Indoor Soccer Scores Popularity

Stephan Bosnjak

Walking onto the green pitch in a black-themed outfit, Keshu Seelam, junior, is ready to lead his self-created soccer team, Naidu FC, with no prior soccer experience.  

Back in November of 2022, Seelam and Nikhil Guduri, sophomore, started Naidu FC because they wanted to have fun playing a sport with each other during the spring semester.

“It’s our first time doing something like this,” Seelam said. “We were just bored one day. We wanted to do something fun and get our friends involved in something active.”

Sanjiv Sainathan, junior at Lafayette High School, moves the ball away from the defender in order to score a goal during Naidu FC’s game against Ararat FC on Friday, Feb. 24. Naidu FC won 5-4. Sainathan enjoys being in Naidu FC because he is able to play with MHS students. “By being able to play soccer with friends that go to different schools, I get the time to catch up with them and also hang out with them more often,” Sainathan said. (Media by Shyam Punnachalil)

Seelam thought joining a league by himself wouldn’t be fun because he would be playing with people he didn’t know.

“It’s less on soccer, but more on socialization and interacting with my friends,” Seelam said.

The team plays at Vetta Sports in Manchester. In order to organize a team for the league, the players must pay a fee of $925.

 

 

 

 

As the coach of Naidu FC, Guduri enjoys embracing his role as the lead playcaller by adjusting the player lineup and strategizing how they should score goals.

Despite not having much soccer experience, Guduri oversees their practices by running passing drills and scrimmages. He also notes the players’ strengths and weaknesses.

Rian Zinzuwadia, eighth grader at Selvidge Middle School, avoids a slide tackle from the defender to set up for a goal during Naidu FC’s game against Greenlaw FC on Saturday, March 4. Naidu FC lost the game 3-7. While many on Naidu FC do not play soccer, Zinzuwadia has a love for the sport and hopes to take his passion for soccer to greater heights later in life. “I want to play soccer for as long as I can, and I want make the St. Louis City SC U15 team,” Zinzuwadia said. (Media by Shyam Punnachalil)

“I discipline the players when I need to, and I like devising plays in order to win games,” Guduri said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The team enjoys playing the game and having fun eating food with each other before their games and hanging out at each other’s houses after the games.

“After our matches, we always go out to have fun for a bit. When we play and practice, we enjoy having our banter amongst each other,” Guduri said.

Midfielder Devaang Nair, junior, likes how he can interact with new people.

“I think people spend most of their time at school, so they get a lot closer with them, but they might get distant with people outside of school, so when we made Naidu FC, it just felt like we were able to strengthen our friendship,” Nair said.