International Futsal Academy Head of Development & England Futsal Centre of Excellence Coach and Loughborough United Head Coach, Marc Forrest, discusses the new 2015-2016 season which starts this weekend and gives us his thoughts on what he expects from the year ahead.

Entering your third year as a member of the coaching staff with the International Futsal Academy, why do you think the Academy is so successful at developing gifted and talented players?

Overall we have been very fortunate over the years to inherit good players from professional footballs academies, full time football league trust futsal clubs, National League clubs and other similar routes so a lot of credit must go to the organisations and teams that players join us from. The IFA Programme is a special opportunity as we are able to develop players full time over a three year period to aid their development and invest in them both as people and players to ensure they can succeed both on and off court long term which is rare. Being based at Loughborough University and Loughborough College provides high quality facilities, we have knowledgable and honest staff that deliver high quality training and players that are ambitious to better themselves.

What are your thoughts on the new changes to FA National Futsal Super League and National Futsal League re-structure?

I believe that the FA National Futsal Super Leagues and FA National Futsal Leagues Divisions will be very competitive as a result of the re-structure. It is pleasing to see the infrastructures being implemented at Clubs and testament to the people we have working hard within the sport to make them happen. I do hope more people that have not been exposed to Futsal previously will be attracted to fixtures and get to experience the sport.

As one of the youngest FA National Futsal League head coaches in the country with a squad of all English young players at Loughborough United, what are your feelings ahead of the season and the first fixture against York on Sunday?

I had a fantastic two years with Loughborough Students Futsal Club assisting Skubes (Michael Skubala) however this year brings an exciting challenge that I am very much looking forward to and I know the players feel the same. We began training on Tuesday so it is early days but the players attitudes have really pleased me since we started. The league will no doubt be highly competitive and York will be no exception on Sunday with the work Junior Roberti is doing there and them having played Super League last season. We look forward to getting the season underway and seeing what we can do.

The FA recently announced the newly re-structured England Futsal Performance Programme make-over in which you will continue in your role as a Centre of Excellence Coach. What are your thoughts on the changes and are you encouraged by the depth of talent in this country.

The progress of the England Futsal Team has been impressive over recent years, credit to the the current staff and players however it is important the next generation of senior players are nurtured to enable England to be competitive on the international stage and at the highest level long term. The make-over no doubt provides a clear pathway for the county’s most talented players and I feel very privileged to be apart of the long term strategy in what is an important and exciting time for Futsal in this country.

The first ever FA Coaching Futsal Level 3: UEFA B License course will begin on Saturday at St George’s Park that you will be attending. What impact do you believe the course will have on Futsal coaching within England and what are your expectations?

The UEFA B License is no doubt another huge step forward for Futsal in England. To maintain the rapid growth and improvement over the last few years it is important all coaches are able to evolve and improve and the UEFA B will definitely aid that. For a new coach coming into the sport long term, it is great that they now have a clear coaching route with the Level 1 and Level 2 leading into the the UEFA with the addition of the Youth Module courses which are valuable. I am looking forward to Saturday as it provides the opportunity for all coaches around the country to come together to talk and share ideas with each other and the tutors which is beneficial but rare as many coaches are busy weekdays and others having National League sides usually on the Sunday.

Today saw the end of the first week of training for the players at the International Futsal Academy and will now represent their respective FA National Futsal Super League and FA National Futsal League clubs.

Players at the Academy this morning trained at Loughborough University followed by ice baths both to aid recovery and acted as another opportunity for the players to support each other and bond together with a friendly and jovial atmosphere.

The players have tomorrow off as a rest day with many returning home to visit family and friends. The players return on Monday following their fixtures on Sunday to attend a trip to Wales with Loughborough College.

IFA First Year, Kyle Lilley, speaks about his first impressions since joining the International Futsal Academy and how he feels the first week of training has been.

What made you want to join the International Futsal Academy and study at Loughborough and are you pleased with your decision?

I really wanted to join the IFA because I felt that it would help me develop technically and tactically in Futsal and help me develop as a player. I wanted to play at the highest standard possible with some of the best young players in England.

