Promoting futsal in L.A.

Goals Soccer Center in South Gate is one of a handful of private facilities in Los Angeles County where people can play “quick soccer” or futsal. Built on the site of a former archery range, the multi-court facility holds youth tournaments, fundraisers and corporate events. (Paresh Dave / Los Angeles Times)

Nov. 27, 2013 2:45 AM PT

A growing Latino population and successful marketing by the soccer industry have inched the game’s popularity closer into the realms of baseball and football. But in urban areas, space for new soccer fields is scarce. So Los Angeles leaders have taken an option from the playbooks of Latin American countries and are promoting futsal.

The futsal court at Leon Washington Park was one of two opened by the Los Angeles County this summer. Because futsal courts are cheaper to build and take up less space than soccer fields, local officials have found them attractive. (Paresh Dave / Los Angeles Times)

The hard-surface futsal court at Algin Sutton Park in South Los Angeles is one of the region’s oldest, originally built with funds from the LA84 Foundation and Nike. Most newer courts are built with artificial turf. (Paresh Dave / Los Angeles Times)

At DeForest Park in Long Beach, many players still prefer the court that still has a tennis court surface. Two other tennis courts at the park were replaced with a softer, plastic surface, but players found that it cut their knees when they fell. (Paresh Dave / Los Angeles Times)

King Indoor Futsal at Hollywood Sports Park in Bellflower is believed to be the region’s oldest spot for playing futsal. Children, teenagers and adults -- nearly all of them Latino -- fill the fields and stands nightly for tournaments and pickup games. Several players who learned futsal here have gone on to play soccer or futsal professionally. (Paresh Dave / Los Angeles Times)

People play pickup games of futsal at the Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer facility in Signal Hill. The business opened in June 2011. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer has two fields -- one a futsal surface (pictured) and one a turf surface. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Billy Valenzuela, 28, of Huntington Park, passes a futsal ball with friends on the sidelines of pickup games being played at the Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer facility. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

A futsal player kicks the ball back in play during a pickup game at Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Cristian Osorio, 19, of Huntington Beach packs up after playing a game of futsal with friends at Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Nineteen-year-old Albert Filorio (center, orange vest) plays futsal with others at Long Beach Futsal Indoor Soccer. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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Promoting futsal in L.A.

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