GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As the city's soccer stadium rises in the distance, a venue of smaller stature will soon see construction of its own.
At Las Canchas on Seward Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, a trio of concrete futsal courts are set to get a turf upgrade this spring by way of a $35,000 appropriation recently approved by the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority, which is overseen by Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI).
"We're trying to create something permanent here," said Michael Dublis, founder of The Soccer Rebellion, a local street soccer group. "We can celebrate the game because the culture here is undeniable in Grand Rapids."
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Dublis says turf is a more forgiving surface in comparison to concrete and, ideally, will recruit more people to play futsal, a scaled-down version of soccer that's focused on footwork and played in a smaller space such as an urban court or indoor gym.
"From an injury prevention perspective, I think even from a parent's perspective, you'd be little less hesitant to play here," he said about turf's benefit.
Las Canchas, which is Spanish for "the courts," are free and always open. In the warmer months, they are often home to men's and women's tournaments hosted by The Soccer Rebellion.
"I want the community to understand that we want to put soccer on a way different platform than anywhere else the United States," Dublis said. "There is a strong passion behind it, and that's why a pro stadium is coming, because of the culture we have here."
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With the FIFA World Cup on the calendar and Grand Rapids' first professional soccer team to follow, Dublis says the city is entering a "golden era" for the sport.
"A dream come true for any soccer player in this area," he said. "Soccer has arrived here and it's not going anywhere."
