alice tyson - march 2020

Our Barefoot player of the month started playing Futsal only 7 months ago, and she has made a tremendous improvement on her technique and understanding of the game. Additionally, she always has a great attitude during training. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Alice Tyson as March's player of the month.

Alice started playing futsal in the Fall of 2019 when she joined our full-time Barefoot academy after being inspired by the Women’s World Cup. Alice recognized how the footwork of her younger sisters  have improved through futsal with Barefoot, and she wanted to give it a try.  

Her parents explain how Alice started with futsal; "she had zero futsal (or soccer) experience - only determination. Alice practices with Barefoot’s academy and plays on the Barefoot-Futsala Development Academy. Everything Alice knows about how to play has been because of these 2 experiences. She loves playing and works hard. Specifically, Alice loves how fun it is; how when she practices, she gets better; and, most of all, how amazing the coaches are, particularly because this has been a developmental experience for her. Alice is exceptionally hard working and has not been deterred by the fact that she started playing at age 12, whereas her academy friends started much, much younger. " 

Her parents also explained how Barefoot has impacted in Alice's game; "what has been most significant is to see her confidence bloom - both on and off the court - in the 7 months she has been a part of Barefoot. We also love how the Latin-American culture compliments her studies in a Spanish-language school."

As mentioned earlier, Alice is part of the 2019/2020 Barefoot Academy with her sisters Audrey, Trina, and Mary. She is also part of the 07 Barefoot Futsala team, where she shares time being both a field player and a goalkeeper. When Alice isn’t playing futsal, her mother says that she is swimming, playing tennis, and "avoiding homework."

During this period of physical distancing from Barefoot due to the current health situation, Alice has made the Barefoot classroom lessons a priority and also playing daily small-sided pick-up games. She is accountable of her training and posts her workouts and challenges to the Barefoot online classroom. Coaches are happy to see her engagement by posting pictures and making comments about her training sessions at home.

Congratulations Alice! Your hardwork and perseverance is shown by how much you have improved. Your attitude is an example for the rest of your teammates; always willing to help others, respectful with coaches and players, and most importantly, showing with actions the joy of being on the court. Keep it up Alice!

SAM Kaupp - FEBRUARY 2020

Our Barefoot player of the month is a team player; always wanting to help his teammates to reach his goals by encouraging them to be their best. Following this path, he has been able to not only help others, but also improve his confidence with the ball, touches, and coordination on the futsal court. He has made a great impact to help his team, Bello, on both the futsal court and soccer field. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Sam Kaupp as February's player of the month.

Sam had his first futsal class with Coach G when he was 4 years old, but it was not until last year when he started clicking with futsal and decided to join our full time Barefoot Academy program. 

Sam's father commented that what Sam likes the most about Barefoot is "developing his skills and learning the game, but Sam is a social guy and really loves the players, community, and coaches. He also really enjoys the culture of futsal including the music and hopes to go on a future immersion trip next year (Medellin, Colombia)."

Regarding to how much futsal has impacted Sam's game, his father added that "he has grown so much in the past year . He has become more confident and has many new skills that are starting to become reflexes in his play instead of drills he is learning."

Besides being part of our Barefoot Academy during the current 19/20 season, and participating on the F5 Futsal league with 08/09 Bello team, Sam attends St. Matthews Elementary School where he is the vice president of the student council, plays trumpet and recently MC’d the school’s talent show.

Congratulations Sam! You are a great ambassador of our Barefoot Nation! Your attitude on the court is a great example for all Barefooters. Keep bringing your willingness to learn, positivity, and joy to the futsal court.

Violet tanis - january 2020

Our Barefoot player of the month is an excellent ambassador of our program; her attitude is what we ask for from any player; always willing to learn  with a big smile and enjoying her time on the court. Her progress has been fantastic during the past 3 years, currently positively impacting her team, Paisitas, with her technique and skills. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Violet Tanis as January's player of the month.

Violet started playing futsal when she was six years old. She was playing soccer at the time, and her parents found out from a friend about Barefoot. Once she tried futsal, she loved it and stopped playing soccer to dedicate full time to our Barefoot Academy. 

