Providence Pilots futsal season kicks off
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While soccer is probably the last sport on most Manitoban minds as a massive cold front blew through the province last weekend, the final sport of the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference season began in Niverville.
Futsal, an indoor soccer sport played on hard courts, was hosted Jan. 18 in Niverville, with teams from Brandon able to make the trip despite the weather.
The Providence Pilots managed to come out of the weekend with a 1-1 record, thanks to a late go-ahead goal against Assiniboine College to win 2-1. Earlier in the day, the team dropped a 2-1 decision to the University of St Boniface.
Tory Walker coaches both the Providence soccer and futsal teams and was happy with an opening weekend split.
Providence plays one of the longest collegiate soccer seasons in the province, playing in the American-based National Christian Colleges Athletic Association. By making the finals in Florida this year, the Pilots futsal team got off to a later start than their MCAC counterparts, playing competitively into December.
“We’ve been at it training for one week basically, so we obviously have to shake the rust off and I think our first game was that,” Walker said.
“We have lots of growing to do and I’m sure we will.”
The sport allows for much more aggressive defending, with a lot less time and space to operate compared to soccer.
“Futsal always highlights your weaknesses as a player,” Walker said.
“If you have a big touch, you’ll notice it. It’s a harder game to play, it’s tighter, smaller spaces, you have to be able to do things a lot faster.”
Those differences could be tougher for this particular Providence team to overcome, with 12 freshmen in Walker’s line-up.
“A lot of our freshmen haven’t played futsal much, if any,” Walker said.
“I think there’s a bit of a learning curve for us, but it seems like the girls will get it. There’s already been some growth in two games and one week of training. I’m optimistic for the season.”
While the women’s team played in Niverville, the school’s men’s team went winless at Canadian Mennonite University. The team struggled to defend, conceding 10 goals to St Boniface in addition to a 4-2 loss to Assiniboine.