NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: LI Futsal Academy captures Girls HS Division

Back row, left to right: Coach Chris Sanders, Leila Romero, Amelia Fort, Elleigh Newcombe, Izzy Rohr
Front row, left to right: Gracie Sanders, Brooke Delzatto, Taylor Gray
Carolyn Rowe, Samantha Gemmo and Vanessa Frangiadakis helped qualify the team for the nationals but could not attend the competition.

The Long Island Futsal Academy won the US Youth Futsal national championship in the Girls HS Division in New Century, Kansas on July 21.

The team went 4-0, outscoring its opponents, 16-3, and won the final over Dragons Futsal (Pittsburgh), 4-1.

“Our biggest strength is our defense and team structure,” LIFA coach Chris Sanders said. “We defend as a unit with the five players on the pitch and rely on our ability to force teams into low percentage shots toward our goal. We might not light up the scoreboard but we’re hard to score against. I think our advantage at Nationals is we have players who understand their role and responsibilities.”

The title capped a trophy-filled year for the team that wears New York’s colors of blue and orange.

LIFA won the US Youth Futsal Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Richmond, Virginia in January and the US Futsal Northeast Regionals in Atlantic City, N.J. in February. The nationals for both competitions was last weekend and the team opted to go to the US Youth Futsal version since its players will age out of US Youth Futsal but can play US Futsal as adults in the future.

The team competed in the Boys HS Division of the Long Island Futsal League last winter when it was not playing in regionals against other girls teams.

“Playing against boys increased the team’s quickness by forcing us to make faster decisions,” Sanders said. “It also increased our transition awareness as we had to keep up with the boys’ speed and natural desire to push the pace.”

LIFA seeks players to follow in the footsteps of its national championship team that plays out of the All Star Arena in Coram, N.Y.. For more info about registration for all youth age groups, contact Sanders at [email protected] or at 631-914-2778.