Wisconsin Soccer Central

Keith Tozer continues to be at the forefront of the movement to get more soccer players involved in futsal.

The Milwaukee Wave and U.S. Futsal National team coach took another step in that direction Tuesday as he was named U.S. Youth Futsal's first technical director.

Tozer will develop a coaching education program and oversee the recently established FUTSAL I.D. program, a series of camps and events designed to help improve the U.S. Futsal national team pool in the future.

"I am extremely excited about helping U.S. Youth Futsal by developing a coaching curriculum, coaching manuals, certification courses and systems of play," Tozer said in a news release.

"Working closely with the coaches and players of the USYF will only help with the process of developing players for our youth national teams, which will then directly help fill the national team. I am fully convinced that futsal being a part of our players' youth development will create those special players all coaches dream of."

Tozer has been the U.S. Futsal national team coach since 1996, leading the side to a seventh-place finish at the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Cup, CONCACAF championships in 1996 and 2004 and first place at the Four Nations Tournament in June in England.

"Keith Tozer is a fantastic addition to the U.S. Youth Futsal technical staff," said Peter Vermes, the former U.S. national teamer who was a co-founder of the USYF and now coaches Major League Soccer's Sporting Kansas City. "(Tozer's) extensive experience will prove to be extremely beneficial to the overall development of our players and leagues across the United States."

U.S. Youth Futsal oversees leagues and programs in 59 markets in more than 27 states, including the Wave-sponsored Wisconsin Youth Futsal League in Milwaukee and the Madison Futsal League. The organization reported a 70 percent growth in members over the past year.