Violet's favorite part of Futsal is the challenge to be skilled with the ball. Her parents add "she loves the different types of surfaces, whether it be on the beach or indoors. She loves juggling and the challenge of learning the technique and working as a team."

Violet has participated in multiple tournaments with Barefoot; Savannah invitational, Virginia Beach Beach soccer, Turkey tournament in Wilmington, North Carolina State cup, Carolina Champions League, and F5 futsal Winter League. During the 2020 South Atlantic Regionals , her team got 2nd place in the 2010 Bracket.

Aside from Futsal, Violet loves school and learning! She really enjoys reading and writing. Violet is so happy to have found Futsal and is learning every day!

Congratulations Violet! We appreciate your commitment to Barefoot and our values. You are a great example of hard work, dedication, and joy on the court.

KAI FALTIN - DECEMBER 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a long time Barefooter; he has been a part of the program for more than 4 years, including an immersion trip to Medellin, Colombia. His skills have grown along with his confidence and joy! He is not only a great goalkeeper, but also when Kai takes his gloves off and takes on the court, he does it  with confidence in his dribbling and footwork, positively impacting his team during the Winter League matches. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Kai Faltin as December's player of the month.

Kai first tried out a Friday evening futsal class with Coach G in the Fall of 2015, when he was 7 years old.  He later joined the Developmental League and realized he loved futsal and wanted to stick with it for a while.  He had a great experience playing in the Winter Leagues, and his family really appreciated the emphasis on player development and teamwork. 

Since then, he has played futsal exclusively with Barefoot.  He also went to Colombia for the Barefoot Immersion trip in 2017 and came back with a renewed passion for the sport. 

Kai's favorite part of futsal is the speed and quick transitions ; “I love playing futsal because I really like the fast pace of the game."

He has been a Barefooter for many years and there are many reasons he is a part of the program. “I like Barefoot because I’ve been able to play different positions and my soccer game is better because of the skills I’ve learned in futsal. I also really like that we get to try different things in the Academy, so we get to play soccer, fustal and beach soccer. Also, the coaches are very positive and when you make a mistake, they show you how to improve and do it better next time. They put their focus on players learning skills and don’t just focus on someone’s age, weight, or gender, but they sometimes mix everyone up and they work on how to make each player better.” 

Kai stated the following about his overall futsal experience, “futsal has improved my ball skills and ball control and the pace of futsal has taught me to play fast and think fast”. 

When not on the futsal court or soccer field with Barefoot, Kai can also be found on stage with his improv or acting class or filming.  He also plays trumpet with his school band and still attends German school on Saturday mornings.  

He played soccer with Barefoot for the first time this Fall and is looking forward to playing again in the Spring, but says futsal is currently his favorite sport because “you have to always be ready for what’s happening, and it moves so fast you have to think fast, and that makes it really fun to play”. 

Congratulations Kai! The coaches appreciate your commitment to the program and hard work in every practice. The current Winter League has been a great opportunity to watch how much you have grown throughout the years by using your tools and techniques on the court.

Ashley owens - november 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month has made a great improvement since she started her journey on the futsal court. Always with a smile and a great attitude in training, this player has positively impacted the program; her skills are complementing her excellent understanding of the game and athleticism, creating a creative and smart soccer player. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Ashley Owens as November's player of the month.

Ashley started with Barefoot during the Fall of 2018 when she enrolled  in our year-round academy program. Her father emphasizes the change that this decision has made on her game; "the biggest change Barefoot has made to her game is 1v1 challenges, instead of trying to out pass or out run an opponent she takes them on and beats them with her feet."

What Ashley enjoys the most regarding to the Barefoot method "is the diversity of the training and doing different drills with variety.  She never gets bored and it’s always a challenge." 

Ashley loves to play the game and contribute to her teams. "She is defensive minded on the field which is her comfort zone, but is not afraid to jump into offensive attacks."

