Players wishing to attend Youth ID sessions must register as a 2026 member to be able to attend. Should a player wish to de-register following the ID session process, a refund less $85 will be provided.

All players will be required to visit the sign in desks to have their registration validated and receive an identification number. The registration desk will close 10 minutes before the allocated session times. Please do not leave it to the last minute to sign in, as you may miss out.

TDP Squads will be announced online by 5pm on Sunday, 8th February. 

At Northern Rovers FC, we believe that football is for everyone. Whether you're an experienced player or just starting, we have a place for you. Regardless of your ability or talent, we’ll ensure you find a team that suits your skills and provides a competitive and enjoyable environment.

Our club welcomes both male and female players, offering a pathway from Development teams to Saturday league teams. With our Academy, Championship, and Conference grades playing on Sundays, you can represent both your school and your club. No one is excluded because at Northern Rovers, we’re committed to ensuring everyone can play football and have fun doing it. There are no barriers to joining our community—come and be a part of the Northern Rovers family!

With the recent arrival of Auckland FC and the new Player Development Pathway program, we are a proud partner in this, allowing all Northern Rovers FC players to reach the next level of professional football, should this be your goal.

Pathway

Our goal is to create complete footballers ready to succeed at any level, while keeping them grounded in our club culture and values. Following the graduation from the Junior grades where players will have mastered the basic’s, players will go through a thorough identification process ahead of the naming of our Academy, Championship, Conference and League teams.

We understand there will be some players who will feel unlucky, lucky or in between. The important message to understand here is those who chose both the on field and off field values, attributes and skills are the ones who will get the most out of our programs. Many of these skills we will have been monitoring through the junior grades. There are always those who come close and will miss out on the desired level of competition however this should not be taken as you will never make it, those who go away, work hard and stay connected to the coaches can progress into these teams.

As an indication of the success rates in football, Doug Kours, Head of Auckland FC Player Recruitment, recently told our membership, of the 30,000 youth footballers in our region, there are xx spots in the Auckland FC Development Centre with a KPI to convert 1 per year into the Auckland FC Reserves. At Northern Rovers FC we see similar numbers in terms of our funnel where the progression from TDP U17’s to Men’s U23’s is a giant leap with a KPI of turning into regular starters and from there a success rate of 1 youth development player per year.

What is extremely important to understand is that the Men’s U23’s & 1st team are not the only options after Youth Football, Northern Rovers FC heartbeat is generated from community based teams across all levels, Junior, Youth and Seniors. We are fortunate enough to have over 20 senior community teams at Northern Rovers FC and for all graduating youth players we look to involve you with a club supported open grade side

Typical Weekly Schedule

• Girls TDP:

  • On‑field sessions: Tuesday & Thursday

  • Off-field coaching session: Monday

• Boys TDP:

  • On‑field sessions: Tuesday & Thursday

  • Off-field coaching session: Wednesday

• Girls & Boys Championship

  • On-field sessions twice a week

  • Off-field coaching sessions by invitation

• Girls & Boys Conference/Community

  • On-field session once a week

  • Off-field coaching sessions N/A

Typically players and parents become fixated with making TDP and if unsuccessful can think there is no other option or look to trial at other clubs. This is far from what we are at Northern Rovers FC, our Championship, Conference and League teams boast some great talent with regular opportunities to make the step into TDP squads but most importantly provides squads full of friends and the platform to keep playing.

Talent Development Program at Northern Rovers FC

Our Talent Development Programme (TDP) provides a high‑performance environment aligned with New Zealand Football’s national framework for youth aged 13–17 years.We deliver all core TDP requirements — and go beyond with additional expert partnerships, specialist support, and professional‑level opportunities designed to prepare players for the next step in their football journey.

Programme Philosophy

We believe in developing the whole player — technically, tactically, physically, and mentally.Our programme combines top‑level coaching, player wellbeing support, sport science integration, and a clear pathway from community to semi‑professional football.

Off Field Player Support & Specialist Expertise

We’re proud to offer access to leading sports professionals who support our players’ growth through focused workshops and expert sessions during the season.

Mental Skills & Wellbeing

Francis  De Vries — professional footballer and mental skills mentor

4–6 sessions per year,supporting players to develop confidence, resilience, and positive mindset habits both on and off the pitch.

Strength & Conditioning

Kim Simperingham, Head of Sport Science at NZ Football, oversees a Masters (AUT) strength & conditioning intern working fortnightly across boys’ and girls’ TDP squads.

Focuses movement quality, physical literacy, and age‑appropriate performance training.

Sports Science & Data Analysis

Dr Andrew Foskett, former NZ Football Head of Sport Science and current Massey University faculty head, leads our GPS and performance monitoring programme.

Assisted by senior university sport‑science students, players gain insights on workload management, fitness trends, and match performance.

Functional Movement Screening

Roland Jeffery, physiotherapist and movement specialist - All Whites Physio

Conducts FMS testing twice annually for all returning players and all new participants in their first season.This ensures injury prevention and optimal physical readiness.

Nutrition & Recovery

Glenn Kearney, High Performance Sport NZ nutritionist with experience supporting the All Blacks and Andy Murray

Delivers 1–2 workshops annually on fueling for performance and recovery.

Video & Game Analysis

Christian Dawson, Junior & Youth Director of Football

Leads Veo/Hudl analysis sessions twice per month (1 boys / 1 girls).These reviews enhance learning through video feedback and team discussions.

Goalkeeping Development

Specialist Goalkeeping Programme — Led by expert coaches such as Chris Millich, delivering personalised GK training sessions integrated with the TDP.We are actively maintaining this high standard with potential new GK coaches for 2026.

Our Point of Difference

What sets Northern Rovers FC apart is our comprehensive player‑development model built on collaboration with national‑level experts.Players experience a professional structure, individual growth plans, and direct exposure to real sport‑science and performance practices — all within a supportive community club environment.