Bond’s futsal team has gone from an unexpected switch of sports to a Division 2 semi-final and a genuine shot at gold at UniSport Nationals in Perth.
After their plans to compete in soccer began to fall apart as players dropped out, team leader Aidan Taylor convinced the group to make the switch to futsal.
With most of the players having little experience in the game, the team arrived in Perth with modest expectations.
They quickly raised them, opening their campaign with a 2-1 win over RMIT before defeating UNSW 4-2 on the first day.
“Honestly, we’d already exceeded kind of what we came to do,” Taylor said.
The team has continued to prove it can compete with more experienced opposition, with its next two games going down to the wire.
Bond lost 4-3 to the University of Notre Dame yesterday before facing the University of Tasmania today in another nail-biter.
The game finished 2-2 before Tasmania edged Bond out in the penalty shootout.
“We’ve been competitive in every game we’ve played,” Taylor said.
For a group that has only played futsal in a social competition over the past two years, the intensity of Nationals has been an adjustment.
Taylor said the biggest challenge had been adapting to the speed and tactical demands of the game.
“In soccer, you’ve got a lot more time on the ball. You can make decisions,” he said.
“But if you’re not putting 100 per cent in literally all the time, then you’re leaving people open.”
Despite the learning curve, Taylor said the team had embraced the challenge rather than taking an easier path through the tournament.
“We could have just gone into an easier week and had a little kick around and just enjoyed our time here,” he said.
“But we all want to play the best teams. We want to challenge ourselves.”
That mindset has also helped the team handle the frustration that comes with close games.
Taylor said keeping the group together and maintaining the “vibes” had been important, particularly when things did not go their way.
“We all want to win and it’s very easy to get heated at each other, at refs, at opponents,” he said.
“But keeping a level head and just working for each other, instead of against, I think we’ve done a really good job.”
Now, the team has a Division 2 semi-final ahead of it — and a genuine chance to fight for gold.