OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department is starting two new adult leagues for futsal and bubble soccer.
If the names sound familiar, it’s because the two sports are taking off in recreation programs across the country as part of a growing trend to foster more non-traditional sports in parks and gym environments.
“Both Futsal and Bubble Soccer provide new ways for people to explore non-traditional sports in a market that is demanding more and more options,” said department director Doug Kupper.
During Bubble Soccer, players wear large transparent bubbles around the upper half of their bodies so they can bounce and roll when contact is made with other players. The bubbles, or zorbs, as they are sometimes known, allow players the full-contact impact of soccer while minimizing injury risks. The game also provides more challenges since players have limited use of their arms.
The P&R Dept. posted a link to this video on their twitter for further explanation.
Futsal is another sport that has its roots in soccer. The popular sport that’s funny to say is played on a hard surface, with a small, soccer-like ball. Only five players are allowed on the court at a time, including the goalkeeper, but teams may substitute players as many times as they want during a game. Each game lasts for two 20-minute periods. The name comes from the Portuguese “Futebol de salão,” which means “room football.”
