Uni Futsal is no more... so what does it mean for the players?

Competition organisers took to social media to make the heartbreaking announcement to players on Monday, January 8 that Uni Futsal would not be hosting competitions at the Sports Hub this year.

"This news comes after a decision from UOW and UOW Pulse (Sports Facility Management) that the University would like to pursue different avenues of business (hosting external events such as exhibitions, concerts and conferences) as well as partner with elite sports clubs (Wollongong Wolves, Dragons and South Coast Blaze)," the statement read.

The post came with comments of mass disappointment of the players who will now be without their beloved social outlet.

The decision ends a 15 year relationship between Uni Futsal and UOW.

For avid lovers of futsal at the Uni, there is some reprieve with the annual Summer 7s competition (played on the hockey fields) set to go ahead as planned.

But make no mistake, the indoor lovers of the game will have to play elsewhere other than the University of Wollongong.

Tournament organiser Doug Woodiwiss expressed his dismay at the decision to the Mercury. He said that despite being a social comp for both males and females, a lot of the region's best played in the summer and winter comp.

"A lot of those current players in that men's [South Coast Taipans] squad who actually won the minor premiership and the grand final this season just gone, they started their junior football journey with us," Woodiwiss explained.

"I can pretty much tell you that six of those players, I would have run competitions for when they were 12, 13 years old. Now, they're in the elite in terms of futsal players in New South Wales."

"The quality of that competition and the size and the diverseness that we were able to provide a platform for people to play at, doesn't and will not exist after this happens essentially."

Whilst much different to outdoor football, futsal has long provided the players of the outdoor winter sport a great alternative in the summer to kick around with mates in the off-season.

The reason why the decision from UOW to cancel futsal is so significant is because most, if not all players of the winter sport have more than likely tried out futsal to varying extents.

Being five-a-side, it is a fast-paced game essentially described as 'indoor soccer'.

So for players wanting to actually play, where do they look to next?

Football South Coast currently has registrations open for their summer 5-a-side tournament at the Fraternity Club, set to commence late January for mixed, male, female and overage competitions.

Woodiwiss went on to explain that there are other venues for the sport for players to consider, but that numbers were dwindling.

"That's super sad, because there's been that I know of two other venues that have closed within the last four years, North Wollongong and Coniston indoor centres who are getting much smaller competitions than us.

"There is a limited space for the sport throughout Wollongong unfortunately. And we've had limited success trying to go to other sites."