Lexington’s footprint for futsal has grown in size. Mayor Linda Gorton led a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for a new futsal court in Winburn’s Martin Luther King Park. The fast-paced soccer-like surface is situated on a re-purposed tennis court. First District Council Member James Brown said parks represent the living rooms of neighborhoods. “A lot of times it’s the first place that people get to engage and interact with different types of people, people that come from different backgrounds, and different beliefs and different values. And I think that’s where we actually culminate and actually become a community,” said Brown.
Parks and Recreation Director Monica Conrad said some of the biggest soccer nations in the world are built on a futsal foundation. She said the announcement of a professional soccer team coming to Lexington only increases the city’s need to have diverse futsal and soccer offerings. “The sport places a large emphasis on technical skill in high-pressure situations. You can see that here on our court today. It’s a much smaller footprint than you would see in a traditional soccer field. The sport is a great skill developer cause it helps develop those quick reflexes, ball control, fast-thinking, and pinpoint passing,” said Conrad.
Two other futsal courts are found at Valley Park and Castlewood Park.
