Street Soccer/Freestyle Soccer Demo at Soccer Nation

It seems like almost every other variant of soccer have been legitimized. Futsal has professional and amateur leagues around the world. Beach soccer has already had a televised world cup. Indoor soccer is common in many places. Even small-sided leagues have become more common. Still, street soccer or Calle Futbol remains unrecognized by FIFA or national associations.

Companies like Nike and adidas have created street balls and have excellent indoor shoes. Calle Republic and Monta are dedicated to the streets with full lines of apparel, shoes and balls. Some urban areas are converting empty parking lots and alleys to street courts. Unused tennis or basketball courts are being used for pick-up games. Even EA has a street soccer game.
We think it is time to set down some standard rules. We propose two main variants: 4 sided games with no keepers and 5 sided games with a keeper.

Four-a-Side Street Soccer – Laws of the Game

Failing a specific variation below, all FIFA Futsal rules will be enforced

• Court Size:
  • Basketball or Tennis Court
• Time:
  • 20 minute half
  • 5 minute half-time
• Goal:
  • Small pop-up style nets
  • With a 6 foot / 2 meter semi-circle arch for a basketball style key
• 5 Second Rule:
  • Basketball style restriction preventing any player from standing inside the arch for more than five seconds
  • Players violating the rule must take a lap around the court before re-entering
  • Play continues while the offending player runs
• Off-sides Rule:
  • No more than three players on the offensive side of the court
  • No shots are allowed from the defensive side of the field
• Restarts:
  • All restarts are from the ground
  • Restarts from the defensive side of the court must be passed to another player on the defensive side
• Substitutions:
  • A player may be substituted at any time (except where the Powerplay rule applies)
  • The departing player must leave the court before the arriving player can enter
  • All players must enter from the defensive end
• Powerplay rule (Optional):
  • A ball that is kicked far out of bounds must be retrieved by the player that kicked it
  • The opposing team may restart the game immediately and take advantage of the missing player
  • The retrieving player cannot be substituted
  • The player may re-enter to the game as soon as the ball is returned

Did we miss a rule?  Are you ready to start a league?  Tell us what you think and get out and play.

Mr. Boyce and his Premier League colleagues will meet SSUSA Los Angeles at partner program Jovenes, Inc at 3:00PM on June 16th. Jovenes is located at 1208 Pleasant Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033.

The session will feature great Street Soccer Action in East LA as some of the world’s greats trade skills with the most unlikely of pupils.

“I am thrilled to join Street Soccer USA as an International Ambassador. As someone who believes in team sports and the positive community that surrounds them, I believe in my heart the mission of SSUSA. Regardless of economic status, soccer brings us all together; you can even see that now with the World Cup taking place, it’s a common language. I am excited to share my love of the game with the SSUSA athletes,” said Boyce.

“Emmerson brings tremendous experience and a standard of excellence to the SSUSA program,” said Lawrence Cann, Founder of SSUSA. “His passion for people and belief in the ability of team sports to change lives make him a great addition to the SSUSA family. We’re excited to work with him, Ibrahima, David and Alex.”

“These Premier League stars don’t have to do this, but realizing the value of giving back. During the spectacle of the World Cup, people should take notice of what they are doing for the homeless and impoverished,” said National Program Coordinator and West Coast SSUSA Director, Rob Cann.

