Blackjack\’s Blog

from Corey Smith

Futsal Tasmanian staff and players have just returned from Melbourne from the 2007 Vikings Australasian School Futsal Titles which involved teams from New Zealand, Queensland City, Queensland Country, Far North Queensland, Northern Queensland, New South Wales, Northern New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Victoria City, Victoria Country, Australian Soccer School Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania North and South.

Our Tasmanian teams competed in competition for three days straight followed by a fun filled trip to Luna Park and the Wave Pool on the Friday.

The teams from Tasmania surprised everyone with their tactical game plans and had the most successful trip ever from Tasmania both on and off the field. The 16 Boys coached by Jon Foley-Donaghue and including Pat Foley-Donaghue (c), Matt Lewis, Amadu Koroma, Valandis Matsouris, Rory McCallum, Mathew Spence, Callan Griffin, Matthew Chapman, Daniel Langdale and Zak Bird went the whole way to the National Grand Final before going down to Victoria and becoming runners up.

Tasmania also had the North West 13 Girls make the final and another three teams make the semi finals only to be narrowly defeated.

There were many stand out performers for Tasmania throughout the championships with every one of our 15 teams finishing with atleast a win or two throughout. In the past Tasmania as in all other sports struggle against the bigger states but it looks like that no more in Futsal circles.

Four Tasmanian’s made the starting All-Star five squads from the tournament which grants automatic inclusion into the Tour select teams. Amadu Koroma (16 Boys), Hayley Ward (13 Girls), George Kamano (12 Boys) and Vincent Kamano (10 Boys) were the players selected and to receive trophies for this accolade.

I imagine there will be many more Tasmanian players selected in the overseas touring teams once letters are sent out with amazing performances by the following players surely being noticed - Joseph Bangura (10 Boys), Yosef Kolele, Caleb Smith, Patrick Todd (12 Boys), Alexander Gaggin (13 Boys), Alison Probin (13 Girls), Matt Lewis (16 Boys), Jarrod Bugg and Jacob Clamp (15 Boys).

All in all we had a fantastic trip away and all players, coaches, managers and supporters had a great time. We commend all players for their outstanding behaviour on trip and the way they conducted themselves and intergrated with all players representing their state. Many of the coaches who have competed in Nationals and tournaments before including myself were amazed at just how big and how good the tournament was and i am sure people will be queuing up at the school titles hoping for selection next year.

The Tasmanian School Titles in which squads are selected for these trips will be held in April next year so be sure to get your school involved for your chance to make the squad.

We will be selecting squads from our weekly summer rosters in the future to send to the Vikings Pacific Regional Titles on the Gold Coast in May next year. 

Also at senior level we are looking at picking a senior mens side for the final leg of the 2007 Pacific Futsal League in Melbourne in December in which we would like to get a few new players involved with the vision of building our squad for 2008. We are also looking at the possibility of taking a youth team as an invitational to this tournament which i hope we will be granted permission.

Pics from the tournament can be found at www.comm23.com once they are uploaded by the photographers.