss of possession led directly to chances on goal. In addition, our players took time to familiarize themselves with the double touch rule where the keeper can only touch the ball once in each possession. Being that Oaktown FC has a “play from the back approach” players typically use their keeper whenever needed in training. So this change in tactics forced much more responsive support form defensive players for passing options. We rarely strung together more than 3 passes which is not typical for our teams. Experiencing such a high level of opposition has challenged our club to train with more focus and determination.
The Outcome
In three matches, Oaktown FC lost by double digits in each game and scored 9 goals total. It was a humbling experience for coaches and players. We would like to credit Sheriffs FC, Anthem and Dovesport for building outstanding teams that showed exceptional sportsmanship.
After their first match against Sheriffs, both squads posed for a team photo.
Grateful
Coach Emilio describes Oaktown’s experience as, “Class. Every team we competed against, and family member we spoke to were respectful and encouraging. As a coaching staff, we are proud that our team fought every minute of every game never giving up. That, in our minds, is the silver lining of this tournament.”
After the final match, the team posed for a group photo with both assistant coach Emilio (left) and head coach Daniel (Right).