MOUNT VERNON — The sport of futsal got its start at a YMCA in Uruguay.

So it would stand to reason that the Skagit Valley Family YMCA would welcome the sport into its remodeled Bakerview Sports Complex.

Registration is being taken for league play, and camps will be offered March 30 to April 3

“We’re excited to be able to offer futsal,” YMCA fitness and sports director Erin McMillan said. “It’s a sport that has been around for awhile, and so far the kids really enjoy playing it.”

Futsal is a variation on soccer. It is played on a hardcourt surface with rules that place an emphasis on creativity, technique, ball control and passing in small spaces.

There are no goalkeepers to protect small goals — ones the YMCA uses for soccer programs involving 5- and 6-year-olds.

While there are similarities between futsal and soccer, there are also differences.

Five players make up a side in futsal, the ball is smaller and softer, and substitutions are made on the fly, much like hockey.

Halves are 21 minutes, with each team getting one timeout. While there is contact, slide tackling is against the rules. And there is no offsides.

“The ball we use is actually made out of cloth,” said McMillan. “That cuts down on the bounce and that is the point. This game is about controlling the ball with your feet, keeping it low to the ground and making accurate passes.”

The Skagit Valley Family YMCA got the idea to offer futsal from the YMCA Bellingham, which has an established futsal program.

“We were invited up to play, and it was a lot of fun,” McMillan said. “We knew it was something we wanted to offer here. They offer family futsal and it’s a really popular and successful program.”

Though new to Skagit Count, futsal has been around for quite some time, getting its start at a YMCA in Uruguay in 1930.

It grew in popularity in South America, and the first international competition took place in 1965. In 1981, futsal got a foothold in the United States when U.S. Futsal was formed.

Futsal is the only form of indoor soccer endorsed by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, which governs soccer worldwide. It earned the status of FIFA’s official form of indoor soccer in the 1980s.

The first international futsal match played by a U.S. national team took place in 1984. U.S. Futsal has conducted national championship tournaments each year since 1985.

“It offers us variation,” McMillan said. “Unlike indoor soccer, there is no wall to play off and with the small court, you have to use a lot of passing skills. You have to be able to think ahead about when and who to pass to.”

Because the court is so much smaller, players are constantly placed in demanding, decision-making situations, requiring quick thinking, good ball control, precise passing and creativity.

The sport also allows participants to do it all — attack and defend — resulting in a more well-rounded player who has a better understanding of the entire game.

That being said, it has taken a while for the sport to catch on in Skagit County.

“At first, there were a lot of questions from the kids,” McMillan said. “Once they watched how it is played, they want to try it. It’s quick paced, and thus far the response has been very good.

“It’s nice to have the flexibility of the game. You can play length-wise or width-wise on the court, depending on the number of players.”

For more information on playing futsal locally, go to www.skagitymca.org or contact McMillan at e.mcmillan@skagitymca.org.

• Reporter Vince Richardson: 360-416-2181, vrichardson@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @Sports_SVH, Facebook.com/vincereports.