From its debut on the American sports landscape just over 30 years ago, professional indoor soccer has been at the forefront of rapidly developing "extreme" soccer subculture.

Soon after this high-speed version of soccer was introduced to Americans in 1978, it dazzled fans with rock music, lasers and fog, wild introductions, players interacting with fans and doing community work; features all adopted by top leagues in basketball and football in subsequent years.

Soccer, meanwhile, soon developed along two distinct tracts in the United States: the traditional outdoor game, which has seen its growth through Major League Soccer and the U.S. national team; and "extreme" soccer, which includes much more than just the indoor game.

Freestyle soccer is amped-up juggling, a primarily underground culture of ball tricks. Nike helped bring the flavor mainstream with its "Joga Bonito" ad campaign earlier in this decade, and a critically acclaimed 2007 documentary film, "In the Hands of the Gods," followed five English freestylers in a quest to meet their hero, Argentinean star Diego Maradona.

Today, regional and national competitions seek to identify the best freestylers, though most of them can be found on YouTube and MySpace, building street cred through viral video posts.

Futsal, the most formal sibling of street soccer, is about 70 years old but just now climbing closer to the sports mainstream. Traced to Uruguay and Brazil, "five-a-side" was created for spaces without room for full fields. It's generally played on a basketball-sized court, with a ball smaller and heavier than a traditional soccer ball. With its emphasis on quick decisions and individual skill, "five-a-side" is credited with developing the games of such international outdoor stars as Ronaldinho and Pele. By the mid-1980s, the sport had a new name, "futsal". FIFA sanctioned the game and, in 1989, hosted its first world championship.

Futsal's greatest star, the Brazilian Falcao, is as much an Internet legend for his indescribable skill as any of the best freestylers. In the United States, the sport is gaining credibility among youth clubs as a winter option for skill development. Milwaukee Wave coach Keith Tozer has led the national team since 1996, leading the team to two CONCACAF championships and three FIFA World Cups.

Another "extreme" soccer cousin moving into the mainstream is beach soccer. Launched in (where else?) Brazil, the sport has been formalized for less than 20 years. It's an amalgam of soccer, sun, fashion, music and good looks. Bikini-clad dancers and bronzed spectators are as much of the show as the game. But with FIFA putting on an annual World Cup beginning in 2005 and bringing it to France in 2008 after three years in Rio, the fast-action, aerial game is something to see as well.

"Extreme" soccer has other aspects, including soccer tennis and 3 v 3 tournaments. The Xtreme Soccer Xperience is eager to expand upon the concept by promoting a year-round lifestyle built around skilled soccer professionals, entertainment and fan participation: both live and online. It's the next logical step in an evolving history.