The JFA’s new futsal player registration website “j-futsal” has started its free-of-charge player registration function to replace the old individual registration system, which included a registration fee. Matsuzaki Yasuhiro, Futsal Committee Chairman and JFA Executive Managing Director, and Kitazawa Tsuyoshi, Futsal Vice Chairman and JFA Executive Committee Member, discuss futsal’s appeal and its future possibility. This is the second report of three. 

Making Japan’s Futsal together

Could you tell us about your passion for leading Japan’s futsal?

MATSUZAKI:　I have worked for futsal for about 30 years. I started teaching futsal for children to have more chance to enjoy kicking a ball – at that time futsal was called “Salon Football”. Also my long experience as a futsal judge made me understand why futsal is such an attractive sport.
I believe that it is my mission to spread futsal in Japan. Also, as a Futsal Committee Chairman, I want to lead futsal to be the most popular indoor sport in this country. So there are two different dimensions: widening the bottom of grassroots and improving the level of top-category. One more thing we have to work on is introducing the rules of futsal to people.

KITAZAWA:　To support the leader’s mission as a Futsal Committee Vice Chairman, I would like to work for making both futsal and football an inclusive “family”; some people think that futsal is different from football, which is right in terms of making game strategy, however the basic idea is same in terms of “kicking a ball”. I want to tell people about this when introducing futsal. This is what MIURA Kazuyoshi, one of the popular football/futsal players, keeps talking about and I want to spread the idea. I expect this effort will lead to level up the top category of Japan’s futsal.

Through working on spreading futsal to people, we can strengthen the appeal of futsal.

MATSUZAKI:　Yes. I think there are two aspects that you can enjoy futsal: enjoy playing and enjoy watching. Talking about “enjoying playing”, in some sense, you can enjoy “football” easily by playing futsal. I think this means a lot. You can also enjoy watching futsal by its speedy game movements with excellent techniques. Audiences are much closer to the futsal court and that means you are closer to players compared to football. I am sure that you can enjoy more. 

KITAZAWA:　There are more people playing futsal now. Playing futsal enables you to meet many people and I think this is important to promote futsal to be recognised more as a member of “football family”. Considering that futsal has a lot of potential, I believe that Japan Futsal League will be more popular. Players of the league are really good players and I learn a lot from playing with them. There are many reasons we like futsal very much, in other words, there are many attractions of futsal. Now we need to think about how we introduce futsal to more people.

Many things are requested for the media those who send message and those watch Futsal, I hope to see Futsal gaining popularity supported by both <the players> and <the spectators>.  

Matsuzaki:　We began to see, in everyday life, futsal on TV CM. In other words, “the futsal” is the sports anybody knows. So the thing is to how we can link their interests to the sports to have some fun. Importantly as the media exposure increases, visit this Web site and find the related information, it is important to go forward step by step, watch the video of Japan Futsal League (F-League) games, go and watch the futsal game. I hope the ordinary people can understand it by clearing the target one by one.

Kitazawa:　Exactly. As all those register as “enjoy player” are player as well as spectators, they can be the ones to grow the futsal. For example, the frequent futsal players can bring their friends and show them “this is how to watch futsal”, that kind of stuff. The big advantage is that they can play at the same time they know how to cheer up. Hopefully this site will become the medium to exchange those ideas.

I would imagine many futsal players in the court say hello to you.

Kitazawa:　Or I am the one start talking to them. (laugh). Of course, increased number of players talking to me. Talking about futsal, expanding the topics, not only younger generation as well as the same generation as me or higher. Quite a few of the older generation began to play futsal these days.

Absolutely, this is one of things what makes futsal popular, anybody can play together - regardless of age, male or female.

Kitazawa:　That’s true. Start off with the meeting, have a lunch together and play futsal and spend the dinner with them, that’s going to be a terrific day.(laugh) You can keep yourself healthy just by doing what you like, there must be a group of people who take futsal as a part of their life plan.

Matsuzaki:　It is extremely important to think about how to enjoy yourself after the game. I know you can enjoy yourself after the football game but you can enjoy futsal much easily in greater extent.

“j-futsal”, JFA Official Futsal Portal Site – the Latest Update

Started a Column Introducing “What’s up” for Futsal

Part 1 is the column outlining the status quo of Futsal in Japan – Top Level to variety of all Japan Championships.
https://j-futsal.jfa.jp/know/column/column0001.php

“Futsal Day” Present Campaign Still Ongoing!

Commemorating Futsal Day of 5 May, the items for enjoying futsal will be presented to a lucky winner, chosen by lottery from j-futsal registered players.

Present Items:　One set of size 4 Futsal ball, 5 sets of bibs with a logo mark. (The bibs comes with 5 sets, can’t choose the color.)
Prizewinners:　Total of 10 person will receive present 
Application:　No need for entry. Required to be a J-futsal player 
Application Period:　All registered user as of Mon. 30 June
Lottery and announcement:　JFA strictly responsible for the draw, makes announcement on 9 Jul. (Publisise a nick name registered in J-futsal).  We will send notice to registered e-mail address. The present will be delivered within one week after announcement. 
Note:　These products are not for sale, you can’t buy them at the store.
Contact:　Administration office of J-Futsal　https://j-futsal.jfa.jp/contact/