Wellington United Diamonds
Women's W League (nee Women's Central League)

At Wellington United our women’s side of the club continues to grow year after year and we are proud to be one of the strongest women’s clubs in the country with FOUR fantastic women’s teams 😊 Due to high demand we eventually envision to add a 5th team!

We are club that doesn’t shy away from investing in our women’s teams and we are certainly reaping the fruits of this investment.
Our top women’s team the Diamonds has had podium finishes over the last 5 seasons including two where they were crown league champions in 2016 and 2018!

2018 was a pretty special year in fact for the Diamonds; coming away with the W-League Title, the Kelly Cup and making the semi-finals of the Kate Sheppard Cup!

Under the fantastic guidance of Guillermo Schiltenwolf, we strive to play attractive, attacking and uncompromising football.  No player is above the team; we are a family who work hard for the players around us.  Every season under Guille's watch we have grown stronger and stronger and team members are now starting to reap those rewards with overseas scholarships and contracts, national team honours and countless regional selections :)

Netherlands Initiative:
In 2011 with the help of Club President John Dow we set up an international initiative with one of Wellington United's founding countries - the Netherlands.  We set a target to bring top female players to New Zealand to help develop and grow our players.  Through fantastic club stalwarts and supporters Guillermo Schiltenwolf, Ken Allen, Anthony Mumby, Sandy Cumpstone, and Henry Tait as well as continued support from John Dow, we have been able to continue this initiative.

Through this venture we have had the honour of hosting some excellent Dutch players at Wellington United:
2011 - Mariska Kogelman (PEC Zwolle)
2012 - Artemis Brueren (FC Twente)
2013 - Priscilla de Vos (Telstar VVNH)
2014 - Marianne van Brummelen (PEC Zwolle)
2015 - Jorie Schepers and Jolijn Heuvels (PEC Zwolle)
​2017 - Marije van Dam (PEC Zwolle)
2018 - Marije van Dam and Suzanne Giesen (PEC Zwolle)

In 2015 we were very excited to be able send two of our Diamond players to the Netherlands for the very first time. They were able to train and play with PEC Zwolle for just under two months (and of course catch up with Ryan Thomas)! This was a fantastic experience for them both and we look forward further strengthening our relationship with PEC Zwolle in the years to come :)

2018 Summary:
2018 was a pretty memorable year for our top women’s team; the Diamonds. We claimed the W-League title (previously named the Women’s Central League) making us the top female football team in the lower North Island. We also won the Kelly Cup Competition for the first time. Although we have made the final previously, the final has generally fallen following College Tournament week! So with the final scheduled a week earlier this year our ladies finally claimed this elusive cup!

And finally we got the monkey off our back by making the national stage of the Kate Sheppard Cup; making the semi-final for the first time in our clubs history. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be going down to the eventual winners 2-4 after being 2-2 just after half time. Our young Diamonds will be much stronger for the experience though and are very hungry to go one step further in 2019!

Our record for the season {all games} was pretty awesome with 20 wins, 1 draw and just 1 loss!! We scored a whopping 101 goals during the season and only conceded 16 to give us an incredible goal difference of +85! Dani Ohlsson picked up the league golden boot!

If you are stats kind of person, you can check out the stats specifically from the W-League here:
https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=42fb2810-6e81-437d-923c-06e5f0c54b36
You will see that we had the lowest average age in the league; we consciously blood a number of young players throughout each season so that they are able to transition into top flight football seamlessly when they are both physically and most importantly mentally ready 😊

Some player highlights:
- 4x 2017 Sapphires making the 2018 Diamonds squad – Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, Dani Ohlsson, Lucy Jones and Jemma Hall.
- Hope Gilchrist, Jayme-Lee Hunter and Ella Wilson undertaking USA University Scholarships.
- 8 of our girls being named in the Wellington Women’s Team (Capital) which played in the National Women’s League – Asha Strom, Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, Dani Ohlsson, Jemma Robertson, Michaela Robertson, Ronisa Lipi, Rosie Wild, and Sarah Alder.
- Sarah Alder and Francesca Grange making the New Zealand Women’s University Futsal Team and taking part in the World University Games in Kazakhstan.
- 3 of our girls leading from the front in our Girls U19 team which came 2nd overall in the Girls U19 National Tournament in Christchurch – Lucy Jones, Elizabeth Crowe and Jemma Hall.
- Michaela Robertson and Maggie Jenkins (2017 Diamond) being involved in the 2018 Football Ferns Development Programme.
- Ronisa Lipi being named captain of the Samoan Women’s team and playing in the OFC Championships – FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.
- Emma Rolston making the Football Ferns Team and playing against Japan and during the OFC Championships – FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.
​- Past Diamond Maggie Jenkins starting in every game (minus a pool game) at the 2018 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

A huge thank you to Club Manager of the Year Guillermo Schiltenwolf (Geesh) who was instrumental in the continued growth and success of the Diamonds. Your commitment and belief in the team are second to none! We are very lucky to have you, and your right hand man, Elliot Taylor at the Club.

