To whom it may concern:

I am writing on behalf of my friends in the soccer and futsal community to state our support for a futsal court built in the city of Peabody. Before I get into why, let me give a little background about myself. I have lived in Peabody all my life and have played or coached soccer for the city since I was five years old. Some of the greatest memories I have began on a soccer field. Being able to go down to the field and play pickup games with whomever was there was an important part of my childhood. I practiced with the teams that I played on a couple times a week and when I got to highschool I started coaching soccer at the Pee-Wee level. It quickly turned into a passion of passing on what I have learned to others in the community, helping them develop skills and learn the importance of teamwork..

I have spoken to many residents in our community about getting this done and they all agree that a futsal court would be a great addition to our existing outdoor recreation areas and a great place to go to kick the ball around.

I understand there are many parks in the city, but the fields with soccer goals always get reserved for youth city sports and the growing number of club sports in the city. I do not want to compete with these other sports. Instead I am asking to add a tremendous resource to the city which could compliment these other sports and offer another outlet for kids to learn something new or hone their skills. There are some areas in the city that are already designated recreational areas that a futsal court could easily be built on.

The benefits of adding a futsal court would be to give people a place to simply go and play without having to interfere with organized youth sports. Futsal is popular throughout the world and has been growing in popularity in the United States. A futsal court would be a place for people of all cultures, economic statuses, ages, and skill levels to be able to come together to play a sport that only requires a ball and a court. Futsal has many benefits in addition to increasing physical activity and prompting teamwork. While playing futsal, soccer players develop stronger foot skills which translates to being able to make quicker decisions on the soccer field.

I truly hope the city approves this project so our soccer and futsal community can continue to grow in Peabody. Our community deserves a place to go and play a sport that we love and care about. I thank you for your time and consideration.

With sincere appreciation,

Robert Silva