FutsalETA 05 Boys win US Youth Futsal Regional Championship
(Via FutsalETA) – As clubs across the U.S. embrace futsal as a key to player development, FutsalETA continues to make its mark in the region with the club’s third straight regional championship.
The FutsalETA 05 boys are the latest team representing the club to win a regional title, and they will head to Kansas City for the US Youth Futsal National Championships from February 15-18.
The FutsalETA 05 boys knocked off defending champion FutsalRVA in the finals as well as a Richmond United Development Academy team to make it to the title match and punch their ticket to Kansas City. As one of 18 inaugural clubs in the country, FutsalETA was honored to be selected as a US Youth Futsal Development Academy member in 2018.
The 05 boys have been a member of ETA’s development system since competing in USL’s Super Y League program in 2014, it’s winter and summer Futsal academies and supplemental training with FutsalETA’s Technical Director Mo Kanneh.
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“FutsalETA is the game changer for player development in Williamsburg, Hampton, Yorktown, Newport News and the Hampton Roads region. It’s no mistake that Ronaldinho, Neymar and Messi grew up playing futsal and have dominated on the world scene,” said Kanneh. “A shift in our soccer culture with a focus on proper futsal development in the US will create these types of crafty, confident players to to help close the gap between our national teams and the world powers.”
“Our 04 girls which won back to back regional championships in 2017 & 2018 also started in our USL Super Y program as U11 players and since won USYF futsal titles as well as WAGS, Jefferson Cup and other top events before landing with ECNL and top ranked clubs in the region,” Kanneh continued. “This 05 boys group is special having won a VA State Cup title in 2018 outdoors, will compete well at the upcoming nationals and are destined to gain playing opportunities over the remainder of their youth careers, in college and beyond.”
Having embraced futsal as the main developmental tool over the last 5 years, ETA “Elite Training Academy” and Premiere Sportscenter Yorktown have provided a training academy and league system that has exposed players to futsal techniques, tactics, playing with pace and a competitive mindset that has taken players to the next level not only in the futsal arena but as top outdoor players in the country.
“Not only are we proud to have won 3 straight US Futsal Regional Championships as FutsalETA, but more importantly that we have helped our players gain opportunities at the next level with futsal, outdoor national league clubs, US National team pools and ultimately into quality college programs,” said ETA Director of Soccer Kevin Darcy. “It’s not about us retaining players for our own benefit – but more importantly that we make players better and get them to the highest levels and opportunities in the game. Our staff understands that we have had our day as players, it’s about them and what we can do to make them better and enhance their experience.”
In addition to the 05 boys, FutsalETA was represented in the USYF Regionals by the 09 boys JR Academy, 07 boys, 07 girls (3rd place) and 05 girls. The 05 boys champions which will head to the USYF National Championships in February include Jacob Atwater, Ryan Banwart, Alex Dierkens, Michael Hackworth, Hagen Hines, Kyle Hughes, Caleb Lewis, Seth Mileski and Arvin Picardo.
About ETA “Elite Training Academy”
ETA Soccer was founded in 2013 as a “club neutral” technical training group to provide individual, small group training, clinics, camps and competitive playing opportunities in the USL Super Y League and National events. In an effort to stay on the cutting edge of player development, futsal became the focus in 2016 and FutsalETA was born as a member of IPL Futsal, the MAFL “Mid Atlantic Futsal League” and in 2018 as 1 of 18 clubs nationally into the USYF “United States Youth Futsal Development Acacdemy”. In addition to directors Kevin Darcy and Mo Kanneh, ETA United has put together a great developmental staff that includes MPL Foundations director Ryan Hagerty (CNU), JR Academy directors Scott Hines and Jim Risher, player development coaches Avery Saada, Brian Lybert and Eric Stauffer along with CNU coaching legend Steve Shaw to serve as our coaching director.