What is your previous experience of Futsal and how does the International Futsal Academy compare from what you have experienced so far?

I played for Sheffield United in the FLT Futsal league for 2 years. In comparison to my previous Futsal experience, the IFA definitely is a step up in terms of the sporting facilities available, training methods are a lot more complex which has increased the opportunity for development.
The IFA have some of the best coaches and staff and this is shown in the training and enhanced knowledge the coaches have, this is in huge contrast to my previous experiences I have had in Futsal.

Living in The Gables Student Accommodation based on campus with the rest of the first year students and some second years, what is the atmosphere like and how have the boys integrated?

The atmosphere is very good, the boys get along very well and have all bonded in a short space of time, living with together at the gables Accomodation is really enjoyable and is a positive atmosphere to be in.The boys have integrated very easily, a lot of the IFA lads are in the same block within the Accomodation and this had made getting to know everyone a lot easier. We also have had team building sessions in the first week to get to know everyone and become confident with each other, trust is a main factor we all have and is testament to everyone at the IFA how easy it was for all the first years to settle in.

What academic degree are you studying and what career do you hope that will take you into?

I am studying sports science, sports development and management, I hope that once I gain a BSc honours in sports science, I can then progress onto a PGCE to become a secondary school teacher.

What would be your advice to a student or player considering coming on the IFA from September 2016?

My advice would be that come September, make sure you work hard and train hard and you will achieve any aspirations you have in Futsal as the opportunities are endless.

Players at the International Futsal Academy this morning took part in a sporting trivia quiz at Loughborough University, competing in teams to answer questions across a number of Question of Sport style rounds, with an appearance from Paralympic London 2012 Gold Medalist, Richard Whitehead MBE.

The IFA Players were able to meet the Paralympic T42 Champion, T42 World Champion and Marathan World Record Holder who offered his input and took time to speak to the players. Whitehead who has previously ran 40 Marathans in 40 days is preparing for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janiero next year.

The International Futsal Academy continued a week that has seen the players settle back into Academy life, taking part in activities to help bond and integrate all players ahead of the season and academic year. Players participated in the quiz whilst first year players carried out their enrollment for their respective degree level courses.

Graduates from the International Futsal Academy on Wednesday 9th September celebrated their graduation from Loughborough University following successfully gaining degrees within their chosen subjects of Higher Education academic study.

Former IFA Players including Russell Goldstein, Joe Dyer, James Webb, Daniel Edwards, Tom O’Sullivan joined current IFA players Connor Parker and Mark Croft to celebrate gaining Foundation Degrees, BSC (Hons) and BA (Hons) from Loughborough University with friends and family at Loughborough Town Hall.

With accolades that include being selected for the England Futsal Senior Squad, England Futsal Development Squad, Wales Futsal National Squad, British University and Colleges Sport Championship Winners, FA Cup Finalists and FA National Futsal League Grand Finalists, the International Futsal Academy graduates possess an impressive set of accomplishments.

The IFA Graduates have now left Loughborough to pursue a range of careers and professions including secondary school teaching, playing Futsal in Spain, Head Coach of Futsal at a professional football club in England and many more.

On behalf of everyone at the International Futsal Academy we wish to congratulate all the players on earning their qualifications and gaining success post university. We wish all players luck in their future ambitions.

The International Futsal Academy have began their first week of training as an Academy as well as with their respective FA National Futsal Super League and FA National Futsal League teams.

The International Futsal Academy players started full time training on Tuesday, taking part in training sessions and team building meetings. Integrating all years of the Academy for 2015/2016, players worked together in problem solving activities, team challenges, competitions and communication tasks set by the staff.

New first year, Humraj Singh said “It has been a really enjoyable and no doubt helped all the players bond together. It really is a great programme, the players all support and help each other, the staff are honest with training that is intense and challenging”

IFA Players will continue training and be involved in further team bonding exercises throughout the rest of the week. The first year players will also carry out their academic enrollment in preparation for the start of the academic year, with third years beginning preparations for their dissertations at Loughborough University.