Could Soccer become an Elementary School Sport?
- Huw Harris
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
Organized sports play an important and beneficial role in the development of children. The opportunity to represent their school in a team sport offers lessons and experiences to the child that do not exist in the classroom. In our community where sports are often fee based, Pay to Play, school sports can be the only avenue for some children to participate.
Representing their school can provide a child with a sense of pride and belonging to the school and local community. For many this is a first taste of that and comes at a developmental stage where the child is growing in self awareness and needs confidence. Being on a team provides a positive, fun and supportive environment where new friendships can be found.
Team Sports in Elementary Schools
Most elementary schools offer two team sports for children to represent their school; volleyball and basketball. The commonality is that both sports are played in gymnasiums which the elementary schools have. They are well established with support from the school districts and local communities. Competitive games are played with neighbouring schools and tournaments are hosted giving the children involved the added excitement, pride and sense of belonging that comes only through team sports at their age.
The commitment to these two sports from our cities and school districts is evident by the money invested to provide facilities and equipment to make them possible. As established sports, new schools plan and budget for these sports. There is an expectation that the school with staff and volunteer parents will provide these organized sports.
An Argument to Introduce Soccer
Given that there is support and success of two sports within the elementary school system could this be extended to a third? As mentioned above both basketball and volleyball are played in school gyms and soccer could be also in the format that futsal provides. The suggestion here is not to replace the existing sports but to add to the offered sports, particularly as soccer is acknowledged as both the most popular sport and most inclusive.
Learning a sport at school should foster a passion to participate beyond one’s school years. Playing a sport improves a person’s fitness and overall health. There are also many academic studies that show a correlation between health and fitness to better work and study performance. The greater benefit in terms of burden on the health care system should also be mentioned in any argument or proposal to provide more opportunities for sport to be taught and participated in.
Popularity and Inclusivity
Soccer is not only the World’s most popular sport but also Canada’s in terms of registered players. Soccer is already in elementary schools, just not in an organized format. Drive past a school when the kids are outside and there are pickup soccer games. A visit to the equipment room will always result in the discovery of both soccer balls, sometimes indoor soccer balls, and nets. It is the perception that organized soccer is played outdoors that has prevented it being organized in the same way as basketball.
Our experience as a soccer school has also shown that the sport could be fully co-ed through elementary school ages. While traditional soccer is a physical game, the indoor version of Futsal is low contact in comparison and based upon 14 years of operation female players are able to compete with their male peers at Grade 5 through 7.
Futsal not Indoor Soccer
A major impediment preventing indoor soccer from being an organized sport offered at elementary schools is the lack of codified rules. A tour of some schools playing indoor soccer will result in games with different types of soccer balls, different size goals, use of benches to keep balls in play, use of walls and benches as rebound surfaces, even different numbers on each team. Without an established set of rules a sport cannot flourish.
The origin of Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) can be traced back to Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani devised a five-a-side youth competition to be played at YMCAs. The game was played on basketball courts with no sidewalls using a smaller, weighted ball. The sport became widely popular in South America and in particular Brazil. In 1989, FIFA became the governing body formalizing the rules that exist today with the game being played globally.
With a published set of rules, one team visiting another knows how the game will be played and what to prepare for and expect. The rules for futsal are not overly complicated and while it is very much soccer it borrows from other sports. Here are a few of the rules:
It is a 5-a-side game which includes a goal keeper
It is played on a court that is the same as a basketball court.
The goals are 3 metres by 2 metres
The ball is weighted (less bounce) and of an approved size.
Teams are often 10-12 players with substitutions made on the fly from the side of the court.
A ball played out is returned to play by the opposing team with a kick-in, corners are included
Goal kicks are replaced by the goal keeper initiating play with the ball in hand.
How Do We Get Futsal Introduced?
We need stakeholders to be engaged and brought into a conversation that can help. These stakeholders could include parents, PACs, schools, and the soccer community in the form of community soccer clubs, BC Soccer and even Canada Soccer. In time a project of this size will need to include school administrators at local and perhaps provincial level.
In the short term a pilot project including a small number of schools with a local grassroots club and a small team of experienced futsal coaches to prove the viability of adding a third sport and to identify any problems that might not have been foreseen.
1. Education
Even within the soccer community of players, parents, and even coaches there is a lack of knowledge of the game and the benefits of futsal. Canada remains as one of the few nations that will compete at FIFA 2026 that has not invested in futsal. While futsal originated in South America it is now a significant piece in player development in Europe and Asia.
Education needs to start with the adoption of the rules of the game that are provided by FIFA, enabling teachers, coaches, participant players and officials to play games and tournaments. Ideally this would work well if there was a top-down approach starting with the national and provincial organizations providing staff with the knowledge to facilitate the introduction of futsal in schools.
2. Equipment Costs
The cost to a school for futsal would be comparable to volleyball and significantly less of the cost of basketball. A pair of rigid aluminum goals will cost $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 and balls are priced similarly to volleyballs. So a school would need to invest less than $5,000.00 and then only need to replace balls.
3. Coaching and Training
If national and provincial organizations take a leadership role then educational material and coaching courses would assist in establishing soccer as a sport within our school districts. If this does not happen then at a more localized level perhaps a community club could do so.
Community soccer clubs are based within certain geographical areas, operating within soccer districts and with a membership containing families attending the schools within that area. I have argued for several years that community clubs should be starting futsal programs and recently a number are. It is a way to increase the opportunities for players to spend time on the ball and play games.
4. Competition with Other Sports
The challenge is of a new sport entering a place where there are two well established other team sports. However, soccer is significantly the most popular in terms of participation outside of the school system. The real challenge might be the competition for resources, time, and perhaps even attention.
Conclusion
Futsal provides schools with the chance to provide their students with a third team sport option where they can enjoy the benefits associated with being on a team and representing their school. Programs within elementary schools will provide another opportunity for soccer to be introduced and enjoyed by children that might not have tried soccer otherwise.
More children playing and training at school would likely result in an increase in enrolment for community soccer clubs. I would also argue that these children through futsal would also be more technically advanced due to the ball, environment, and speed of the game of futsal.
If you are interested in this proposal please get in touch or leave a comment.
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