Thursday, January 6, 2011

Vikings to cross the waters for raid on national championships






Photos (Top to Bottom): Two of the Vikings under-11 boys' teams at training today; Corey Smith does some coaching; The goalkeeper in action; The goalkeeper saves a shot; The keeper with all the right gear [PlessPix]

Tasmania’s men’s Vikings Futsal team leaves for Sydney tomorrow to contest the Vikings national championships.

Games will be on the 8-10 January.

The Tasmanian Vikings youth Futsal teams leave for Sydney on Monday for the youth national championships.

The men’s team comprises Corey Smith, Jacob Huigsloot, Adam Beard, Nick Harrison (who is living in Melbourne at present), Matt Smith, Isaac Turner, Zane Freiberg and Scott Fenn. The latter two are Australian representatives from Queensland but will guest for Tasmania.

"We’ve recruited quite well, and we got lucky by getting the Australian goalkeeper from Queensland after our own goalkeeper got injured last week,” said Corey Smith.

“We didn’t have a Tasmanian men’s team last year at the national titles, so it’ll be interesting to see how we go.

“Our youth teams have been quite successful in the past few years so we’re hoping we will be again.”

There are 10 youth teams from Tasmania travelling to the national titles - one team in the 10-year-old boys, two teams in the 11-year-old boys, two teams in the 12-year-old boys, one 15-year-old boys’ team (a mixture of 13- and 14-year-old boys), one 12-year-old girls’ team, one 13-year-old girls’ team, one 14-year-old girls’ team and one 15-year-old girls’ team.

The youth teams compete in Sydney from 10-15 January.

The two 11-year-old boys’ teams had a final practice session today at the Montrose Bay High School gymnasium.

The coaches include Kim Norton, Jacob Huigsloot, Corey Smith, Romeo Frediani, Paul Woodham, Eliza Pitt and Vince Hall.

“Judging from past results, our juniors have been quite strong,” said Smith. ‘I would hope that we’ve got a couple of teams that will go fairly close in their age groups.

“Most of our players are from the Hobart region, but we do have a few who are from the North and North-West.

“New South Wales should be very strong and Queensland are usually strong.

“Western Australia doesn’t send a very big contingent, but they are strong.

“There will also be teams from New Zealand.”

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know whether to get excited by this or not. The next story will be about the players that made the National teams. Viking is a franchise and pretty much everyone gets a letter inviting them to "Nationals" - 2 U/11 teams??

The real National futsal titles is the one run by FFA, which FFT futsal teams compete in.

Anonymous said...

please FFT futsal vs Vikings Futsal, all ages groups and settle this

Anonymous said...

Good luck Corey and the rest of the team.

Decentric

Anonymous said...

anon 9.10
regardless of who runs it it gives tassie more coverage and thats the whole aim of anything that is done in the state or it should be the aim.
it is about things being done and not about people just talking about it so i reckon its a winner either way we look at it.
vikings are recognised internationally is fft???
full marks to walter for giving it coverage and being impartial.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9.10 am.Your comments are spot on.The only information I am not aware of is the participation of FFT teams in FFA National Futsal titles. This is the first I have heard of this.

melikesfootball said...

Yes I agree, Vikings use a scattergun approach to state selections. My child's futsal team all got invitations to participate in a recent competition in QLD.

I guess in the end, enough parents said yes, and Tassie got a side over there. Unfortunately the players that did play probably got an inflated view of their ability only to come home having been smashed on the score board.

Is this good for the psyche of young developing kids, or is it good for Vikings?

Anonymous said...

FFT are also sending a squad to play in the senior mens comp in Canberra next week

Anonymous said...

Spot on anon.
The FFA nationals are next week I've heard. Good luck to FFT sides

Anonymous said...

FFT's so called State men's team couldn't even win in the local competition with Vikings. They are rubbish and would lose about 20 nil. The other FFT team traveling is 11 year old boys and they would not finish in the top 6 teams in the Vikings local competition.

Who cares about which is better in the end, kids are developing. I bet if you asked Corey he would be happy to take on FFT in any age group any time.

Anonymous said...

The Vikings mens state team is actually quality, however the youth program with FFT is far better. Evens itself out i think. Walter, can we keep updated with the mens team whilst they are away? Im interested to see how they go. When do they play?

Anonymous said...

Lets put it on the table

Vikings are a money making enterprise. If Corey doesnt send teams away he doesnt have a job.

FFT are a market business. They concentrate on participation.

The two products run so differently.

Vikings have about 150 teams statewide, while FFT have 250.

Its great to have choice.

Anon 6.03pm
You obviously are Vikings, which is fine.

Dont flatter yourself though.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
The Vikings mens state team is actually quality, however the youth program with FFT is far better. Evens itself out i think. Walter, can we keep updated with the mens team whilst they are away? Im interested to see how they go. When do they play?

The Vikings team isnt quality... They have Corey and two ringings from another state. Dont comment on things you clearly dont understand.

Anonymous said...

Ok after reading the comments I need to say something.. Both FFT and Viking charge too much for each kid they make almost 100% on each player. This is a fact another is the Viking tournaments are not nationals as they state lets clarify that: a nationals has a team from each state and T and had been known to include a NZ team, Viking in the past and present are biased re Queensland,& Tas who dominate the numbers then maybe a team from NSW, Vic, NT & Sa spread amongst the groups It is not unusal for there to be 3 teams from tas 3 from queensland and one from Vic in one age group and that is considered a nationals!!?? FFT at least have a team from each state and they can at least say that their organisation is backed by FFA (whatever we think of the governing body of Aust).
The trip and experience is great for the kids but can be interesting for the coaches and support staff depending on the "quality accomodation".. Any chance for kids to go away and experience an adventure is great and which ever group / viking or FFT you are with one would just hope that all are on a level playing field this includes who gets charged what?(from what i have heard some are being looked after!!)
Viking are also clasic for "allstar"selection and "national selection" none in the past have been done fairly, all star is shared to keep all "happy" and national team is has been "suggested" by each state T director (and seems to favour the families that have $$$$$) .. At the end of the day Futsal and Football are about the players (kids more importantly) unfortunately there are lots of dollars to be made and people to be taken advantage off I hope this year this is less then previous years for both FFT and Viking.... Good luck to both and most importantly have fun!!!

Corey Smith said...

The people writing on here really do not know the inside and out of how it all works and get caught up in what is not important, what is important is that we are playing in a high level competition much higher in standard than many of us could ever play in anywhere else. This is a great opportunity and we will learn from the experience.

There are many views about Vikings and FFT but reading a lot of these they are very un-educated. The figures above are incorrect also.

Lets start supporting what is good for development rather than making Tasmania a laughing stock through politics.

Also, I would be happy anytime to have a Vikings vs FFT Futsal play off as suggested by anon 6.03. Would it prove anything? probably not!