During the Fall of 2019, Ashley was part of our academy teams participating in the Carolina Champions league and futsal tournaments. She always made an impact on matches being a generous player covering positions and also creating opportunities in possession. The coaches wanted to reward her with this recognition.

Congratulations Ashley on being a great ambassador of our Barefoot Nation.

thiago ledezma - october 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a fantastic player; selfless-teammate, hard worker , and humble person. He started his journey when he was 3 years old, and has taken his game to the next level. His family drives 1 hr and 20 min each day just to bring him and his sister, Luna, to training! Barefoot FC is proud to announce Thiago Ledezma as October's player of the month.

As mentioned before, Thiago started playing Futsal with Barefoot when he was 3 years old. After his fall peewee soccer season, he was upset that it was over, and his parents looked for a winter season indoor soccer program for him, but found nowhere that would take training a 3 year old seriously.  His parents said, "Even Thiago at 3 yrs old was bored of the kiddie games, that is when we found Barefoot and have never looked back!'

What Thiago likes the most about our #methodBarefoot is the multiple kinds of balls that we use to improve technique: futsal, salon, tennis, beach soccer, etc. He also likes being barefoot while he is in training, and he loves practicing to the same type of music we have.

His parents say that Barefoot has given Thiago more confidence, both on the court/field and socially. "Even Thaigo at 7 years old recognizes the impact. One time as we approached his rec soccer game, he told me Mamí, I can beat them. When I asked him why, he replied Because I play Fútsal and they don't! "

Thiago says his favorite thing to do when not playing Futsal with Barefoot is "play soccer in the backyard with Papi." He his constantly practicing at home and helps his mother launch the Futsal programs at two elementary schools by demonstrating and teach the moves with the ball. Plus, he is always supporting his younger sister Luna during training.

Because of this and many other reasons, Thiago is a great ambassador of out Barefoot Nation. Congratulations! Thank you for your commitment to the program.

nico pustorino - september 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a super talented player; his technique and confidence has been developing throughout the years. This produced the outcome of having a style full of creativity and joy. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Nico Pustorino as September's player of the month.

Nico started playing with Barefoot in January of 2018.  He tried a couple of outdoor clubs, but he was not really enjoying it. He previously had played futsal in the winters and really liked it, so when he found out that he could play futsal full time, Nico asked to join Barefoot Futsal Academy.

Nico loves playing futsal because of its fast pace and ability to use his moves and tricks. He also enjoys practicing the many disciplines of the Barefoot method, especially freestyle and barefoot, which has helped him grow his love for freestyle and he is constantly practicing at home.

His father says that Futsal has completely changed his confidence and love for the game  "After joining Barefoot FC, he immediately fell in love with the program and enjoys playing at any chance he gets." Nico was part of the 2019 immersion trip to Medellin, Colombia, which they describe as an amazing experience, "going on the immersion trip this summer has really changed Nico's confidence on and off the field. The trip elevated his his game to another level."

Nico is part of our full time Barefoot Academy with his sister Sophia, and has participated in many tournaments with Barefoot: Virginia Beach Soccer Tournament, USYF Regionals, and F5 Futsal League, just to mention some of them. He has had a great performance with the Barefoot Academy teams participating in the Carolina Champions League during this past month.

Congratulations Nico! Thanks for your hard work and commitment to the program.

olivia hayes - august 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a player with the personality to take on players without fear using her technique and quick moves.  Besides her talent, she is a hard worker; she never misses a practice and comes to the court with a smile and a great attitude to keep learning and developing her game. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Olivia Hayes as August's player of the month.

Olivia began playing futsal in February 2018. She started by coming to open play sessions and she has not been with another club since then.  She really liked Barefoot and wanted to keep coming to practice. Her father explained that there were two reasons of why she started her journey with Barefoot: "The first and most important was the club atmosphere.  Players and parents both were more relaxed. Everyone wanted each person to grow. There was no envy between players. There was no envy between parents of which kid was making which team. The kids would excel together. Parents actively cheered every kid, not just their own."  

