While American athletes are currently in Tokyo representing the United States in Olympic competition, an Irvine-based youth futsal team, O.C. Premier Academy, recently claimed a national championship of its own during the 2021 U.S. Youth Futsal National Championships in Kansas City. 

Jessie Lopez, an assistant coach and owner with O.C. Premier Academy, an Irvine-based youth futsal organization, shared that his team went undefeated in the U-10 Division, which is age 10 and under, adding that his team demonstrated an edge the entire tournament.  

“This group of boys is extremely hungry and extremely dedicated,” Lopez said in a phone interview with Irvine Weekly. “Futsal aside, they play for the best soccer clubs in SoCal and on the futsal court, they play for the best Futsal program. They fought battles, until we got to the finals – then they just cruised 4-0, very dominant.”

In addition to the victory, Lopez explained the nuances of futsal, to Irvine Weekly, detailing how the sport is growing in popularity both locally and abroad. 

“We took the national championship. It’s a pretty big deal in our sport – as you know soccer is really crazy out here in SoCal. It’s a hotbed for soccer enthusiasts,” he said. “Our program launched in Irvine – proudly representing Orange County everywhere we go.”

Currently, O.C. Premier Academy Futsal is Orange County’s largest futsal organization, which is headquartered in Irvine, at Momentous Sports Center, according to Lopez. Adding that the U.S. National Team just made the World Cup, generating even more attention to the game of futsal locally. 

“Things are really happening in the U.S. with the sport,” he said. “We cater to players from five years old to 13 years old. We focus on the youth. We’re happy to announce that we launched our program in 2019, and in about two years we’ve become one of the most highly-ranked youth futsal programs in the country.” 

Played indoors, futsal closely resembles soccer, but is played on a smaller harder surface. Globally recognized, and governed by the highest governing body in professional soccer, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, also known as FIFA. 

With a worldwide presence, futsal is gaining attention locally, with many soccer enthusiasts seeking futsal due to its intense nature and frequent scoring opportunities. Due to its fast-paced nature, Lopez explained that in addition to being recognized as a professional sport, many soccer players seek futsal to sharpen their soccer skills.    

“We use futsal to develop really good soccer players. Futsal is a tool, a type of training with indoor smaller courts, with a smaller heavier ball – and around the world, Spain, Argentina – we’re talking about countries in the world that produce the best talent – they actually emphasize their youth players starting playing futsal first,” Lopez explained. “The reason is you develop a lot faster with smaller courts – you’re going to get a lot more touches, more repetition.”

Lopez added that in terms of professional sports, futsal is relatively unknown in the United States. In fact, the U.S. is one of the few countries without a professional futsal team, something Lopez expects to change within the next decade. 

“We’re one of the last remaining countries in the world that don’t have a professional league – yet. But as the sport grows, in the next five, six, seven years here in the United States, we will have our own professional futsal team,” he said. “Futsal is becoming so big now that you’re seeing professional leagues in Europe and South America, where players can actually choose futsal as their profession, and don’t have to switch over.”

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