Club FAQ

Futsal is a variant of soccer played on a hard court surface, indoors or outdoors, with a smaller, heavier, low-bounce ball. It is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Unlike some other forms of indoor soccer, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used. Futsal is fast paced. making players think faster improving decision making far beyond any soccer environment.

'The Talent Code' by Daniel Coyle describes Futsal as the "perfectly designed game" for building soccer skills. He highlights it as a "talent hotspot" where players get up to 600% more touches in a concentrated environment that demands quick, creative problem-solving under pressure. Futsal compresses soccer's essential skills into a small box — it places players inside the deep practice zone, making and correcting errors, constantly generating solutions to vivid problems. Brazilian soccer expert Dr. Emilio Miranda puts it simply: "No time plus no space equals better skills."

Many of the greatest soccer players in history developed their skills through futsal, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Neymar Jr., Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Luis Figo, Pelé, Xavi, and Robinho — just to name a few. The tight spaces and constant decision-making in futsal directly translate to elite-level soccer performance.

Assassins FC offers programs for players from U6 all the way through U19. Our Juniors program serves U6–U8 players as the entry point into the club. Our Fundamentals and Premier programs serve U9–U19 players looking for training-only or competitive team environments. Our Academy program serves U9–U19 players competing at the highest regional and national levels.

Academy is our elite competitive program — players represent Assassins FC at the highest regional and national levels. It requires the most commitment and is invitation based. Premier is our competitive team program for players ready to compete in leagues and tournaments locally, building toward Academy selection. Fundamentals is our training-only program — no competitive commitment required — focused on skill enhancement, ball mastery, and technical development. All programs follow the Assassins player pathway.

Juniors is the entry point into the Assassins pathway for players ages U6–U8. It introduces young players to futsal through fun, age-appropriate activities that build a love for the game and foundational movement skills. The focus is fun-first, game-based learning, basic ball control and coordination, essential foundations for the Assassins style, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Goleiros is our dedicated goalkeeper training program. It provides specialized training for players who want to develop their skills between the posts, covering positioning, diving/blocking technique, distribution, and game reading. Goalkeeper-specific coaching in a futsal environment builds elite reflexes and footwork that translate directly to the outdoor game.

YRT stands for Year Round Training. It is a program designed to keep players developing throughout the summer, helping to bridge the seasons together to complete a round calendar inclusion. YRT sessions focus on technical skill enhancement, fitness, and game intelligence so players return to their competitive programs sharper and more prepared than ever.

Players need futsal-specific footwear (flat-soled indoor shoes — no cleats), shin guards, and comfortable athletic clothing. The futsal ball is provided during training sessions. For competitive programs, players will receive or purchase club kit. Specific equipment requirements will be communicated by your coach at the start of each program.

You can register through our website by selecting the program that fits your child's age and goals. For competitive programs (Academy and Premier), invitations will be required. For training programs (Fundamentals, Juniors, YRT), registration is open, simply click on the program and register or fill out the Interest form on our site and a staff member will reach out to answer any questions and guide you through the process.

Assassins FC trains at multiple locations across the Pittsburgh to help facilitate training for players from any corner of the region. Visit our Locations page for current facility addresses, maps, and directions. Location assignments may vary by program and season.

PA-West and USYF (United States Youth Futsal) are governing bodies for youth futsal in the western Pennsylvania area. Assassins FC is a proud member club of USYF but we also compete in PA West for the State cup tournament. This affiliation ensures our competitive programs follow standardized rules, participate in sanctioned leagues and tournaments, and gives our players a pathway to regional and national competition.

Assassins Futsal Club is more than just a futsal club — we house a culture built around discipline, confidence, leadership, teamwork, and game intelligence. Our training methods are derivative in our unique training model (Artè Clava) these training methods set us apart from any other model. All of our principles are rooted in everything we do, from training and games to how we interact when representing the club. We are a club but also a futsal family. Our inherent goal is not only to advance in competition through futsal but also to better the character of each young player we enhance. Veni Vidi Vici.