Looking for a low-pressure, high-energy way to keep your kids active, sharp, and out of the elements? Look no further than ONE Futsal Academy. Rachael tried it with her kids, and they are loving it. You’ll get all details below, including “what is futsal anyway?”
Operating often out of the Barr Road Sports Complex gym in Lexington, as well as other Richland County Recreation locations, this program offers a friendly, inclusive environment where kids of all skill levels leave tired, happy, and thoroughly uplifted.
What Exactly is Futsal? (And Why Your Soccer Player Needs It)
If you haven’t heard of futsal before, think of it as the fast-paced, indoor cousin of soccer. Originating in South America, it is currently the fastest-growing youth sport in the U.S.—and for good reason.
While it looks similar to soccer at a glance, a few key rule differences change the dynamic completely:
- The Court: Instead of a massive grass field, futsal is played indoors on a smaller, hard-court surface with defined boundary lines—meaning no slamming into hockey-style walls or boards.
- The Ball: Futsal uses a smaller, significantly heavier ball with much less bounce. Because the ball stays on the ground, it forces players to rely on pure technical control rather than big, sweeping kicks.
- The Team Size: It’s a 5v5 game consisting of four court players and a goalie.
Because the space is tight and the teams are small, players get up to six times more touches on the ball than they would in a traditional soccer match. It serves as the ultimate supplement for competitive soccer players looking to drastically improve their close-quarters footwork, speed of play, and quick decision-making abilities.
Flexibility for Busy Families (From a Parent’s Perspective)
One of the best features of ONE Futsal is how accommodating it is for frantic family schedules. There is absolutely zero pressure. The academy offers incredible pricing flexibility to fit your life:
- Pay-As-You-Go: Attend session-by-session for just $35.
- Full-Year Advance: Pay for the entire school year upfront and have your child come as often as they’d like.
Our Experience: With our family’s busy schedule, we weren’t always able to make it to every single session. Because of their flexible setup, we just went whenever we could. There is no guilt and no pressure.
We also absolutely love that the program is entirely indoors. If you’ve spent any time on youth sports sidelines in the Midlands, you know how brutal that South Carolina sun can be, not to mention the bitter cold of winter. Knowing the weather will never cancel a session is a massive plus.
A Laid-Back, Inclusive Environment
What truly sets ONE Futsal apart is the culture. It is a deeply encouraging, uplifting, and inclusive environment where all kids feel welcome regardless of their current skill level.
If you have a child in competitive club soccer, you know how intense that world can get. ONE Futsal is a rare safe haven where those players can learn, experiment, and grow without the heavy pressure of making a certain roster or keeping a team spot. The games are fast-paced and keep everyone constantly moving, but great sportsmanship is always the priority. Every single time we’ve been, the kids leave completely worn out, tired, and incredibly happy.
How the Weekly Schedule Works
Typically, ONE Futsal structures its weekly academy sessions to build a well-rounded athlete, though the underlying theme of every single day is pure fun:
- Friday Evenings (Technical Skills): A heavy focus on fine-tuning the basics, like close-quarters footwork, ball mastery, and learning to manipulate the heavier futsal ball.
- Saturdays (Tactical Development): Focused on team concepts, including quick passing drills, off-ball movement, and learning how to transition instantly on the court.
- Sundays (Free Play): Every other Sunday, the cones are put away. It’s pure free play where kids just lace up, play futsal, and have a blast applying what they’ve learned in high-paced scrimmage games.
Meet the Coach: Backed by 20+ Years of Experience
ONE Futsal is led by Coach J.R. Roth, a veteran coach with more than two decades of youth development experience. Combining a formal background in youth counseling with elite athletic training, Coach Roth holds an official U.S. Youth Futsal (USYF) State Level 3 License.
He has a proven track record of developing elite local talent—even sending local Columbia-area athletes to compete on international USYF teams in Costa Rica and Barcelona.
Beyond the core academy, Coach Roth is deeply embedded in the local youth sports community, running several specialized programs throughout the year:
- Little Legends: A specialized, year-round intro-to-futsal program for the youngest ball-kickers (ages 3–6).
- The Finishing Touch Soccer Training: Elite technical soccer skill development for players aiming for academy, collegiate, or club levels.
- Summer Training Camps: Highly popular multi-day training camps held right here in the Midlands.
Keep Moving All Summer Long!
If you want to give the sport a test drive before the school year begins, ONE Futsal runs highly popular Summer Futsal Camps right out of the Barr Road Sports Complex gym. Designed for kids ages 7 to 12, these camps feature a perfect mix of technical training, tactical scoring drills, and plenty of match play to keep everyone moving.
Spaces fill up quickly, but they host multiple morning sessions (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) throughout June and July. It is the absolute perfect way for your child to burn off some energy, beat the summer heat in the AC, and make new friends from all around the greater Columbia area.
Visit One Futsal on Facebook, you’ll find registration forms for classes, camps, events and more right there on their Facebook page.
We’re having a lot of fun with Futsal.
Check out more youth sports activities in Columbia, SC.