By undergoing the SSUSA process, players improve social skills; self esteem, physical and mental health, and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing and job placement than their peers. Jobs Academies deliver resume writing, financial literacy, and workplace readiness in addition to a pool of resources (mentorship, employment partners, pro bono legal services, as well as counseling or services for trauma, drug abuse, and other barriers). Team leaders in 18 cities exchange best practices and co-develop new solutions for programming and sustainability on a conference call every six weeks. Select program ambassadors, male and female, represent SSUSA in various amateur tournaments, including the Homeless World Cup, each year. SSUSA Teams are organized at homeless shelters, employment programs, and recovery houses to help teens and adults achieve positive outcomes in education, jobs, and housing placement. Programs train thrice weekly, compete in local leagues with volunteers, and unite annually at the 18-city SSUSA Cup, held in Washington, D.C. this year from July 30 – August 1. Eighteen teams from across the country will compete for the Cup championship and a spot on the Street Soccer U.S. National Team, which will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in September to compete in the Homeless World Cup. SSUSA USA enjoys the support of the Ted Leonsis Foundation, Deloitte, HELP USA, and the Great Washington Sports Alliance.

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About Emmerson Boyce

Emmerson Orlando Boyce was born in Aylesbury, England on September 24th, 1979. The English-born Barbadian footballer plays for Wigan Athletic in the Premier League and is one of the most feared defenders in the English Premier League with a good scoring record this season

Emmerson Boyce started his career at Luton Town and made over 180 league appearances for the club. Whilst at Luton Town he picked up numerous awards including: Supporters Player of the Year, Internet Player of the Year, Players Player of the Year and Club Player of Year, before signing with Crystal Palace in 2004. His strong performances for Crystal Palace in their 2004/05 Premiership campaign led to him being nominated for and picking up the Crystal Palace Player of the Year Award and eventually led to Wigan Athletic F.C. securing his services for the following season.

Described as a quick, strong and totally committed, Boyce was a huge star of the 06/07 season narrowly missing out on Wigan Latics Player of the Year. In 2008/09 his solid performances at both central defense and right-back made him a firm favorite of the Latics fans. His strong performances and dedication to the club has helped keep Wigan Athletic in the Premier League and established the team in what has been described as the toughest league in Europe. Although various teams chased him for the 2010/11 Premiership campaign Boyce signed a 3 year deal to remain at Wigan Athletic F.C. Though born in England, Boyce’s Barbados-born parents made him eligible to play for the Barbados National Team where he earned his first Cap on March 20th 2008 playing in the World Cup qualifier against Dominican.

About Street Soccer USA

Street Soccer USA (SSUSA) is a nonprofit organization under HELP USA designed to use soccer to achieve social change. With 18 teams across the country, SSUSA aims to get homeless men, women and youth off the streets, and has achieved a 75 percent success rate among participants: 485 homeless youth and adults in jobs and housing out of 617 team members.

Through a systematic approach, SSUSA uses sports to build community and trust among participants and volunteers, transforming the context within which homeless individuals live from one of isolation, abuse, and marginalization, to one of community, purpose, and achievement. With the help of SSUSA, players improve social skills, self esteem, physical and mental health, and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing/job placement than their peers. SSUSA participants are required to set 3-, 6-, and 12-month life goals which they are empowered to achieve through services and educational and employment opportunities provided by SSUSA’s Jobs Academy. The Jobs Academy supports resume writing, financial literacy, and workplace readiness in addition to a pool of resources (mentorship, employment partners, pro bono legal services, as well as counseling or services for trauma, drug abuse, and other barriers). For more information, please visit www.streetsoccerusa.org.

Over the past few years, they have watching the way people play, dress and live the street game.  That is definitely influencing the way there gear has evolved.  We hear rumors that they are creating a new “street” image that will be separated from both the grass pitch and indoor gear.  We have seen some of of this in the fantastic Rilo street shoes (see the ASER review) and the new Smooth Criminal ball.  The next step is clothes that are unique to the street look.

The marketing folks at most of the manufacturers usually make sure AVID Soccer knows about any big release.  Calle has been holding this one very close to the vest.  They wouldn’t even give us pictures for the big contest giveaway… until now.

Calle Republic Prize Package

We just received samples of the prize package that Calle is providing.  It will be a custom package for the contest winner and includes some of their newest and hottest looks from their collection.  They sent us a florescent green Smooth Criminal ball, ladies Lox v-neck, FTP and Antram tees for the guys, a new ball sack (our favorite light bag) and the Willow shorts.  The ball and shorts are a complete departure from what Calle has done before.  Look for reviews on ASER in the next few weeks.

