More than 20 soccer officials are participating in the six-day 30-hour FIFA Futsal Referee Course that imparts the 17 laws of the game of futsal, a variation of soccer played indoors on a smaller field, with five a side.
FIFA Referee Instructor Neil Poloso, from the Solomon Islands, arrived Friday and opened the course along with officials from the Football Federation of American Samoa (FFAS) at the FFAS Headquarters in Pago Pago.
The course opened with a word of prayer and welcome remarks from FFAS CEO Tavita Taumua and FFAS Vice President Sandra Herrera.
This is the first time the futsal course is being offered in the territory, said Taumua during the opening.
Herrera welcomed Poloso and local officials on behalf of FFAS President Iuli Alex Godinet, thanking Federation staff for their assistance.
Herrera said the course is important in order to provide fair officiating of futsal as a futsal tournament is being organized.
The course, materials and ADIDAS equipment for referees are funded by the FIFA Referee Assistance Program (RAP).
During a Samoa News interview, Poloso said that an integral part of the course is teaching and training referees on the 17 Laws of Futsal.
“For me, it is an opportunity to come to this country and assist in developing futsal...officials must understand the game,” Poloso said. “It is a privilege to assist the FFAS in their cause of developing futsal.”
The course consists of classroom training and actual management of a futsal match with participants required to take quizzes on the 17 Laws and complete a fitness evaluation “to see if they are fit to ref the game or not,” said Poloso.
The class will also show officials how to position themselves on the field during games, recognizing fouls, how to use their whistles and other techniques in officiating futsal.
“Most stuff will be very new to the referees...after the course, officials will be ready to officiate futsal organized by the FFAS,” Poloso pointed out.
Poloso mentioned that the FFAS is putting together a team to represent American Samoa at the OFC Futsal Championships that will be held in Fiji August this year.
Officials he said will be key in helping develop the sport in the territory and encourages them to learn all they can.
“It’s very important they work with us on this because its all about the laws of the game...they must learn as much as they can and they must go out and practice and participate in regular training,” Poloso explained. “They must go and practice.”
Poloso spent three years as a referee in his home country of Solomon Islands and has been with FIFA three years. This is his third visit to the island. He instructs referee courses for 11 a side soccer, futsal and beach soccer all around the Pacific.
He noted that there is a local futsal instructor who completed training in Fiji July 2-7, 2009 and is qualified to run local training — Avele Lalogafu’afu’a M.
“It’s important that local referees understand the laws of the game...futsal is a new sport that we are trying to develop,” he told Samoa News. “ It’s a little bit different from 11 a side...the game is very fast...I hope the refs put in the time to learn the laws...hopefully this course will help local refs to gain more knowledge before the league starts.”
Lalogafu’afu’a points out that they are still looking for more people to help by volunteering to officiate futsal.
“We’re still looking for more people to volunteer and help the youth,” he said.
The course will close Thursday. Participants who complete the 30-hour training will receive FIFA participation certificates that will allow them to officiate local futsal games organized by the FFAS.
Poloso will leave the island Friday this week and head to Samoa to host the same course Feb. 13-19. He then visits Tonga to conduct an 11 a side referee course. After Tonga, Poloso heads home.
