Over 300 kids were involved in Futsal over the weekend with the seventh annual Club Championships in Bendigo.

The Club Championships is Victoria’s largest Futsal club tournament and teams from Bendigo, Swan Hill, Gippsland, Ballarat and metropolitan Melbourne took the opportunity to battle it out to become Victoria’s State champions.

Matches took place at the Bendigo Stadium. The Bendigo Stadium has 7 indoor courts and is recognised as the best venue of its type in regional Australia. A partnership with the City of Greater Bendigo makes hosting this event in Central Victoria possible.

FFV Futsal Manager Chris Ryan said the Club Championships is the pinnacle junior futsal event in the Victorian Futsal calendar and praised the clubs, teams, coaches, players and parents for making the tournament a success.

“It was a wonderful 3 days of Futsal, with regional and metropolitan Futsal clubs battling it out against each other,” said Mr. Ryan.

“It’s pleasing to see teams travelling as far as Bairnsdale to participate in our event.  We look forward to continue working with our regional Futsal clubs to give them a pathway outside of their local leagues. An event like this is fantastic for Futsal and we aim to make it bigger and stronger each year.”

The three day tournament saw teams play an average of four matches each with finals taking place on Sunday afternoon.  Teams for St Albans Strikers FC and Ashburton United SC featured heavily in the finals with the Strikers claiming a hatrick of titles.

Age group champions:

• 12A – Joma Jaguars Futsal Club
• 12B - Ashburton Young Guns
• 14A – St Albans Strikers Futsal Club
• 14B – St Albans Strikers Futsal Club
• 16 Boys – St Albans Strikers Futsal Club

FFV would like to thank the following people and organisations for their assistance in organising and assisting in the running of the Championships:

• Tim Lee (The City of Greater Bendigo)
• Tas Patrikis (Victorian Futsal Referee Head Coach)
• Barry Poulsen (Chairman – Victorian Futsal Referee Technical Committee)
• Engin Aksac (Victorian Futsal Referee Technical Committee)
• Mark Georgeson (Chairman – FFV Futsal Standing Committee)
• Garry Liakoureas (FFV Futsal Standing Committee)
• Brock Rogers (Operations Manager – BASL)
• Bendigo Stadium
• Joma Australia