What began as an indoor kickabout between football-mad friends has established a giant in the Victorian Futsal ranks.

Hume Futsal Club, revered among contemporaries as “The Army”, was first a collection of outdoor soccer locals seeking refuge from the winter’s chill and turning to the indoor game, but fast became a serious competitor.

The club began in the Division 4 competition, but has recently won its way into the Melbourne Futsal League Premier Division.

“It basically began with just a group of close friends playing in a social league,” player and manager Adam Keddad said.

“We were asked to try out for a social league, won a few competitions and got into the premier league.

“As the years have gone past we have made the club bigger and got bigger players.”

Futsal, a lightning-quick and fast-growing sport, boasts sideline boundaries and is played across two 20-minute halves.

“It’s very fast-paced, very skilful and it’s really growing. It’s kicked off in Brazil and is getting big everywhere,” Keddad said.

The local competition is broadcast weekly on Channel 31, while Australia’s national team has qualified for the seventh Futsal World Cup, to be held in Thailand in November.

Hume’s players come from State League clubs like Pascoe Vale and Whittlesea Ranges, who were at first skeptical about their players playing midweek games but later embraced the phenomenon.

“At the start they didn’t like it, but once they realised the quality and skill that we do gain from it, they saw we can really improve outdoor,” Keddad said.

Six of Hume’s players have recently won berths in the F-League with Melbourne Heart, and Hume will soon hold trials as it gears up to enter a boys’ team and a women’s team.

For more information, phone 0450 955 941.