Regardless of the skill level of players, Warkworth’s junior soccer development programme is aimed at giving all players the opportunity to have fun and develop to the best of their abilities.
An investment in junior soccer and training for coaches is paying dividends for football in Warkworth.
Warkworth Football Club president Matt Bull says team numbers are looking good again this year.
He says participation in local soccer has been “pretty steady” over the past five to six years.
The club competes at three levels – First Kicks and Fun Football (five to eight year olds), Junior (nine to 17 year olds) and Senior, which includes two senior teams, an over 35s side, a Port Albert competition side and a women’s team.
The First Kicks and Fun Football started in Warkworth three years ago, as part of the national Whole of Football plan which is being rolled out over 10 years.
The plan is being delivered in three stages, starting with junior development and moving into youth and finally senior development.
It is a programme aimed at all players, regardless of age or gender. And while it will help outstanding players make the most of their abilities, it is also about giving all players a high quality football experience that’s tailored to their needs and ability.
“For a club of our size, we punch well above our weight in terms of juniors,” Matt says. “Unlike the bigger clubs, we don’t have the luxury of multiple teams in each grade so there is quite a mix of abilities in each side. This presents more of a challenge for the coaches.”
Matt says for the past five years, and with the assistance of the Northern Football Federation, there has been a focus on developing the standard of coaching within the club.
“It means players are getting a better product in terms of their training. There is more structure along national standards.
“The thing you realise is that the emphasis and techniques in football today are very different than how teams were coached 10 or 20 years ago.”
