A growing sport with great potential

The enthusiastic René Olsen, who is responsible for Futsal Education and national coach of the men's futsal national team, is behind an ambitious project to train futsal coaches throughout Greenland.

The vision is big: From beginner to elite – all over the country, from coast to coast, and in the mother tongue, so that everyone can fully benefit from the teaching.

Behind the project is Kalaallit Arsaattartut Kattuffiat (KAK), which focuses on creating healthy and inspiring club environments where coaches can develop their skills, find renewed commitment and thus lift futsal as a whole - for the benefit of players, clubs and future generations of coaches.

A fire soul is born

René Olsen has been part of KAK since 2005 and has worked with both youth and senior national teams – indoors as well as outdoors. But it is not until 2013 that his great passion really takes shape: the early days of futsal.

The project started as a development initiative in collaboration with Elite Sport Greenland, and since then the sport has been growing – both in popularity and quality. René Olsen quickly became fascinated by futsal and the opportunities it opens up for the Greenlandic people. The indoor sport is a perfect fit for the harsh climate, where the weather often makes outdoor football challenging. But futsal is more than just an alternative to outdoor games. Compared to traditional indoor football, futsal is far more technical and requires sharp passes, quick decisions and constant movement. The pace is high, the game is intense, and every action on the pitch counts – something that both challenges the players and creates entertainment for the spectators. For René Olsen, futsal quickly becomes a passion because the sport combines community, technique and tactical finesse in a way that is perfect for the country's halls and players.

A starting point in own experiences

René quickly discovers that futsal is something completely different from traditional indoor football. For him and his generation, it is first a matter of retraining from the familiar game of football to the fast pace and technical demands of futsal. But his vision is already clear: to give young people the opportunity to grow up with futsal as their natural starting point. And that vision seems to be holding true.

- Today, children and young people grow up with futsal as part of their everyday lives. They learn the game from scratch without having to think about football habits like the rest of us did. This means that the players of the future are technically stronger, faster and more creative right from the start, says René.

What initially consisted of just René and his fellow national coach, Tekle Ghebrelul, on a simple coaching course, quickly developed into something much bigger.

- We could quickly see that much more was needed. We needed to train more coaches – and not least referees, so that the matches could also be refereed properly, says René.

Since then, the work has grown, and the experiences have slowly shaped the way futsal is developed today.

- We are building on the experiences we had in the beginning, when we were still groping and didn't know enough about futsal. Today we are in a completely different place – we have gained knowledge, structure and experience, so we can approach things much more purposefully and appropriately, René Olsen says.

From screen to hall

One of the most targeted and successful steps in the development of Greenlandic futsal is the collaboration with the Spanish educational company behind Futsal Profive Academy – an online course that has proven to be tailor-made for Greenlandic conditions.

- They started offering online courses during corona, and that concept fits us perfectly here in Greenland. We struggle with large distances, and it would cost a farm to gather everyone physically, says René with a smile.

So far, around 150 Greenlandic coaches have completed the Profive courses during 2024 and 2025 – and according to René, it has been a clear success.

- Online courses are always relevant, but theory must of course be followed up by practice. In the autumn of 2024, we therefore launched our own physical part of the education, which Aqissiaq Ludvigsen has played a key role in getting set up, he says.

Aqissiaq Ludvigsen, who is KAK's new secretary general, has developed a strong partnership with René that has really given futsal development a boost.

- The more tools the coaches have in their toolbox, the better the club training will be. This results in both greater retention and more enjoyment of the game among the members, says Aqissiaq Ludvigsen.

Together, they have not only set the direction for development – they have also ensured that the efforts are felt outside the country.

The game in our language

From the northern coast of Upernavik to the southern mountains of Nanortalik – and with stops in towns such as Paamiut, Qeqertarsuaq, Sisimiut, Tasiilaq, Uummannaq, Aasiaat and Maniitsoq – Greenlandic futsal instructors have traveled the country extensively to conduct the physical courses, teaching in Greenlandic and with a passion that is felt in every hall.

The biggest challenge right now is not about finances or logistics – but about language. The courses at Futsal Profive Academy are only offered in English and Danish, and this places a natural limit on how many people can fully benefit from the teaching. But René Olsen is thinking bigger – and his ambitions match his passion.

- We are working on getting the education translated into Greenlandic. It is an enormous technical task, but the first modules have already been translated. And we can clearly feel the effect. It creates a very special joy when children, young people and adults can learn in their own language, says René.

René speaks with a warmth and conviction that leaves no doubt: The project is not just about futsal – it is also about identity, community and the pride of being able to train in Greenlandic. René clearly notices that the coaching courses make a difference at all levels – but even he has been surprised by how committed the new coaches are. A good example is Rass Abelsen. In addition to being part of the men's national futsal team, Rass is also a qualified futsal coach. He comes from Tasiilaq, where he was tasked with running a physical course – on his own home field.

- After the course, Rass came over and hugged me and said: Thank you for letting me. I was completely touched – because in reality, it was I who should have said thank you. We both stood there, a little touched, because we both get to give something back to our society and our sport, says René with a smile.

According to René, the online part of the courses is the foundation – a solid starting point for all coaches. But what KAK itself builds on top of with the physical courses is the heart behind the project. This is where relationships arise, experiences are shared, and the sport comes alive. Because it is not just about technique and tactics – but about community, language and the pride of creating something of our own, in Greenlandic halls and on Greenlandic soil. So when the ball rolls in the halls tomorrow, it is not just a game – it is futsal in our language, with a future that looks bright and vibrant.