Futsal started in New Hampshire last year, and has exploded this year (new league, dozens of new teams). There will be questions. Question: What is the best method to carve out a place for Futsal Referee discussion/questions? A separate Forum (i.e. On The Pitch / Futsal Referee)? Mods, please chime in. I would like something in place before year end if possible, as I'd like to add this to the new referee doc I give newly stamped referees.
Also growing like a weed here west of Detroit. I don't think we have any futsal referees that are not also USSF. Heck, a wildly disproportionate number of futsal referees here are grade 6+, and the majority are grade 7+. Point of which is that if they are on BigSoccer, they are probably on the referee forum already. One solution is to just tag threads with "Futsal:" or some such.
This is probably the best course of action. To my knowledge, there's not even a main futsal forum on the site, so I don't think you'll see a "futsal refereeing" subforum first. That said, to get a new subforum, there has to be a petition in the suggestions area of the site, with a set number (10, I think) co-signers before the idea is taken up by the admins. I forget all the rules, but there is a bit of a process. Suffice it to say, I think Gil's proposed course of action above is the most sensible. Given the amount of traffic we've seen on futsal, I'd actually support a dedicated "NFHS" subforum before a futsal one. But I really don't think we need either.
Agree with all points. Our SRC mentioned he was talking to a futsal league here that wanted to become sanctioned. Planning to take the indoor course in January and I think they cover futsal as well.
Can you tell me where I can find more info on them? I'd be interested playing and reffing futsal as I grew up with the sport.
Chicago Soccer runs a league out of their new facility in Melrose Park. There's also another league out of Joliet
The difference when compared to NFHS is that NFHS is close to "soccer", a few weird things, but unless you are a ref, you don't really recognize a difference. Futsal has some pretty strange things in it (foul accumlation , 4 second, second PK spot). It is VERY different from "soccer" I'd support a sub-forum.
I think just a tagging of futsal would suffice for now. I haven't seen any futsal questions so far in the few months I've been here, so I think a sub-forum right now seems unnecessary.
I've followed the BigSoccer process to request a new forum. Once it the request receives 10 votes in favor, the moderators will discuss it, and possibly approve and implement. The thread and poll is located here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/futsal-referee-forum.1979014/ If you support a Futsal focused forum, please go and add a comment and/or poll vote by Dec.8. Thanks.