RDP Kings Futsal team kicks off season against Broncos

Photo-Top Row (l-r): Ibukunoluwa Oyawale (2), Leopold Kadezabek (3), Kohen Meckelborg (5), Korben Skjolde (7), Eshay Fernandes (8), Grant Johnson (9) & Ajdin Sarcevic (10)
Bottom Row (l-r): Njegos Bajovic (11), Skipper Martin (16), Jaxon Fernandes (17), Dante Cashato (18), Brian Murray (31) & Admir Sarcevic, Head Coach, Kings Futsal

Red Deer, AB - For the first time since 2013, the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings will play an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Futsal game. The RDP Kings will compete against the Olds College Broncos on Friday, January 17. 

Admir Sarcevic, RDP Kings Futsal/Soccer Head Coach, is embracing this opportunity for 12 members of the 2024/2025 Kings Soccer team to play futsal.  

"Futsal is a great sport for student-athletes to develop their skills. It's a different game than soccer, but very exciting," he says. "It is very fast and unpredictable. You can be down three or four goals, but can easily turn things around in your favour." 

While several skills are transferable from soccer to futsal, there are some notable differences between the two sports.  

"In Futsal, it's four players against four plus the goalkeeper. We play in a gym, so it's a much smaller playing area," notes Sarcevic. "The ball is very heavy and low bounce compared to a soccer ball, but it allows for a lot of touches throughout the game. Except for the goalkeeper, the Kings won't have designated positions in futsal." 

The 2024/2025 Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Futsal team has six student-athletes from Calgary - Ibukunoluwa Oyawale (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology), Leopold Kadezabek (Bachelor of Arts in Political Science), Kohen Meckelborg (Bachelor of Business Administration), Korben Skjolde (Bachelor of Kinesiology), Eshay Fernandes (Bachelor of Science in Psychology) and Jaxon Fernandes (Open Studies). 

Red Deer's Grant Johnson (Computer Programming Diploma), Ajdin Sarcevic (Business Administration – General Management) and Brian Murray (Open Studies), along with Serbia's Njegos Bajovic, (Open Studies), Airdrie's Dante Cashato (Kinesiology, Fitness & Health) and Edmonton's Skipper Martin (Bachelor of Kinesiology) complete the squad.  

There are six teams in the ACAC Men's Futsal North Division and six in the South Division, which includes the RDP Kings.  

"We will participate in two ACAC Futsal South Regionals – one in Lethbridge and the other one is in Olds," says Sarcevic. "At each regional, we will play four games, but not against Olds. We will play them on Friday and Thursday, January 23 instead of at the regionals." 

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks will host the first South Regional from February 1-2, 2025. The second South Regional will be held at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology February 22 and 23. Teams from the North Division will participate in two different regionals.  

"After both regionals have been completed, the top three teams from each division will advance to the ACAC Championship," says Sarcevic.  

The Lakeland College Rustlers will host the ACAC Men's Futsal Championship from March 7-9, 2025. 

The Kings' journey to the ACAC Futsal Championship will begin with a game against the Broncos in RDP's Main Gym (in the main building) on Friday, January 17 at 7:30 pm.   

"If we want to be successful in futsal, we need to be constantly moving," adds Sarcevic. "We need to play our game." 

Tickets to watch the RDP Futsal teams compete are available online. The Queens will face the Broncos at 6 pm in the Main Gym.