Fun Football (8-9 Year olds born 2017 & 2018) at Northern Rovers FC
In 2026 your footballing experience has changed with the introduction of the WOF2.0 plan by NZ Football. Your games will now take place on a Saturday morning at Becroft Park between 9am – 12pm in a 5v5 game with goalkeepers on a 30 x 20m field.
REGISTRATIONS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY 24 APRIL @ 5PM. Registrations will remain open after this date however, anyone registering will be put on a waitlist until we reach enough (7) to create another team
At Northern Rovers FC we will run grade 8 & 9 competitions in-house with the potential for the occasional visiting club. The competitions will be run through our scheduling system where you will receive a draw at the start of the season, including if you are the home or away team, required to help set up or pack down. Found on our Northern Rovers FC app and online, you will be provided with a draw which states your kick off time, home and away team and set or pack down requirements, this is how a Saturday will look
8.30am – home teams listed for the 9am game are required to arrive to collect the field pack which includes cones, balls, GK gloves
9am – Kick off of games starts
9am – 9.20am = warmups
9.20 – 9.35am = First half
9.35 – 9.40am = Half time
9.40 – 9.55am = Second half (following the end of your game which MUST finish at 5 minutes to the hour, please ensure you move off the field for the next teams to start.)
10am & 11am kick-offs as per above
The last home team on the last kick off will be responsible for packing all equipment away. Goals are to be stacked in 3 piles, 2 at the far end of the fields up against the Tristram Ave fence, both beside the light towers and the 3rd pile on the concrete pad to the west of the clubhouse. All cones, spot markers and field markings are to return to the equipment room downstairs in the clubhouse.
Training, At Northern Rovers FC, we run a Pre-Academy (PAC) skill centre, which is not compulsory, however is highly recommended to enable your child to learn the core skills required to ensure their footballing experience is the best it can be as well as the ability to make new friendships and enhance existing ones. PAC sessions are fun-based with a focus on the core skills required to play within the rules and be ready for the next level of competition. PAC will run on a Monday and Friday evening during term 1 and Monday and Wednesday during terms 2 & 3. You can choose if you want 1 session or 2 sessions per week. PAC sessions are run by our Director of Football with the assistance of our club-qualified coaches. At PAC, we ask all parents to watch from the clubhouse or courtyard, with no spectators permitted pitch side. This is to enable the kids to concentrate within our environment and allow the coaches their full attention.
Team creations, we encourage players and parents to put together teams for these grades however, should you not be able to get a team together, the club will organise based on school groups. A team will consist of 7 players, a manager and a coach/referee.
Coach, this role should be seen as a hybrid of coaching and refereeing and can be done so on the pitch with the players to help organise them. It is recommended you stay toward the backline, so you stay out of the play.
Managers, you will be responsible for the admin off the field during the week and on Saturday’s to assist the coach with substitutions.
Equipment/Gear, Each team will be supplied a gear bag with 7 bibs, 10 cones, POD certificates, GK gloves and a whistle. Also provided will be a bag of 7 balls which can be used for the warmups and if your team want to have their own training during the week, however as mentioned it is highly recommended players enrol in the PAC session. Allocation of field space is limited at Becroft Park however we do have alternate allocation at Mairangi Bay Park on some nights.
Uniform, all players are required to be wearing the official club shirt and shorts which can be purchased from our online shop or from the Lotto apparel shop located next on the lower floor at McFetridge clubrooms, the shop will be open on Friday nights through May. The club has a limited supply of second-hand shirts available for $25 and they can be purchased (Dates TBC)
Playing up a grade, A key part of Northern Rovers FC is our Talent Development Program (TDP) which his run alongside NRF and Auckland FC. Northern Rovers FC is one of 12 clubs across Auckland hold this licence which means our pathway system is highly sought after. This program commences in Grade 14 however to prepare players for this grade to the work starts from grade 8&9 through to grade 13. Our Director of Football along with his qualified club coaches will be looking for players showing the core technical skills, attitude and drive to succeed in this TDP environment through the season. These players may be asked to play in a grade up for us to be able to monitor their appropriate challenge point and will be required to be enrolled in PAC.
Grade Convenor, this is a volunteer who will work alongside our staff and Director of Football to ensure a smoother operation throughout the season. Should you have any questions or concerns this person is your first point of contact.
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