Women’s futsal: taking stock of the first months of activity

Just under two months on from the launch of the women’s futsal team project, it is useful to take an initial stock of the situation. Beyond the on-court results, which are encouraging in themselves, the first significant fact to emerge so far is a growing influx of girls who are forming the backbone of the team, strengthened by those youth players from the San Marino Academy (11-a-side football) who alternate between training sessions and Sunday matches, enriching their technical skill set while at the same time providing new resources for coach Casadei. Cohesion in the dressing room is also on the rise, and has not been undermined even by the inevitable niggles linked to a period of inactivity which, in the case of some players, had lasted for many years before this project offered them new opportunities and fresh motivation. Motivation that is also showing on the pitch, given that Mattia Casadei’s team finished the first half of the season in third place and has thrown itself into the return fixtures with renewed energy and enthusiasm. The schedule, for its part, is relentless: after last Sunday’s home match with Virtus Romagna, the futsal Titane will be back in action both next Friday and the following Tuesday, in both cases away from home.

“As soon as the proposal was made to me, I accepted with real enthusiasm. – explains coach Casadei – I liked the idea of being part of something new that would help grow the futsal movement in San Marino. I immediately found that the girls were very keen to work. Their attitude really impressed me. The group is quite varied: some already played football, some have only just started, some have come back after a long spell of inactivity. But they all help each other, and that is what makes me happiest and most proud. As time goes by they are becoming more and more of a team, and you can see that above all in the way they respond to difficulties. The first half of the season has been very satisfying for me. Not so much for the results as for the commitment and togetherness I see in all the players and in my staff. And I must also thank the girls from the youth 11-a-side teams, who have joined us with great enthusiasm and a real desire to learn. Their contribution is extremely valuable.”

Among the girls who had stopped playing football – and futsal – for personal reasons, and who have thrown themselves into the new project with an enthusiasm that never faded over time, is Martina Bianchi: “This new project has allowed me to get back into the game after a break and I have to say that chasing a ball around was something I really, really missed. I’m very happy to have agreed to be part of this team because I’m having so much fun and I get on very well both with my team-mates and the staff. In the group there are girls who had played football and, as in my case, futsal as well. And others who have put on football boots for the very first time. Despite this, now that we are past the halfway point of the season, I must say we have done very well. Unfortunately we’ve had to deal with a few injuries, but that was something you could more or less expect, all things considered. In any case, we came through it by relying on the strength of the group, which immediately proved to be of great value. And I also think it has excellent technical potential, which will come out over time and with hard work. Last Sunday I came back from a calf problem and I really enjoyed myself. I had missed both the pitch and my team-mates.”

And then there are those, like Gemma Cesarini, who have embarked on a completely new adventure, discovering not only how rewarding it can be to share a close-knit, united dressing room, but also just how thrilling an ‘official’ debut on a pitch can be: “My very first contact with football dates back to this summer, during a charity match with the National Team of Politicians. A representative of the Football Federation told me about this project and I decided to give it a try. A great atmosphere was created in the group straight away, based on strong togetherness. The commitment fits very well with my work responsibilities. There is a relaxed environment, but at the same time in matches there is no shortage of competitiveness, which provides valuable motivation. Unfortunately in recent times I’ve been sidelined with an injury: normal for someone like me who is playing for the first time. I am getting through this period thanks to the support of the girls. It weighs on me not to be able to play, because I would like to give my contribution, but at the same time I’m happy to be able to appreciate them from the stands and cheer them on. What was it like when I made my debut? An incredibly powerful emotion. Everything was new to me and I also felt a bit out of place, but I threw myself into it. It wasn’t a leap into the unknown, though, because all my team-mates, and the coach as well, helped me with advice and encouragement. This is still a whole new world for me to discover, and I am aware of my limitations as a beginner. But none of that scares me, because I like to experiment and test myself. And in the meantime I’m enjoying this wonderful group.”