The Springvale-based Australian Football Skool’s under 11 side won the 2007 Vikings Australasian Futsal School Championships title at Dandenong Basketball Stadium last week. Back from left: Team manager Guy Babare, Stefan Zinni, Milos Ridesic, Steven Ferg, James Vafiadis, head coach Boyan Mitkov and program director Ian Eman. Front: Ryan Babare, Dominic Kurasic, Ommar Ammache and Dimitar Mitkov.By Paul Pickering
AS Australia’s finest indoor soccer players descended upon Dandenong Basketball Stadium for the Vikings Australasian Futsal School Championships last week, it was a group of local youngsters who caught the eye of many experts and onlookers.
Futsal is a form of indoor soccer, and eight young guns from the Greater Dandenong area combined to claim a stunning victory for the Springvale-based Australian Football Skool (AFS) in the under 11 boys division.
Three players – Dimitar Mitkov, Ommar Ammache and Dominic Kurasic – were also named in the all-star five for their age group.
Meanwhile, the AFS under 12 side finished runner-up in its division, with Ajden Hrustic claiming all-star status.
The AFS program was established last year with the aim of developing young soccer players during the summer months.
With Victoria being used as a pilot state for a possible expansion into the rest of the country, the results of last week’s tournament have surely signalled the arrival of the fledgling program.
The program’s Monash zone has its headquarters at the Springers Leisure Centre in Keysborough, where qualified coaches such as Boyan Mitkov attend to every aspect of the young footballers’ development during the off-season from October to February.
“With the season over during the summer, we wanted to offer them a program so that they weren’t just racing off and sitting in front of the TV or mucking around,” Mitkov said.
Mitkov said futsal was a valuable part of the program, because the five-on-five format and smaller playing area taught players to work in confined spaces.
“It has become a component of the players’ development, because it improves their speed, dribbling and ball control,” he said.
While Mitkov has little doubt that the program is set to become an integral part of the sport’s development pathway, he conceded to being pleasantly surprised by the immediate success.
“We’re over the moon,” he said.
“To be able to compete at such a huge event – they’re still celebrating.”
For more information about the AFS, call 1300 436 682.