The second reason is the Barefoot method, "she liked the amount of touches per practice or game.  She liked not being groomed into a position at 7 years old. She was being taught how to be a complete creative footballer.  I think that you see how the barefoot method shows itself when the girls have to play boys or older girls. They have developed a confidence in themselves and their skills. They have played girls 3-4 years older and much bigger size wise. The Barefoot girls could care less who lines up against them on the pitch. Win or lose they do it as a team and never back down, the Barefoot way."

Olivia is full time a Barefooter: She is currently part of the 19/20 Barefoot Academy, being this season her second year enrolled in the program. She is also part of the 19/20 Barefoot-Futsala developmental academy. Olivia has participated in many tournaments with Barefoot, playing different disciplines like futsal, soccer, and beach soccer. During the month of June, her team participated in the NC State games. Paisitas were crowned as undefeated champions and Olivia had a memorable performance.

Congratulations Olivia, you are an excellent ambassador of the Barefoot Nation. Keep working and enjoying the game!

TUCKER ROBerson - JULY 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a really skillful futsalero, he is not only talented with the ball, but he has a great understanding of the game; he always finds a position where he can either score or create opportunities for his team, making excellent moves on and off the ball. Tucker impressed coaches from all across the US in the national ID camp in Kansas City, they described him as a really fun player to watch. Barefoot FC is proud to announce Tucker Roberson as July's player of the month.

Tucker started playing in Barefoot around 4 years ago. He really enjoyed the small sized court because of the game's speed “I like how fast pace and packed the game is.” He also explained how futsal has impacted his game: “Playing futsal has made me stronger and more confident on the ball.”

Tucker was part of the U18 Barefoot-ISL Developmental Academy in its inaugural year, and will be part of next season’s team as well. He participated in the South Atlantic Regionals with his team making the championship game and qualifying to Nationals in Kansas City.

He had the chance to come back to Kansas City in June to participate in the National ID camp in order to get to represent a USYF team in their international games in Argentina, last futsal World Cup champion at the end of July. Tucker gave a great impression to all coaches that watched his performance and made the team that will represent the country in South American land.

He also advised younger Barefooters: “You are going to have good and bad days playing futsal like any other sport, but stick with it because it is worth it and a lot of fun." 

Congratulations Tucker, you are an excellent ambassador of the Barefoot Nation. Good luck in Argentina!

Paulino Camacaro Jr - JUNE 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is a natural dribbler, he takes on players with his skillful moves and creates opportunities to score constantly during the game. He is a great goalkeeper as well! He saves shots and then dribbles through the whole team to put the ball into the other team’s net. Paulino had a great performance in Virginia Beach where both of the teams that he was apart of were finalists in the U8 brackets. Barefoot is proud to announce that Paulino Camacaro Jr. is June’s player of the month.

Paulino was first exposed to Barefoot in 2017 when he attended CORE classes on the weekends, he was 5 years old. He was invited to be part of the Barefoot Academy later in 2018. His father emphasizes on how futsal has helped him to improve his game "Futsal has helped Paulino build his confidence, he has improved his skills and technique which has helped him to make better decisions when he is on the field, he has become a smarter player.” 

What Paulino likes the most from Futsal is “the technique and the skills which makes him a better player.” Also, he enjoys sharing time with his buddies during trainings and games. One anecdote that shows how much Paulino loves futsal: he is shy when the training begins, but once he gets engaged, he is unstoppable, sometimes after the training is done, Paulino is still kicking free kicks and he does not want to leave the court, we have to turn off the lights so his father can take him home.

Last year Paulino played in the Savannah soccer tournament, where the Barefoot Academy team was crowned as champion.He has also participated in Atlanta, as well as the Wilmington futsal Turkey Tournament. He also played in the F5 Futsal Regional futsal tournament  and has played twice in the North American Sand Soccer Championships in Virginia Beach, being this year's finalist with both of U8 Barefoot Beach soccer teams.  

Congrats Paulino!