Want some of this cool swag for yourself?  Get your contest entry in soon.

Enter the contest at AVID Soccer (http://www.avidsoccer.com/2010_contest.aspx) or on the AVID Soccer Facebook page.

Beach Soccer Demonstration

Sand Soccer started decades ago on the beaches of Brazil with pick-up games.  This gradually grew into organized games,  tournaments, and finally professional play.  Beach Soccer is recognized by FIFA as a fully regulated and supported variation.  Sand/beach soccer is played in bare feet with no shin guards.  Accordingly, the ball is lighter and softer than a grass ball.  Playing in the sand presents interesting option, both for play and for training.  Obviously, it works the legs differently providing a good cross-training option.  Even the lighter ball, doesn’t bounce much on the sand.  This requires faster footwork and quick decision-making.

To represent sand/beach soccer, we spent time with Christiaan Wagener of Beach Soccer Promotions.  Beach Soccer Promotions is the company behind Copa Cabana Beach Soccer and much of the Southern California beach soccer scene.  According to Wagener, beach soccer in SoCal started when coastal players players couldn’t find enough pitches to play on.

Team in Long Beach and Laguna would train in the sand and play small sided games.  Later, the teams became clubs and added tournaments and clinics.  The same thing was happening on the East Coast and in the Gulf.  Today, Copa Cabana hosts tournaments across the country.  They have partnered with CalSouth for an adult league.

Futsal Tournament

It is common to confuse indoor soccer and futsal.  Indoor is typically played on turf or a painted pitch in a large area (sometimes it isn’t even indoors).  Goals are often built into the walls of the facility.  It may also be used for arena football.  Futsal is typically played on a much smaller pitch.  Often, a basketball court or gym floor is used for play.  Like beach soccer, Futsal began as a fun variation played on basketball courts.  It has since grown in both South America and Europe to be a professional sport fully sanctioned and regulated by FIFA.  In the US, the governing body is the US Futsal Federation.  It was founded in 1981, supports leagues in every state and includes more than 100,000 players.

Futsal uses a special ball.  It is designed to reduce bouncing.  Typically, they are about a size 4.  The game is a five on five including the goalkeeper.  Substitutions are hockey style and can be made at any time during the game.  Throw-ins are replaced with kick-ins.  Games are 20 minute halves with one timeout per team per half.

To gain more insight into futsal, we spoke with Valerie Jameson.  Ms. Jameson is the Executive Director of Albuquerque Futsal.  The game has grown a great deal over the last few years.  New Mexico now has teams from U9-Adult including coed play.  For the time being, only Albuquerque has an organized league, but others are likely to follow.  New Mexico participates in the regional and national championships and attended the Nike5 Southwest Regional Championship in Los Angeles.

The oldest and newest variation is street soccer.  It is the first game everyone plays and the least organized.  Pick up games happen in the front yard, at the school or the nearest park.  All that is necessary are two people, a ball and something to serve as a goal.  Recently, street soccer has become more organized.  We spoke to Josh Robbins of Calle Republic.  He spoke of urban areas that are unused.  Empty space such as old courts and empty parking lots are being converted to street soccer.  Rules are agreed at the beginning of the game.  Often, games are played to last team standing.  Winning team stays on the court and losers walk.  Other times, players are swapped based on goal differential with the purpose of balancing the teams.

Street soccer has gotten a great deal of attention, even earning its own video games.  Electronic Arts offers FIFA Street, Acclaim’s Freestyle Street Soccer and Gameloft’s Samuel Eto’o Underground Street Soccer.  None of these are particularly interesting games, but they do show just how pervasive street soccer has become.

