Futsal is fast, demanding and unforgiving.

With less space and less time to make decisions, young players have to think quickly, keep the ball close and work together. For around 50 children who gathered at *SCAPE on National Day, they got a chance to experience exactly that.

The occasion marked the official launch of Lions Futsal Academy, a new academy aimed at developing Singapore’s next generation of futsal players.

And judging by the energy at the launch, the young participants were more than happy to get stuck in.

Five stations, plenty of action

Instead of sitting through a conventional launch ceremony, the young players were thrown straight into the action.

A five-station futsal circuit at the *SCAPE Ground Theatre challenged them across different areas of the game, from ball control and passing to agility, decision-making and finishing.

The activities were designed to give the children a taste of how Lions Futsal Academy approaches player development — but they also gave them plenty of opportunities to compete, experiment and simply enjoy playing.

The players were joined by their parents and members of Singapore’s futsal community, while academy coaches moved between the stations and introduced participants to the programmes available.

Among those watching and encouraging the young players was one of Singapore football’s most recognisable names.

Fandi Ahmad meets Singapore’s young players

Singapore football legend Fandi Ahmad attended the launch as a special guest, meeting the young players and sharing his thoughts on what it takes to develop at a young age.

For Fandi, technical development is important, but so is making sure children actually enjoy the game.

“At this age, children need to build strong fundamentals, but they should also be encouraged to have fun, make friends and develop a genuine love for futsal, and football.”

That enjoyment could be seen throughout the launch, as the young players moved from station to station, competing for the ball and testing themselves against the different challenges.

Fandi also believes there is room for futsal to grow further in Singapore.

“There is a lot of potential for growth in futsal,” he said, adding that he hopes to see a Singapore national futsal team compete at the Futsal World Cup in the future.

More than just learning to play

That ambition is part of what Lions Futsal Academy hopes to contribute to.

Founded for players aged six to 16, the academy wants to develop more than just technical ability. Its programmes are designed to help young players build confidence, discipline, teamwork and character alongside their futsal skills.

Co-founder Kenneth Kwang said the idea behind the academy was to give children a positive environment where they can discover what they are capable of.

“Futsal is an exciting way for children to develop their technical skills, think quickly and learn how to work as a team,” he said.

Kwang also felt that launching the academy on Singapore’s National Day made the occasion particularly meaningful.

“We celebrated not only the sport but also the young players who may one day represent Singapore,” he said.

Could this be the start of something bigger?

For now, the focus is on giving young players the opportunity to learn, compete and enjoy the sport.

Lions Futsal Academy will offer programmes for different age groups and ability levels, with the longer-term ambition of creating opportunities for players to compete in regional futsal leagues.

That means some of the children taking part in the launch could eventually progress from introductory sessions to more competitive football.

It is, of course, far too early to know whether the next Singapore futsal star was among the 50 youngsters at *SCAPE on National Day.

But if the enthusiasm on display at the launch was anything to go by, there is certainly no shortage of young players willing to give it a shot.

Parents interested in finding out more about Lions Futsal Academy’s programmes can contact the academy via WhatsApp at +65 8961 3955.