REID RASHLEY - MAY 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is one of the most talented players in our Barefoot Academy: He is not afraid of dribbling and taking on defenders using his special moves. He has developed great confidence with the ball and his game continues to improve. Reid had a great performance in Winston-Salem that confirmed the great player he is, and the Barefoot coaching staff wanted to give him this special recognition because of his hard work and dedication being reflected in his game.

Reid was first exposed to futsal in the summer of 2017 at the age of six when he began attending open play and summer programs. Still unsure about this new sport, Reid returned to recreational soccer the following fall. However, in the winter of 2017, Reid decided to fully commit to the Barefoot Futsal Academy and has not looked back. His parents say that since then, Reid’s futsal game has accelerated: "He has learned to work in tight spaces and has developed confidence in taking on defenders. In addition, he has learned to execute moves that once felt impossible, such as the Maradona, Elastico, and Rainbow".

Reid is part of our full time 2018/2019 Barefoot Academy with his brother Zack. Reid also plays on the U9 Barefoot-Futsala Development Academy team in its inaugural year.

Last year Reid played in the Savannah and Atlanta soccer tournaments, as well as the Wilmington futsal Turkey Tournament. He also played in the F5 Futsal Regional futsal tournament with his DA squad which advanced to nationals.  Additionally, Reid was a part of the previously mentioned strong performance in Winston-Salem and plans to play in the North American Sand Soccer Championships in Virginia Beach this June.  

Congrats Reid for being a great ambassador of the #MethodBarefoot with your unique futsal style!

NICHOLAS COOPER - APRIL 2019

Our Barefoot player of the month is known by his self-discipline; he never misses a training and does the silent work that has as a reward. A unique style based on creativity, self-expression, and strong finishing skills that scare every goalkeeper. Nicky Jam has been with Barefoot for 2 years and his game has reached a top level of technique and control over the ball, which makes him a super fun player to watch and a great ambassador of our #methodBarefoot

Nicholas started in the spring of 2017, when his parents started to look for something beyond recreational soccer. During the summer of 2017, after attending a couple of open plays and a Barefoot summer camp, Nicholas fell in love with futsal, and that was all he talked about. By the fall of 2017, Nicky Jam joined the full time Barefoot academy and he started being fully immersed in the Barefooot method. 

After several months, his parents could see that his ball control, foot skills and technique started to get better and he was developing a new unique style. One of the first moves that he learned early on was the reverse L. That was just the beginning, since he started mastering moves like rainbow, scissors, scoops (cucharitas), walking the dog and his favorite, Maradona. His new challenging passion is “the bicycle kicks”.

Nicholas really likes to attend open play sessions since he can explore his creativity and try his new moves. He likes futsal because it allows him to compete in a more condensed space which presents an opportunity to practice his 1v1 skills. He also likes the 1stand 5thattacker: he plays as a goalkeeper and a field player at the same time. Most importantly, Nicholas loves his futsal teammates! Nicholas’ parents also add that “we love that we have chosen Barefoot academy as it has allowed our son Nicholas to step out his comfort zone and explore his creativity. We also love that Barefoot is a positive fun environment; Coach G’s technique is so unique and outside the box and he teaches the kids persistence and never give up attitude”.

Besides the Barefoot Academy, Nicholas is part of the U9 Barefoot-Futsala Developmental Academy in its inaugural year, as he has competed in many futsal and soccer tournaments like Savannah Invitational, Atlanta soccer tournament, F5 Futsal Winter League, and the Southeast Regionals.

Congrats Nicky!!

MAKAYLA RODRIGUEZ - MARCH 2019

Coach G defines our March Barefoot player of the month as "gritty, fiery, dedicated, hard working, developing such a unique style!" She express herself on the court and she is not afraid of trying her special moves during training or games. Competitive, owner of one of the strongest "puntazos" ever seen and always willing to learn more about the game. All these characteristics make “Machete Maka” a really exciting player to watch with a soccer style that represents the Barefoot DNA and makes her stand out from the rest.  

After attending numerous Open Play Saturdays at Barefoot, Makayla asked her parents if she could begin playing futsal more regularly. Eventually this led her to becoming a part of the Barefoot family in Winter 2017 through the F5 Futsal league with Barefoot's house team and Core classes. Makayla couldn’t get enough futsal and subsequently joined the Barefoot Academy in Fall 2018. 

