The Multicultural Student Leadership Association (MSLA) at Dakota County Technical College brings both DCTC and Inver Hills Community College students together via Futsal Pick-Up Games. Futsal is an exceptionally popular game similar to soccer, but played on a much smaller indoor court with five players on a side instead of 11. Enjoyed by an estimated 12 million players worldwide, futsal is an intense, fast-paced game that demands sophisticated ball handling and enhanced teamwork.
Harold Torrence, EdD
Harold Torrence, EdD, business management faculty at DCTC, serves as MSLA faculty advisor, a role he began in 2012. Harold reported that Futsal Pick-Up Games members play informal matches weekly in the Activities building gym on the Inver Hills campus in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. Harold enjoyed playing futbolito, or futsal five vs five, in his native Venezuela from a very early age. He finds futbolito to be an awesome sport that is played throughout the world.
“Futsal Pick-Up Games started in fall 2017 with the intention to create connections and build relationships among students coming from so many different backgrounds and cultures,” Harold said. “Fairly quickly, students from both DCTC and Inver Hills joined the open futsal games, and we were able to maintain ongoing activities every Friday morning until the COVID-19 pandemic affected everything in 2020. This type of open social time is vital to support our student engagement and participation, which in turn facilitates ways to improve student success.”
Harold added that in fall 2023, Futsal Pick-Up Games was restarted, and students in the general population and student-athletes embrace the joy of playing futsal every Friday at 10:30 a.m.
“Futsal Pick-Up Games will start again in this coming fall semester right after the Blue Knights soccer season ends,” Harold said. “The new DCTC women and men’s soccer coach, Hawken Hanna, has also participated, showing his fancy soccer skills to our students. We are so excited to connect with students from all walks of life and cultures. We are looking forward to continue celebrating positive student engagement and socialization that are so integral to our campus life.”
What is futsal?¹
Futsal is a football-based game played on a hardcourt like a basketball court, smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors. Futsal has similarities to five-a-side football and indoor football.
Futsal is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Unlike some other forms of indoor football, it is played on a hard court surface marked by lines; walls or boards are not used. It is played with a smaller, harder, lower-bounce ball than association football. The surface, ball, and rules favor ball control and passing in small spaces.
The game emphasizes control, improvisation, creativity and technique.
Name
Tokyo rooftop futsal, SOURCE: Jack French
Futsal comes from the Portuguese futebol de salão and from the Spanish fútbol sala or fútbol de salón —all translatable as “indoor football.” During futsal’s second world championships held in Madrid in 1985, the Spanish name fútbol sala was used.
The World Futsal Association registered the name futsal in 1985, following a dispute with FIFA over the name fútbol. Since then, futsal has become the officially and internationally accepted name, and FIFA has also started using the term.
Age: 19 Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota Current residence: Hastings, Minnesota High school and year graduated: Hastings High School, Class of 2023 Sports played in high school: Soccer Major and degree earning at DCTC: Exercise & Sport Science A.A.S Degree DCTC Blue Knights Women’s Soccer: Sophomore goalkeeper Are you playing Blue Knights soccer fall 2024? Yes Extracurricular activities at DCTC: Futsal Pick-Up Games DCTC planned graduation date: Summer 2025 Transfer plans after DCTC: Transferring to accredited four-year college Career plans: Athletic trainer Job while attending college: Works at Fleet Farm in Hastings as a resets and projects team member; averages 15–25 hours/week
Three words that describe you as a futsal player:
VERSATILE. COMPETITIVE. VIBRANT.
Alexis Qualy • Q & A
Why did you join the college’s Futsal Pick-Up Games? I have played futsal every winter since I can remember, and I needed something to keep me busy and in shape for the summer/fall season.
What do you like best about playing futsal? Most definitely how fast paced it can be played most times. The ball is constantly moving, there’s lots of goals scored, everyone’s energy is high and ready to compete.
What’s your favorite futsal position and why? My favorite position in futsal would definitely be forward, it allows me to embrace my inner field player to score some goals, and also lets me showcase some foot skills I have as a player who is actually a goalkeeper.
What advice would you give a student thinking about joining the Futsal Pick-Up Games? Do it! Futsal is for everyone whether you are just starting out or have played for a long time. Futsal is a good start to explore different positions in the game and develop your skills in the off seasons, while having fun with your friends and teammates.
Do you think futsal could become an NJCAA sport? Yes, futsal has the potential to become a NJCAA sport due to its increasing popularity. The fast-paced and skill-intensive nature of futsal provides a platform for players to showcase their talents and abilities in an indoor setting. As the interest in futsal continues to rise everywhere, the benefits for player development become a lot more recognized.
Alexis futsal gallery
One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:
PEACEFUL
Futsal Player Perspective: Eduardo Balduino
Eduardo Balduino
Age: 20 Hometown: Brasilia, Brazil Current residence: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota High school and year graduated: Colegio Leonardo da Vinci, Class of 2021 Sports played in high school: Soccer Major and degree earning at DCTC: Exercise Science Transfer Pathway A.S. DCTC Blue Knights Men’s Soccer: Striker, midfielder Are you playing Blue Knights soccer fall 2024? No, transferring to four-year university Extracurricular activities at DCTC: Multicultural Student Leadership Association (MSLA), Futsal Pick-Up Games DCTC planned graduation date: 2025 Transfer plans after DCTC: St. Cloud State University Career plans: Trainer, soccer coach Job while attending college: Works 20 hours/week as DCTC student ambassador
Three words that describe you as a futsal player:
FUNNY. PATIENT. FRIENDLY.
Eduardo Balduino • Q & A
Why did you join the college’s Futsal Pick-Up Games? Harold Torrence invited me to play one day, and I went because I love to play soccer and related sports like futsal.
What do you like best about playing futsal? Be with my friends and play just for fun without the pressure of competition.
What’s your favorite futsal position and why? In futsal I like to play as a defender. It’s where I can play better and help my teammates to play, too.
What advice would you give a student thinking about joining the Futsal Pick-Up Games? Just go! The people there are really nice and friendly—it doesn’t matter your level. There we play for fun.
Do you think futsal could become an NJCAA sport? That would be great! We could keep playing “soccer” for college during the winter, and futsal is really helpful to learn some skills.
Eduardo futsal gallery
One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:
LEARNING
Futsal Pick-Up Games gallery
View more event photos by opening the Inver Hills Flickr album: