Bermuda Football Association’s (BFA) women’s academy teams are the newest addition to the Women’s Futsal League.Bermuda Futsal Federation president Peter Sousa confirmed that three of the BFA’s women’s academy teams will be among the six teams that will participate during the 2012-13 season which kicks off today (5pm) at Dellwood Middle School gym.“This represents a great opportunity for Bermuda’s academy players to experience all of the benefits of futsal and the Bermuda Futsal Federation is pleased to assist the BFA in its continued development of the women’s game in Bermuda,” he said.Sousa said futsal is a “fantastic developmental tool”.“One of the things most people don’t realise is that in the majority of the major football powers up until the age of 12 they don’t play on the field, it’s all futsal,” he added. “Messi, Xavi and all of those players played futsal when they were young. That was their primary development up to about the age of 12 and then they went onto the field. And that’s one of the things we are trying to do because not only is futsal a great spectator sport, but the developmental benefits are phenomenal.”Sousa expects the junior academy players to hold their own playing with more senior opponents in the Women’s Futsal League.“Sliding tackles and physical play is prohibited so it enables younger players who may not be as physically developed to be competitive because it’s about passing and moving,” he added. “Any contact is frowned upon and the referees impose that so you can have smaller and younger players involved because the rules are such that it protects the players.”There are approximately one hundred players registered in the Women’s Futsal League which is about to enter its second season.Each team will play each other three times during the season with the winner to be decided on most points or goal difference in the event of a tie at the end of the campaign.All matches are to be held at Dellwood Gym and will consist of two, 20 minute halves.North Village Lady Rams are the defending champions.At the conclusion of the season, Bermuda Futsal Federation will stage the second annual All-Star Game which proved to be a big hit last season.