New Executive Director Jorge Marin Speaks Out
U.S. Youth Futsal’s new Executive Director Jorge Marin Interviewed on the preparing for the growth of the sport and expanding U.S. Youth Futsal
U.S. Youth Futsal (USYF), the largest U.S. Soccer affiliated futsal organization in the United States, recently announced Jorge Marin as Executive Director. A lifelong fan of futsal, Marin has international experience in a variety of sports management including Kickboxing, Cycling and Boxing.
According to U.S. Youth Futsal President and co-founder Jon Parry, “U.S. Youth Futsal has been looking for the right time and person to lead the organization to the next phase of growth for USYF and Marin has the experience and vision to take U.S. Youth Futsal to the next level as a national sports league.”
With more than 100 futsal leagues across 30 states in the USA, U.S Youth Futsal is the largest youth futsal organization in the country. Recently accepted as a direct member of U.S. Soccer, U.S. Youth Futsal’s goal is committed to raising the standards in futsal. and providing a variety of high-level programs for youth players.
“U.S. Youth Futsal runs the best Futsal programs in the United States and around the continent, but this is not enough,” said Marin. “The talented team that forms USYF will work for everyone in the Futsal family to have the best possible experience at every step of our journey.”
Read: U.S. YOUTH FUTSAL’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JORGE MARIN
SoccerToday’s Interview with Jorge Marin
Diane Scavuzzo: What are your goals for U.S. Youth Futsal? As a national sports league, how can U.S. Youth Futsal help grow the game of futsal?
Jorge Marin: Joining U.S. Youth Futsal, I knew I was coming into an organization full of talent and natural leaders. From our founders Jon Parry and Peter Vermes to our technical staff, led by Keith Tozer, we accumulate many decades of experience as national team players and coaches.
This is an extremely professional and passionate team that is determined to attain our ultimate objective of growing the sport of Futsal in the United States.
We aim to continuously grow participation nationwide.
Being new members of U.S. Soccer, and the quality of the futsal programs we offer, we are in a great position to continue to lead the future of the sport in this country.
Diane Scavuzzo: Why do you believe futsal is great training for youth soccer players?
Jorge Marin: Growing up Spain, I had the chance to personally experience the benefits of futsal in developing myself as a better soccer player.
Countries where futsal is integrated in the grassroots soccer curriculum, like Spain and Brazil, have tremendous international success and produce world class soccer players.
Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Neymar, all played futsal growing up. America’s Christian Pulisic was a youth futsal player.
I believe it is just a matter of time before futsal becomes part of the soccer curriculum in a more structured manner in the United States.
Diane Scavuzzo: How important is social media for sharing the message?
Jorge Marin: We live in the digital era.
Social media is a powerful tool that we cannot neglect.
We want to use it to communicate our message and grow awareness of the sport. As a matter of fact, we have just hired a Social M
Diane Scavuzzo: How many leagues/organizations are now part of U.S. Youth Futsal?
Jorge Marin: We have affiliate organizations of various sorts and that run a variety of competitions, camps, clubs and academies. Single affiliates in many cases run more than one program.
Altogether, there are approximately 140 organizations in U.S. Youth Futsal and the number continues to grow every week.
Diane Scavuzzo: What is your favorite program at U.S. Youth Futsal? Are you looking at launching any new programs?
Jorge Marin: We are very proud of the steps U.S. Youth Futsal has taken towards offering an extended pathway both for players and teams under our system.
A player starting in a local league can make it all the way to the international scene through our Futsal ID program.
Similarly, teams competing locally in a league or tournament earn their way to the National Championships, where we crown the best teams in the country.
The next step is to offer a similar pathway to Referees and Coaches. This summer we will launch 3 levels of coaching education up to a National License and 2 levels of Referee Education.
Diane Scavuzzo: How can you help the U.S. Youth Futsal be more successful?
Jorge Marin: We are the biggest and fastest growing futsal organization in the United States and that is because of the talent, passion and hard work that already exists in the organization.
I am confident that my experience in developing and executing processes and strategies for sport governing bodies at a global level will translate into an even, more accelerated growth of U.S. Youth Futsal and the sport of futsal at a national level.
Diane Scavuzzo: How does participation in sports benefit kids?
Jorge Marin: I am a firm advocate of the idea that sport creates good human beings.
Any sport encourages and develops focus, creativity, self-confidence, persistency and emotional intelligence.
Team sports, in addition, develop interpersonal skills that are extremely useful in our adult lives. And, in futsal, everything happens in a fun environment! To grow up participating in youth sports is a gift that every kid in the world should have.
Diane Scavuzzo: Futsal is an international game, more popular outside of the USA than here at home. How can U.S. Youth Futsal work with
Jorge Marin: I am glad you ask this question, as it is part of our vision to create synergies internationally.
First, allow me to stress that futsal is a global sport. In the last 12 months, futsal has become part of the Olympic movement through its inclusion in the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires and earlier this year, UEFA held the first ever Women’s European Futsal Cup.
There have been many years of hard work on the part of many confederations and national associations to achieve this and we look forward to helping continue to grow the game domestically as well as internationally.
Jorge Marin was also interviewed on Keith Tozer’s World of Futsal podcast. Here is the link to the interview on apple podcasts.
Read: U.S. YOUTH FUTSAL’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JORGE MARIN
