Eight schools around the country will be piloting the programme in which students can gain credits towards NCEA Level 1, with Queen’s High School in Dunedin the first to roll out the Sport in Education project.
Organising lesson plans and trialling them on other students, the Year 11 physical education students will then head to a local primary school to teach the game to students there.
A futsal festival run at the primary school – organised and run by Queen’s students – will be the project’s big finish.
NZF futsal development manager Dave Payne says the project has great potential for futsal development around the country.
“What we would like to see in the long-term are students who can run futsal in schools themselves. It is a holistic approach to futsal development,” Payne says.
“We are creating a pathway from the existing primary level with this as the next step, then through to university. We are creating staff to help develop the game because it’s growing so fast it’s hard to keep up.”
The majority of the eight schools piloting the scheme are co-ed institutions, but NZF women’s development manager Emma Humphries says futsal has a special part to play in attracting more girls to football.
“What is particularly attractive about futsal to young girls is the one-venue format is somewhat familiar plus the game requires fewer players and less time investment so there are fewer barriers to creating a team,” Humphries says.
“As with outdoor football, once girls try futsal they love it and we begin to see that life-long love affair with football begin.”
Karen Palmer is the Sport in Education project leader at Queen’s High School and says the programme will provide valuable experience in non-playing aspects of the game.
“It’s a great honour for Queen’s High School to be part of the project,” Palmer says.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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