Dante Garcia, Director of Futsal, and his wife Malissa Galiffo, President & CEO at Columbus Futsal, have a love and passion for futsal that they are eager to share. Futsal, an indoor and fast-paced version of soccer, is a growing sport in Columbus and Dante spoke to us about the important role he has played in this growth.

Q: Can you describe your organization and the mission of your organization to someone who hasn't heard of it?
A: Columbus Futsal Academy is a youth futsal program where we have over 200 kids participating every season; they’re learning how to play and competing at a high level. The academy is a way to develop players into not only good players, but also good people. We also have The Columbus Futsal Foundation and our mission there is to give kids access to the game who may not have the same opportunity as others as well as making futsal fun and accessible for everyone.

Q: What inspired your work in/around sports?
A: My biggest inspiration was my dad, uncle and grandpa. They always motivated and pushed me to do something that's bigger than myself. I have an uncle who lives in Peru and owns the largest youth soccer academy in Peru. They play futsal in Peru everyday, so it's nothing special, but when I brought it here to the states, nobody was playing it. So, I started Columbus Futsal back in 2006 with my dad, just as a pickup group. It was just friends that would come and play every Friday at Tuttle park and that inspired me to make a men’s team, then start an academy and then grow it. 

It was a way of giving back to the community; the game will always be there but you may not be. So, what can you do to impact the game?That was exciting for me and always a good challenge. Going to Peru and playing as a kid and having support from my dad, uncle and grandpa is what inspired me. 

The Foundation was inspired by my wife, Malissa. We always wanted to do something to give back to the community that has supported me over the years. She said, “Take good care of the places that took care of you growing up.”

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Q: What role do you think sports play in a vibrant community? 
A: I think sports are essential. Without sports, you don’t have meaning. We play sports because we want to compete, get better at something, challenge ourselves and learn the life lessons that are involved in sports. The lessons you learn along the way are most valuable …  Sports teaches you how to be positive even in the face of adversity, control your emotions and how to be a better person all around. 

Q: What was the original vision of the organization? Has the growth always been a part of the vision or was it more like answering needs as they came?
A: It was a little bit of both. I always thought there was going to be more than what I had originally planned. I always thought whenever there are people willing to play there's an opportunity. You can take that as far as you want to go with it as long as you have the support and you treat people right. When I was 23 I remember going to Linden Park to coach some kids in pick up futsal and now they’ve started their own club called Hidden Talent. They told me that I’m the reason why they wanted to start the club. It makes me tear up just thinking about it.The game is bigger than me and I want to inspire the next generation.  

Q: As the academy has grown, how has your understanding of the community, family and children also grown?  
A: It has grown tenfold. There are three types of people that will support you: there are the people that will come once and will never come back, there are the people that just come when they can and then there are the people who love what we’re doing and are going to be behind you all the way. I just want to make the best experience possible for whoever is there. I’ve always tried to include everyone, it doesn't matter if you’re the next Messi or you’ve never kicked a ball, there is a space for you. We also run the Columbus Futsal League, and the league has grown over the years. We have a men's team, women's team and many youth teams. We are making it better and more competitive for everyone, there is room for everybody.

Q: What legacy do you hope to leave through your work? 
A: I hope Columbus Futsal will be there when I'm gone. I want to inspire the next generation, under the same name and mission, if not improving it and make it better. Making futsal accessible to everyone, with the understanding that futsal is a way to understand life, be a better person and understand there are so many more opportunities for you than what you may think.

Q: What do you hope the people you serve get out of their experience? 
A: The best thing to see is a smile on their face, whether they are learning for the first time or playing their whole life. I want to leave them feeling happy and smiling. I want them to understand and support what I'm doing, and know this comes from my heart, I don’t just want to be the best futsal coach. I care about the community and bringing them together through futsal because it's fun for me and I’m passionate about it and I want others to enjoy and feel passion for it.

Q: What are some ways people can support your work / foundation? 
A: There are a number of ways. Donating to the Columbus Futsal Foundation is great because it gives us more access to children and more resources and. If you want your kid to improve their game you can enroll your children in the academy so they can learn how the game was meant to be played. If there are teams looking to support the growth of futsal they can join our league.