The Lethbridge College Kodiaks are kicking up their athletic commitments this year, entering both women’s and men’s teams in the 2017 ACAC Futsal Championship tournament.
The tournament takes place from March 2 to 5 and is hosted by Ambrose College in Calgary. The Kodiaks are one of four ACAC clubs to take advantage of a conference-wide trial allowing teams to compete in the conference championship without first taking part in a regular season tournament.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for Kodiaks athletics and the soccer programs,” says Todd Caughlin, manager of Kodiaks Athletics. “Hopefully it is something that will allow our soccer teams to compete during both semesters, as opposed to just the first semester as it is now. I think that this is something very beneficial to the school, the athletics department and, most importantly, the student-athletes.”
Futsal is a version of indoor soccer played on a smaller, hardcourt surface with five players, including a goaltender, on each team. Unlike indoor soccer, the boards or walls are not in play.
This marks the fifth season that futsal has been an ACAC sport. This year’s tournament will feature eight teams on each of the men’s and women’s sides after participation had dipped to just four teams on each side last year. Lethbridge College will use the tournament as an evaluation tool to help decide whether to enter the sport as a full-time member in future years.
“It’s a chance to be part of an emerging sport and it’s something that we’re exploring right now,” says Caughlin. “It helps promote the school, and the college as a whole will benefit from us being able to support something like this, if that’s the route we decide to take.”
Sean Carey, recently announced as the Kodiaks new women’s and men’s soccer coach, will also be the head coach for both futsal teams.
“It’s going to be a good learning curve for everybody,” says Carey. “It’s a great game. I really enjoy playing it, I really enjoy coaching it and I really enjoy watching it. It’s such a faster game and it really sets the players up for the outdoor season by working on their skills and development.”
The Kodiaks are guaranteed to play three round-robin games, with the top four teams moving on to the playoff round.
More information on the futsal tournament will be available on the ACAC website closer to the competition. For more information on the Kodiaks, check out their website or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.