I am delighted to say that 15 of our players and 2 of our coaches will be heading to Blanes, Spain later this week to represent IFA Scotland.
The players and coaches will have the opportunity to compete against teams from Australia, the USA and Spain. Having been involved in the events previously I am sure everyone will learn from playing against different styles of play and on an international size court and in stop clock conditions. It is amazing how the court size and the use of the stop clock can change the game.
So who do we have involved? I've no went into too much detail as the opposition will get a heads up!!
Coaches
Robert Peddie u17's coach: Robert has been involved in futsal for around 7 years now and also coaches Duloch Juniors u18's. This year he was part of the coaching team of our first team squad that competes in the Scottish Futsal league - Edinburgh.
Alec Raeside u14's coach: Similar to Robert, Alec has been involved in futsal for a long time now but has no real experience of coaching on a full court or to stop clock conditions. Alec previously coached at Burntisland Shipyard 2008's and recently started using his qualifications to setup Raeside Pro Edge Conditioning working with young aspiring footballers.
Players
Calum Peddie u17's: Calum currently plays football with Duloch Juniors and Alloa Athletic u18's. Calum has been involved in futsal since we started in 2015 and plays for our first team in the Scottish Futsal League - Edinburgh.
Scott Henry u17's: Scotty currently plays football for Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts u20's. He has been involved in futsal for a while now and is part of the Futsal Escocia first team that plays in the Edinburgh league.
Callum Husband u17's: Hubby is one of 2 players that doesn't play for a football team and focuses on his futsal. He is the captain of our first team and been involved in futsal since starting the winter leagues when he played football around 5 years ago.
Leon Keddie u17's: Leon started futsal a bit later than some of the others but he is the other player in our groups that no longer plays football and just focuses on football. He is also part of our first team SFL squad.
Aiden Mackenzie u17's: Aiden plays his football at East End Boys in Dunfermline and has been involved in futsal since an early age. He is also part of the Futsal Escocia first team that plays in the SFL Edinburgh.
Roan Kelso u17's: Roan plays his club football with Aiden at East End Boys and has ben involved in futsal since we started. He is also part of the Futsal Escocia first team that plays in the SFL Edinburgh.
Paul Mitchell u14's: Buddy as he is known is a goalkeeper and plays for Duloch Juniors 2008's. He plays futsal in our Liga 1 and Liga 2 structures and made his first team debut in the Edinburgh league earlier this year.
Kyle Fairley u14's: Kyle is also a goalkeeper and strangely plays in the same side as Buddy at Duloch Juniors 2008's. Friends but also competitors for a starting position at football and futsal. Kyle also plays in our Liga 1 and Liga 2 structures.
Logan Raeside u14's: Logan is the u14 captain and plays pro academy football for Dunfermline Athletic 2008's. Logan, like most of the u14 group, have been involved in futsal from a young age and plays in Liga 1 and Liga 2 in the Futsal Escocia leagues.
Cameron Murray u14's: Cammy recently made the decision to come out of pro football at DAFC and to go back to grassroots where he recently started with KSQ 2008's. Cammy has been involved in futsal for a while now and was identified as having great potential by FC Barcelona futsal coaches on a recent coaching clinic at La Masia. He also plays in Liga 1 and Liga 2.
Adam Prior u14's: Adam plays alongside Buddy and Kyle at Duloch Juniors u14's. He has been involved in futsal for as long as I can remember and actually attended the IFA u17 World Cup in Scotland in 2015. Adam plays in Liga 1 and 2 on a Sunday evening.
Joel Bryce u14's: Joel is one of a group of players (Logan, Cammy, Joel & Callum Hogg) that progressed from Burntisland Shipyard 2008's into the pro game at Dunfermline Athletic. As a group they collectively pushed each other at football and futsal. Joel like the others plays in Liga 1 and 2.
Callum Hogg u14's: Callum started futsal a bit later than some of the others but has still been playing a few years now. He is playing his football with Dunfermline Athletic and plays in our Liga 1 and 2 on a Sunday night.
Liam Kennedy u14's: Liam has been involved in futsal since he was tiny (he still isn't massive). He plays football for Celtic FC 2009's and still managed to fit a couple of futsal sessions a week into his busy schedule before a recent move to the Celtic Performance school in Glasgow. Liam has been a big inspiration to most the boys in the u14 groups and has most definitely helped push them onto another level.
Alfie Hutchison u14's: Alfie is another of the u14 squad that has progressed from grassroots to pro academy football and plays for Hearts's 2008 and 2009's. He attends the Hearts Performance school in Edinburgh and plays in our Liga 1 and 2 teams.
And finally.........
I am proud of all the players and the coaches for not only their selection in the IFA Scotland structures but for how they have developed as players and individuals in general. I am fascinated to see where their futures lie inside and outside of futsal/football but I am sure they will be successful whatever path they choose. Most have the pro footballer dream but if that doesn't materialise, futsal will always be an option and opportunities in futsal continue to grow outside the UK.
I have no doubts that everyone will represent themselves, their family and Futsal Escocia in the proper manner when they are in Spain.
Good luck and win, lose or draw I am extremely proud of you all!! I like many will be supporting you all from back home!!