Makayla likes futsal because it is challenging, she says that “the ball moves so quick which means I have to be fast and have great technique,” adding “there is a lot of good technique in futsal.” 
Why Barefoot, “It is fun and the coaches teach me a lot. I have learned how to do rainbows, scoops, Ls, swipes, walk the dog, wedge chops, magic wands and try to do them in games. I also can practice all of my moves at home to get better.” 

Maka currently attends the Barefoot academy with her twin sister Kiana and her younger sister Elena. Kiki and Maka are part of our U10 girls developmental academy team. She has also participated with great performances in many futsal and soccer tournaments with Barefoot: Savannah Invitational, VA Beach Soccer, Wilmington Turkey Tournament, Atlanta, F5 Futsal Winter League, Southeast Regionals and the USYF Nationals in Kansas City. Makayla will be representing Barefoot in June at the USYF National ID.

Way to go Maka!

Kailani Chigaru - January 2019

Barefoot FC ushers in 2019 with our youngest player to receive this award.  Resilience, dedication, and always playing with joy are just a few of the qualities that have earned Kailani Chigaru the first PoTM for 2019.  Read his fantastic story below. 

Those that know Kailani best will tell you he was born to play soccer. Though his parents tried to allow him to explore other sports, soccer was always his first love. Even as a toddler he  had a natural talent and he would often be seen kicking balls around the house in his diapers.  At Freedom Park he would skip the playground and go to the soccer fields for 2+ hours until his parents dragged him to the car.

Having talent is only half of what makes Kailani special.  He has an unwavering passion for excellence and teamwork that can be hard to find at his age. 

His father, a college athlete, understands the importance of the impact that playing sports can have on kids and so as soon as possible his parents  started to look for opportunities for Kailani. Unfortunately,  being that kailani was so young there were not a lot of programs for his age range and NOBODY would consider his skill ability.  It was always an automatic no into any program. Luckily, they happened to come across Barefoot FC after listening to numerous parents from other clubs rave about Coach G.  The Barefoot coaches  graciously  took Kailani under their wings even though he was the youngest in his program at 3 years old.

Now, 2 years later, Kailani has grown to LOVE everything about futsal.  He has learned a great deal from technical skills, goalkeeping, tactics, to different styles of futsal. He even had the opportunity to learn and compete in a national sand soccer tournament thanks to Barefoot FC.

In his parents words...What we appreciate most about the futsal program  and Coach G are how they also teach resilience and "Never Give Up" mentality.  A month or so ago while practicing rainbows in mastery class Kailani lost his footing and fell right on his face knocking out 2 teeth and loosening 5 others.  After a traumatizing ER visit the next day he begged us to take him to watch his teammates in their winter league games. It was hard for him to not be out there with his futsal buddies but he loves the sport and his teammates and just being around futsal lifted his spirits. Even though it was tough to see Kailani go through an accident, it was amazing to see how his teammates and coaches rallied behind him and supported him through his recovery. Barefoot FC has become like a second family for Kailani and we look forward to many more years with Barefoot Futbol Club.  We are so grateful for all the wonderful coaches, the parents, and the players who have always been so great and patient with Kailani and our whole family.  

Kailani hopes to one day play for his 2 favorite teams Atlanta United and Manchester United.

Jackson Youngstrom - November & December 2018

Jackson began in the barefoot program at the u10 level.  To be perfectly honest when we say began, it was an intermittent level. He mostly joined when he knew his friends were around or there was a lack of other options presented.  He did however, catch on quickly and have a self declaration that futsal made him better.  It made him more creative on the pitch.  It made him more comfortable on the job.  Made him have a bit more swagger with the ball.  He took his first trip to Colombia as a 14 year old and was immediately pulled into the culture, the dedication of the craft and the level of development required to make it to the next level.  As he worked with Coach G and with the Itagui team he saw his skill improve and as the skill improved, the confidence blossomed and he began to put in extra time on his own or with friends he would drag along to the court or to the field.

