Three local futsal (indoor soccer) players, 10-year-old Alex Pappas and 12-year-olds Jordan Warren and Jason Pappas are celebrating making the Vikings Futsal Australian team to China (Under-13s) and Malaysia/Brunei (Under-11s) in November.

The boys play in the same futsal team in the Shellharbour competition and were selected for the Vikings Futsal Nationals and represented NSW in Penrith/Windsor about two weeks ago. They played teams from New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, with Alex and Jordan’s team, the NSW Metro Under-12s, finishing third and Jason’s NSW Under-10s equal first on points, but lost in semis.

Team coaches then voted for the best players and at the end of the tournament they named an All Stars team from the top five players in each age group and Alex made the All Stars, one of two NSW boys to make the team and players were presented with a special shirt to commemorate their achievement.

Selectors were also at the games and selecting players to invite to the overseas tours and represent Australia with Vikings Futsal. Vikings Futsal was founded in Queensland and has the largest number of children playing Futsal in Australia.

From the nationals the three boys were selected in the Australian team and will tour overseas in the Vikings Futsal international tour in November.

All three boys have played soccer with Kiama since beginning with Rooball and Spiros Pappas has coached both his sons through to the Under-10s with Jason now leaving the club as he has been selected in the Illawarra rep. team to play in the Sydney league.

Jamie Warren has also coached Jordan through all his soccer years at Kiama and last season led the Under-12.2 side, which also included Jason, to premiership glory in the Illawarra competition.