SHERMAN, Texas — The Sherman City Council has approved two major park improvement projects totaling nearly $2 million, bringing new futsal courts and a modern playground to the growing Grayson County city.
The larger of the two projects is a $1.7 million investment in two futsal courts at Hawn Park. Futsal — a fast-paced variant of soccer played on a hard surface similar to a basketball court — has surged in popularity locally, and city officials say there are currently no dedicated futsal facilities in the area.
"This futsal sport is really becoming more and more popular and there's nowhere around here to play it," said Nate Strauch, Sherman communications manager. Strauch compared the rise of futsal to the pickleball boom of recent years, noting that resident-driven pickleball courts are now among Sherman's most popular recreation spots.
Denis Paschke, a Sherman resident, welcomed the news. "I think it'd be fun for a lot of kids because there's a lot of kids on my street that play soccer, so I think that'd be great for them because they're always in the street," Paschke said.