Jackson started for the Providence High School team as a sophomore and this year led the squad to a final eight appearance in the state tournament, scored thirty goals and assisted on over twenty of Providence’s tallies.  In recognition of his performance he was selected as an all conference, all region and all state player and chosen by the coaches as the South Meck 7 4A conference player of the year for 2018.

“I play futsal to get the feel of the Colombian way to play, the flair, the aggression and the freedom.  I go there to learn, it’s all about learning in any sport you play.  Without Coach G and Barefoot FC I would not be the player I am today."

Alonzo was first exposed to Barefoot in December 2012, at 11 years old, when he participated in the F5 Futsal winter league. He took his first class in Spring 2013 and it was quickly evident the improvement in his touch and movement on the ball with the Barefoot Method. He participated in the Academy program the following year and weekly core courses the year after.

In May of 2015, Alonzo became a member of the inaugural Barefoot Itagui U14 (01-02) soccer team. The following year with the change to birth year he was forced to find another team and played the next 2 season for Gaston United on their U16 and U19 teams. He also guest played with Itagui when they played up in tournaments. This year he will return full time as a player for Itagui 4.0, as they participate as a U18 team. He is also a member of the U18 Barefoot-Futsala USYF Development Academy.

Alonzo has experienced 2 incredible Barefoot Immersion trips to Medellin, Colombia. His first trip was in 2015 for 2 weeks and again in 2017 for 4 weeks. On both trips, he trained daily in Futsal, Freestyle, Beach Soccer and Capoeira with local school, club and professional teams/players. He also had the opportunity to be immersed in the culture and attend several professional Futsal and Soccer games, including Atletico Nacional.

Alonzo attends Gaston Day School in Gastonia, NC where he is currently in his Junior year taking a combination of Honors and AP classes. He is a member of the National Honor Society, JV basketball and Varsity golf teams, in addition to competing for his third year on the Varsity soccer team. His playing time and contributions have steadily increased year over year, with him starting all 15 games this season and providing an impressive 19 goals and 10 assists to their 14-1 record. This earned Zydeco Zo a spot on the All Conference Team!   Vamos Barefoot!!!

Paige learning from the Master, Barefoot's Freestyle Coach, Boyka Ortiz.  He is currently ranked #2 in the World.

Paige Santos joined the Barefoot Futbol Club last November after falling in love with futsal during one of the summer camp sessions.  She is our inaugural player of the month due to her high level of dedication, her wonderful work rate,  her cheery personality that raises everyone around her, and her ability to always play creatively with a smile.  Her tremendous accomplishments in such a short period of time are foreshadowing to the fantastic things in store for this All-In Barefooter.

Over the past 10 months, Paige has fully immersed herself in the Barefoot Method and this summer was no exception.     Paige started the summer with her first ever beach soccer competition in Virginia Beach.  Shortly thereafter, Paige attended the US Youth National ID Trials in Kansas  City where she was selected to be an alternate on the 07 US Youth Girls National Futsal Team.  

Following Kansas, Paige used her sharpened footwork to win herself camp MVP while attending the UNC Charlotte 49ers Outdoor Soccer camp. 

After that it was off to Medellin Colombia for two weeks with the Barefoot Immersion program.  Paige was able to train in Capoeira,  Beach Soccer , Freestyle and lots of Futsal.  

The freestyle sessions were her favorite, but training with the local clubs at Envigado, Corozonista and Calasanz was also a blast. 

For most soccer players, the end of the summer means the beginning  of outdoor club soccer.  Paige recently started her outdoor season with the  WCWAA Weddington U12 Girls Black team.

When Paige isn't on the Futsal court, she is putting the same hard work and effort into her schooling.   This year Paige will be attending 5th grade at Weddington Elementary where she expects to rejoin the Broadcast and Battle of the Books competition team.  Paige takes pride in being a straight A student, and loves to challenge herself with other school activities like the School Spelling Bee where last year she was the school's Spelling Bee Runner up.