Coaching key to football’s development

Warkworth Football Club has started the winter season with around 500 members, nearly double the number registered in 2023 and the highest in the club’s history.

The club will field a total of 31 teams this season – 24 juniors, divided into 11 in the Under 8 and Under 9 categories, and 13 in the Under 10 to Under 12 age groups; four youth teams in the Under 13 to Under 15 categories; and three senior teams.

In addition, around 150 children are registered in the Under 5 to Under 7 Friday night programme.

Thanks to collaborative work with Auckland Council and the Mahu Sports Collective, the club will benefit from the addition of another pitch at its base in Shoesmith Domain this year.

It now has four pitches at its disposal, including three full-sized fields. The club also has access to fields in Kaipara Flats and Whangateau, where one of the senior teams trains.

President George Moore says growth, plus an ambition to see the club become more competitive, has led to a greater investment in coaching.

“The executive board conducted a review of the roles required at the club and started a recruitment process, which has culminated in the creation of three coaching roles – head of junior football, Connor Passingham; head of youth and senior football, Nick Stubbs; and head of girls coaching, Deja Pareta,” Moore said.

“We’re really excited about these roles and the individuals who have accepted them. All three will work closely together to provide a clear and effective pathway from junior to youth football, with a consistent playing style, coaching philosophy and culture embedded across all levels of the club.”

In addition, these roles are responsible for leading and developing the club’s football programmes, which aim to provide a fun, safe and development-focused environment that encourages lifelong participation in football. These include the Under 8 and Under 9 training sessions, the Under 10 to Under 12 mixed skills centre, and the Under 8 to Under 14 girls’ skills centre.

Girls’ participation has increased from one team last year to three, with two competing in the Under 10 to Under 11 age group and one in the Under 12 to Under 13 category.

“We are also working on the possibility of forming a senior women’s team”, Moore says.

Beyond recreational football, which Warkworth Football Club continues to develop, the club will field an Under 15 team competing in the Northern Region Football (NRF) Sunday Youth Competition at conference level. This represents a higher standard of competition, with matches against some of the strongest clubs across Auckland.

This provides the opportunity for players to progress towards professional football and, perhaps, the national team.