Indoor soccer league games at Newton YMCA creates community

Whump!…Whump!…Whump!

If you couldn’t hear the ferocious thuds of a futsal ball slamming into the walls of the Newton YMCA’s lower gym last Sunday, you would have most certainly felt their vibrations beneath your feet as you stood in the lobby just one floor above. Spectators flocked to the scene like soldiers charging head first into cannon fire.

Two of the most competitive indoor soccer teams in the league were going toe-to-toe, and there was no letting up. The stands were filled with friends, relatives and fellow soccer lovers, and all of them had their eyes on the game. All it would take is one good kick and a small distraction to ensure a black eye or worse.

The gym was flooded with sideline chatter of at least two different languages. Cheers and jeers were delivered with similar ferocity as the kicks from both team’s players. Games were fast-paced but just as competitive and exhausting as the outdoor sport it derives from; perhaps even more so.

For the past few months, the indoor soccer league competitions have created a community all their own at the YMCA. Erick Zehr, director of operators for Newton YMCA, said it is a “culture collision.” It is a melting pot of sports fandom. Teams are made up of players from different backgrounds and communities.

Hispanic teams are represented heavily, with some even being sponsored by local businesses like El Sombrero, a Mexican restaurant in Newton. There is a team of players of African descent. Soccer players from Newton High School participate. Cardinals who attend Central College also make an appearance.

Even some middle-aged parents from around town have formed a team. Skill levels may differ but the passion for the sport is the same for each group. Zehr, who also helps referee the games, said the coolest part for him is seeing all these families come together and the respect the teams show to each other.

“Several of the games can be very one-sided, and yet they will still look out for each other and vary their skill levels to match their opponents in good displays of sportsmanship and competitiveness,” Zehr said. “Plus, I just like watching them play, honestly. I just feel like I’m blessed to have gotten to watch this league.”

Players are so good it almost feels like there is a string tied to the ball, he added. Zehr marveled at how easy they make it look.

“It’s wild how talented they are,” he said.

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Indoor soccer league teams compete in a tournament Sunday, March 10 at the Newton YMCA. Games were intense and attracted big crowds to the community center. (Christopher Braunschweig)

HOW DID THE INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE COME TO BE?

The idea to host a futsal league — oftentimes referred to as indoor soccer — came from a member of the Newton YMCA. The member, who is an employee at the Grinnell-based Jeld-Wen, said he and his friends would often play soccer in an open field on the weekends, but it was getting to be too cold.

“They were looking for somewhere to move indoors,” Zehr said. “We try to keep as much gym space open for general use as much as possible. But I thought, ‘Why don’t we just put a league together?’ so instead of paying to rent the gym they would pay this small fee to join the league and have a regular setup.”

What started as a suggestion from one member spiraled into a fun and very competitive league environment. Zehr said YMCA strived to make a fun and fair game for all involved, and thereby fulfilling the organization’s goal to meet the community’s needs and wants.

Even though this past weekend was the last of the regular season games, indoor soccer will continue on Sunday, March 17 with the YMCA Cup. Ten teams will compete in both gyms for this post-season bracket. Zehr said all games will be played in a single day and a champion will be decided by the end.

“There will be nine games played between the two gyms,” he said.

Already, Zehr is excited to see how the tournament will pan out and how well the turnout will be for the community of indoor soccer players.

He’s also expecting another weekend of intense games.

“Futsal is not easy. You can’t just kick the ball and hope it goes somewhere,” he said. “Every single ball has to be possessed tightly and accurately. The ability to move the ball through these people is so, so difficult. The players in this league make it so easy. I feel blessed to watch these guys showcase their abilities.”