Of course we could not have done so well without a huge support crew. We are indebted to the help of our friends, family, sponsors and supporters alike! Special mention to Ken Allen, Henry Tait, John Dow, Anthony Mumby, Sandy Cumpstone, Jo Moar, Dave Richardson, Wayne Eichler and the Committee, Oscar Searancke, and of course our lovely ball kids, the entire women's side had a successful season again! We have the largest, strongest, and most hard-working women's club in the region!! Thank you Guille, Elliot, Maika, Alice, Sam, Oscar and Jed :) Without you the women's club wouldn't be where it is!

2016 WU Diamonds
Women's Central League Title WINNERS!
Quarterfinalists in the NZ Women's Knockout Cup
​

2015 WU Diamonds
Runners Up in the Women's Central League
Quarterfinalists in the NZ Women's Knockout Cup

2014 WU Diamonds
3rd place in the Women's Central League
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Guillermo Schiltenwolf
Wellington United Diamonds Head Coach (2011 - Present)

Elliot Taylor
Wellington United Diamonds Assistant Coach (2015 - Present)

Rare Diamond - Marianne van Brummelen
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New Zealand Representatives! Past and present Diamonds who have worn the Fern :)

Michaela ROBERTSON - New Zealand FFDP and U20 Football Teams

Sarah ALDER - NZ Futsal Ferns and Univesity Women's Futsal Team | Francesca GRANGE - NZ Futsal Ferns and University Women's Futsal and NZ U17 Team

Emma ROLSTON - New Zealand Football Ferns, FFDP, U20 and U17 Teams

Maggie JENKINS - New Zealand Football Ferns, FFDP, U20 and U17 Football Teams

Emma FULLBROOK and Hope GILCHRIST - New Zealand U17 Football Team

Ronisa LIPI - Somoa Women's Team and New Zealand U20 and U17 teams

Maya HAHN - New Zealand U17 Football Team

Briar PALMER - New Zealand U20 & U17 Football Teams

Maxine COOPER - New Zealand Fustal Ferns

Serena MURRIHY - New Zealand U20 Football Team

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2019 Women's W-League Squad

Ronisa
​LIPI

Position: Goalkeeper
Playing No: 1
​WU Debut: 2018

Sophie
DIJKSTRA

Position: Defender
Playing No: 2
​WU Debut: 2019

Sam
​WOOLLEY

Position: Defender
Playing No: 3
​WU Debut: 2017

Coco
​MURPHY

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 4
​WU Debut: 2017

Ella
WILSON

Position: Defender
Playing No: 5
​WU Debut: 2014

Francesca GRANGE

Position: Defender
Playing No: 6
​WU Debut: 2014

Lucy
​JONES

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 7
​WU Debut: 2014

Emma
​MAIN

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 8
​WU Debut: 2019

Dani
​OHLSSON

Position: Forward
Playing No: 9
WU Debut: 2015

Michaela
ROBERTSON

Position: Forward
Playing No: 10
​WU Debut: 2013

Helen
​SEED

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 11
WU Debut: 

Jemma
ROBERTSON

Position: Forward
Playing No: 12
WU Debut: 2013

Rosie
​WILD

Position: Defender
Playing No: 13
WU Debut: 2018​

Sarah
ALDER

Position: Defender
Playing No: 14
WU Debut: 2012​

Elizabeth
CROWE

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 15
WU Debut: 2014​

Asha  STROM

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 16
WU Debut: 2014​

Natalie OLSON

Position: Forward
Playing No: 17
WU Debut: 2016​

Molly SIMONS

Position: Goalkeeper
Playing No: 18
WU Debut: 2017​

Genevieve BERRY

Position: Defender
Playing No: 19
WU Debut: 2017​

Madeline PIGOU-WILLIAMS

Position: Defender
Playing No: 20
WU Debut: 2016​

Charlotte WILFORD-CARROLL

Position: Midfielder
Playing No: 21
​WU Debut: 2016

Briar PALMER

Position: Forward
Playing No: 22
​WU Debut: 2017

2019 Extended Squad

We would also like to congratulate the following players from the Wellington United Sapphires and the Wellington United 14th Grade teams who impressed us over the season and therefore were given game-time with the Diamonds. The future certainly looks bright for the Diamonds! So far these players include Kelsey WILKINSON, Nea BLACKHAN, Jemma CATHERWOOD, Holly KELMAN, Amanda PARLANE and Samantha WHYTE.

To express your interest for the 2020 W-League Team
please contact Guillermo on guilleschiltenwolf@hotmail.com :)