A nationwide youth futsal tournament ranked some of our own Lake Nona residents as part of the top team in the country. In a region abundant with athleticism and sharp minds, our youths bring just as much accomplishment as our elders do.

In July, Orange Futsal Soccer Academy sent several of its teams to compete against other youth teams in Kansas City. These teams had undergone several regional tournaments to qualify for the championship and competed in Naples, Charlotte and Minneapolis prior to the final competition. 

Orange’s U12 team consisted of Diego Cordido, Erick Feliciano, Jakob Garcia, Damian Gomez Calabro, Caleb John, Enzo Lima, Valentino Menji, Diego Militerno Catania, Lucas Quesada, Eduardo Rodrigues, and Nicolas Sabino. Several of these players reside right here in Lake Nona! Orange conducts futsal games inside of XL Soccer World at certain times during the week, so many of our resident athletes of all ages have access to proper training and prestigious competitive titles such as this one. 

A total of 180 youth futsal teams participated in the National Championship competition, breaking the robust tournament’s record for the number of teams on the roster. Of these 180 teams, four of Orange’s teams placed in the top 10, and the majority of these players are Central Floridians. 

These all-gendered young athletes train year-round twice a week and can participate until age 20. These kids work immensely hard and have earned their title through-and-through.

For those of you wondering, futsal and soccer differ; the two are closely related, but futsal is more fast-paced and focuses on small-ball techniques. Futsal is commonly played in soccer-centric countries before children begin to play soccer so they can build a sturdy foundation.

If you see any Team U12 players around the city, give them a word of congratulations!