Street Soccer Demonstration

Additional Resources:

• Beach Soccer
• CalSouth
• Copa Cabana Beach Soccer
• FIFA
• Sand Soccer
• Soccadelic
• USFF

The world’s first ever urban lifestyle soccer brand is unveiling its newest design of street soccer shoes at Soccer Fanatic in Laguna Hills on Saturday, August 15 at 3:00 p.m. CALLE will also show off its patented street soccer ball that is made specifically to play with in the streets.

Calle – street in Spanish (pronounced KAI-yay) – is a movement promoting the streets as the fundamental training grounds for soccer. Founder Travis Winn, a Southern California native said that the best soccer players in the world come from the streets and CALLE is committed to providing an arena and lifestyle where players can improve their skills, express themselves, hang out with friends and turn their dreams into reality.

The shoe was designed like an indoor soccer shoe, built for touches on a ball; but intended to be worn outside every day. The shoes are made to double as every day footwear. The ball is designed to better resist the wear and tear of playing on hard, rough surfaces.

CALLE was founded by five students at Brigham Young University in their basement while attending school and playing semi-professional soccer. The company got its start in 2007 when it was awarded $52,000 as the first place winner at BYU’s Marriott School’s Business Competition. Fortune Small Business also named CALLE one of the top 3 Student Business Startups of 2007.

The CALLE movement is gaining momentum worldwide and among elite athletes like FC Barcelona’s Thierry Henry, former US soccer captain Marcelo Balboa and Phoenix Sun basketball star Steve Nash. Players can visit calleunderground.com to chat with local players and find street soccer games in their area.
Admission to Saturday night’s event is free and prizes will be given away to those that come out.

For more information about CALLE visit www.callerepublic.com. For event questions or to set up any interviews with CALLE contact Danny Mason, (CEO,CALLE) at 801.400.8779 or at danny.mason@callerepublic.com.

adidas is pleased to announce the 8th installment of the annual FANATIC soccer tournament to be held Saturday July 25, 2009. Twenty four teams will turn out to compete for this year’s title and special prizes that will be awarded to the winning team, runner-up, and those with the best customized jerseys and best team spirit.

FANATIC was created in 2002 as an immersive experience of soccer and community in New York. The objective from the beginning has been to create a supportive environment that would provide the necessary conditions for the “activators” of New York City to embrace playing soccer. The tournaments themselves were approached in the same way you would curate a group show, seeking like-minded artists that would ultimately work well together, resulting in a movement that could, in fact, affect change. A “niche” group of magazines, local boutiques, artists, creative agencies, photographers, dj’s, restaurateurs and record producers have been brought together for the past seven years, creating a new kind of soccer community.

This year’s FANATIC teams include veterans such as Chinatown Soccer Club, Diner Old Boys, PSYOP, Bowery United, dGi Dillingers, CHEZ, REAL BIG, The Krauts, The Tokion Sports & Leisure Club, Vice FC, Nom de Hooligans, and Complex FC. Returning again are La Esquina, Fader, Opening Ceremony, The Smile, and United Bamboo. And finally, this year’s first time participants are Turntable Lab and Paper Shredders.

Hosted by adidas & Metro Soccer, this year’s tournament will continue to honor the FANATIC tradition. DJ Neil Armstrong is back to provide the beats and Brother Jimmy will provide the much needed BBQ nourishment, while Heineken and Volvic Water will be provided throughout the day.

FANATIC VIII
Saturday, July 25th
12:00 pm – 08:00 pm
Chelsea Waterside Park
(West Side Hwy @ 23rd Street)

FANATIC: Definition: an immersive experience of soccer and community in New York.

The two best freestylers in the world, John Farnworth and Abbas Farid, flew in from the UK and linked up with CALLE for a weekend to hit the streets of LA.  These two guys are just plain nasty with the ball on any part of their bodies.  They hold all sorts of world records, have done shows with Ronaldinho, and they loved hanging with the CALLE crew for the weekend.