Portage College Hosting ACAC Futsal Regional
Want to watch some great soccer action, but can't wait until the winter snow is off the grass? Well, you're in luck. Portage College is hosting the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Futsal Regional Qualifier over the January 17 weekend in Lac La Biche - and the action will be hot enough to thaw any winter weekend chills.
Futsal is a faster-paced variation of indoor soccer, played on a surface slightly bigger than a basketball court. Unlike conventional indoor soccer, futsal playing surfaces have no walls or boards, meaning that players - five on each side - must act quickly to pass, control, and move. It's a game that's great for spectator interaction, says Macky Singh, the head coach of the Portage College Voyageurs soccer program.
He says fans coming to Lac La Biche's Bold Centre for the weekend event won't be disappointed. Gallery seats and floor-level bleacher seating will be available for each of the 30 games slated for the three-day event.
"There's a lot of action and a fair bit of goal-scoring," Singh explained, comparing the fan experience to that of a hockey or basketball game. "It's a very fast-paced sport … when people watch it for the first time, they really enjoy it."
That enjoyment can often be heard over the squeak of shoes and the thump of a well-struck kick.
"The atmosphere around the games – and especially for this event at the Bold Center – it can get loud," said Singh, explaining that boisterous fans boost the energy on and off the court. "Having fans out there will get the players excited even more, knowing there is support from family, friends, the community, and the other teams."
Who's coming?
The futsal weekend will see both the men's and women's Voyageurs squads play against provincial rivals from the ACAC north division. The weekend competition will include teams from Keyano College, Lakeland College, Grande Prairie's Northwestern Polytechnic, NAIT and The King's University.
The collegiate sporting event is expected to bring in more than 200 student athletes and team officials to the Lac La Biche region. All the games will be held at the Lac La Biche Bold Centre's sports fieldhouses. Live-stream coverage of the action will also be available through the ACACTV link. A full schedule of all games is available at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference website.
"It's a great sport for everyone to come and watch. It's good for families, young kids – it's such a good atmosphere. It's a fast, technical sport that is fun to watch," said Singh, adding that on a chilly, northeastern Alberta winter weekend, there is another bonus to a futsal event … "it's not outside in the cold."
The Voyageurs hosted two regional playdowns and the ACAC futsal championships last year. This year, the second regional qualifier will be hosted over the February 21 weekend by Northwestern Polytechnic. The top three teams from the northern qualifiers will play the top three teams from the southern Alberta qualifiers at the ACAC futsal championships over the March 7 weekend. The championships will be held in Lloydminster, hosted by Lakeland College.
Media Inquiries:
Portage College Corporate Communications Department
780-623-6671 or email