From Summer Street Soccer to 2x USYFNT Goal Keeper

A parent's perspective about their daughter's futsal journey to the USYFNT

Audrey Gibson-Zweifel Position: Goleiro

Club: Columbus Futsal Academy

Hometown: Hilliard, Ohio 2x USYFNT (Monreal, Canada '17-18 & Estoril, Portugal '18-19)

When did your daughter start playing Futsal? About 3 years ago when she was 10/11 (white headband to the right of Coach Dante).

How did your family learn about Columbus Futsal Academy? After we saw a Facebook post and researched what Futsal was and watched a few YouTube videos, it looked like a great way to improve her foot skills. As competition to be a top goalie was increasing we were hoping that her foot skills would set her apart from other keepers. Also, she wasn’t interested in any other “typical” winter sports but wanted to remain active.

Did you notice Audrey’s improvement as a player right away? If not, after how long did you notice your daughter's improvement? We did notice that her foot skills had improved right away. She made quicker decisions on the field and perhaps most importantly she carried herself with confidence. It was noticeable early in the spring soccer season. As the season went on and she grew as a player she began to learn to read angles in goal, she was also less hesitant to come out on break-aways that ended up being 1V1 situations; she began winning those challenges consistently.

Any other thoughts you would like to share about how futsal is involved in your life as a parent? Columbus Futsal has been a tremendous addition to our life. We have gotten to meet wonderful people not only in our community, but from across the country. There is an incredible comradery among people in futsal, while it is competitive sport it is also a very complimentary sport. The players seem to challenge and support each other rather than try to beat others out of a position. Futsal has allowed Audrey to cultivate friendships with professional players across the globe and she has been fortunate enough to train with some greats of the Sport, such as Brazilian Claudio Brusfa, Otto Orf and Keith Tozer. She seeks and receives support and advice from Manchester Futsal Club’s Leanne Skarratt. We’ve learned it’s called Futsal Family and we are proud of and honored to be a part of it.

We noticed Audrey made the varsity soccer team at Hilliard Davidson, what has that experience been like for her as a freshman? It was both a surprising and great experience when Audrey was added to the Varsity roster of Hilliard Davidson. She was of course very nervous but soon learned that she had a team full of supportive girls to help her and a coaching staff who believes in her. She also received many positive messages from her Columbus Futsal coaching staff, teammates, as well as, fellow academy players and their parents. Her Futsal Family kicked into high gear.

What would you like to share about your time with Columbus Futsal?

Audrey was part of the very first female team in the history of Columbus Futsal, this sport that she loves was introduced to her through Columbus Futsal, she feels like she is truly a part of Columbus Futsal and she wants to help grow CF. We have seen Audrey grow as a teammate, as a player and as a leader because Dante has believed in her, pushed her and challenged her. Her time with Columbus Futsal has been invaluable, she is proud of it, she feels fortunate to be a part of it and tells us she cannot imagine not having some sort of role in Columbus Futsal. I think that Columbus Futsal has become a part of who she is and what she strives to be.

What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming trip to Portugal for the US Youth Futsal National Team trip? How do you expect the competition to differ from last year in Montreal? We are of course looking forward to her playing. We love to watch her play. We also believe that with this being her second year on the National Team, she will be more relaxed and will use her Montreal experience to know better what to expect and how to react. She has been able to establish a rapport with the national coaches and has had experience with the speed of play at that level. Knowing what to expect will undoubtedly help her go out there and be more confident. Selfishly speaking, December in Portugal is a much more welcome trip than the below freezing temps that we experienced last December in Canada.

Stay connected to learn more about her recent trip to Estoril, Portugal!

To learn more about the USYF player pathway and USYFNT opportunities click here.

To attend USYF State ID in Columbus, OH click here.

Follow her journey on Instagram @agz1keeper