She has helped the rise of women’s soccer and now Luisa Marzotto would like to do the same for women’s futsal.

Marzotto played the last half of the W-League season in goals for Perth Glory and will line up for the ACT in the 2009 national futsal championships in Canberra this week.

During the competition Marzotto will come up against Matildas and Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri who is expected to line up for Victoria.

Marzotto said futsal, a five-a-side indoor game, was a great way to keep outdoor skills sharp and she hoped it would start to receive more attention on the back of the women’s outdoor game’s growth.

”When I was involved in the national program I know that [current Matildas coach] Tom Sermanni would really encourage it, saying it keeps you sharper, you don’t have to hold on to the ball as long,” Marzotto said. ”I know a lot of coaches have different views on it, but I think it can only help the outdoor game.

”It would be great if maybe in the next year or so, we may get some more coverage and a bit more attention and also a more structured national league.”

Futsal in Canberra has had a makeover this season, reverting to a club system for the ACT premier league. It meant limiting the number of teams in both the top divisions and Marzotto said the women’s league was stronger. ”[In 2008] the comp was a lot better than [the previous] year,” she said. ”[In 2007] there were sort of only two teams that could win it, but [in 2008] there has been four decent teams come through and a lot of young girls coming through that are really good.”

The ACT women’s open team finished fifth last year, but after losing two players to injury in the first two games, having its coach Vanh Manthongsy pull on her boots as an emergency player and trying to adapt to a new style of futsal, Marzotto said the players were happy with how they finished.

”It wasn’t our best year, but I don’t think anyone was overly upset,” Marzotto said. ”We had been trying out a new formation that is a little more complex, but now we are doing that again and now we know it works after playing in the men’s league using it [in 2008].

”We have a few changes to the squad and a bit more speed

”We’ve also got 10 or 11 registered players this year after the injuries we had in the first two games last year, so I think Vanh is preparing us for battle.”

FFA NATIONAL FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Canberra, Tuesday-January 10. More details available at www.futsalnationals.com.au

Source : The Canberra Times
By : Merryn Sherwood
Published : 4/1/2009