The Tasmanian Inclusion Futsal Team is based at the New Horizons Club at Mowbray, and consists of 10 players.

Team captain Justin Nilon said the team was excited to head off to Sydney to compete.

“It’s my fourth carnival, and this year we’ve got a really good side so it’ll be really good to see how we go,” he said.

“The futsal activity is a year-long activity, and then the state side gets announced from that in mid-November.”

Nilon plays multiple sports, having previously represented Australia in cricket and Tasmania in AFL.

New Horizons chief executive Belinda Kitto said it was a strong team.

“It’s been our biggest, strongest contingent,” she said.

Ms Kitto said the National Futsal Championships was one of the most inclusive examples of a sport carnival in Australia.

“This is a tournament where elite players with intellectual disability play alongside the top Australian futsal teams – on the same courts, during the same week,” she said.

“It’s a great example of what we should all be aiming for and our players get so much from it.”

Alongside playing futsal, the team will also get a chance to do some sightseeing in the city.

New Horizons runs many other sports and activities for people living with a disability such as swimming, gymnastics, and taekwondo.

Ms Kitto thanked Lomond Windows for its support in sponsoring the team.

“We’ve always had a lot of trouble trying to get support for futsal – our cricket and AFL teams seem to attract more attention,” she said.

The 2019 FFA National Futsal Championships run from January 9 to 13.

To keep up with the carnival action, visit nationalfutsalchampionships.com.au. 

For more information about the New Horizons Club, visit www.newhorizonstas.org.au.