One of the people who was killed in the New Zealand mosque shootings Friday was a high school futsal coach.
Atta Elayyan, 33, was among 50 people killed in two Christchurch mosques, according to Stuff.co.nz. He was shot at the Masjid Al Noor Mosque.
He was a futsal coach at Christchurch Boys’ High School, his alma mater, according to the outlet. On March 25, they are scheduled to play in the secondary school nationals.
As a professional player, Elayyan was a goalkeeper for the New Zealand Futsal White. He won two national titles with Canterbury, including the 2014 season, in which he was named New Zealand Futsal Player of the Year.
Ronan Naicker, Mainland Football’s futsal development officer, spoke highly of Elayyan to Stuff.co.nz.
“He tried to give back to his old school by coaching teams,” Naicker told the outlet. “Even though he didn’t have the time he still found time and he did it all for nothing.”
Elayyan also worked with Canterbury women futsal goalies, according to Stuff. The team won the inaugural national title last month.
Former teammate Josh Margetts told CBS that Elayyan was “well-liked by everyone” in the futsal community.
“There are no words to sum up how we are all feeling. There is huge hole in our hearts as we come to terms with the loss of a great person and a good mate,” Margetts said. “He will be sorely missed.”
Rest in peace Atta. We can’t understand the hate, but we do know the love of our futsal community and you won’t be forgotten.
Futsal people, our people pic.twitter.com/xuLfZKzlhz— Futsalplanet.com (@futsalplanet97) March 16, 2019
