Footing with nation’s top teams

A shorter, faster version of football, Futsal, is making huge inroads in the
Wairarapa.
So much so that nine teams from the region are set to take on the best in the country at the Futsal national provincial championships to be held in Christchurch from April 3 to 5 next year.
These will encompass senior men's and women's squads along with those in the 12yrs, 13yrs, 14yrs, 16yrs and 19yrs age groups for boys and the 14yrs and 16yrs age groups for girls.
Futsal is a fast-paced five-a-side game of football usually played indoors on a court the size of a netball court.
Studies have shown that a player will touch the ball up to 20 times more in a game of Futsal than in an ordinary game of football.
Vikings Wairarapa Futsal development officer Dennis Tapp and competititions administrator Robyn Tapp have worked tirelessly in establishing Futsal at school and club level here and they have been well rewarded.
Currently there are as many as 21 teams playing out of Cartetrton and Masterton in senior men, senior women and youth age groups over the summer months -some 150 participants in all- and several Wairarapa players have already been selected to represent Vikings New Zealand sides at international tournaments.
Just recently Dennis Tapp was appointed coach of the national under-13 boys team which played in a mix of tournaments in Australia and included two Wairarapa players, Josh Logan and Jaden Roberts.
And prior to the commencement of next year's NPC three Wairarapa players, Ben Wilton, Mitchell Ellicock and Arnon Tapp, will be part of a New Zealand under-14 boys side which will contest the Australasian national championships in Sydney.
Dennis Tapp believes the exposure at NPC level will see the number of Wairarapa players accorded national honours grow significantly as it will enable them to impress the selectors on a first hand basis.
For instance, the opportunity will be there for 12yrs boys to make the New Zealand team which travels to Chile for a world tournament next year while a senior women's squad will be selected to compete at World Cup level in Argentina.
It is also intended to have a New Zealand youth women's team competing there with arrangements already having been made for them to spend time in Brazil training with one of their top club sides.
......Anybody wanting further information on Futsal in Wairarapa can contact Robyn or Dennis Tapp on 0272358673.