Season Start 2018
First games for the 2018 Season are on the weekend of 7/8 April.
Games will be on every weekend from 7/8 April, until 25/26 August. There are two weekends when there are no games:
21 April - 22 April (Middle weekend of the April school holidays)
14 July - 15 July (Middle weekend of the July school holidays).
Age Grades 2018
Grades by birth year are shown below for the 2018 season:
Born in - 2012/2013 Grade First Kicks
Born in - 2011 Grade 7
Born in - 2010 Grade 8
Born in - 2009 Grade 9
Born in - 2008 Grade 10
Born in - 2007 Grade 11
Born in - 2006 Grade 12
Born in - 2005 Grade 13
Born in - 2004 Grade 14
All players are to play within their own age grade.
- Girls may choose to play a grade younger in the mixed Saturday league, or play in a Girls Only Sunday League (GOSL), or both! Girls playing both Saturday and Sunday pay an extra registration fee because the council ground fees and other administrative charges are paid for both leagues.
First Kicks is a skills training, games, fun, player development programme that runs at Newtown Park on Saturday mornings 8:30am - 9:30am. Players enjoy 4 fun-packed training drills called Station Rotation then the squad of ten players is split up to play short games of 4 or 5 aside, on small fields with no goalkeepers and modified rules. Appropriate shoes/boots, clothing, drink bottles recommended. Shin pads are compulsory.
Fun Football programme is based at Newtown Park on Saturdays. Games are usually played between 9 - 10.30am on Saturday's. On every third weekend a Fun Football Festival day sends teams to play games against other clubs (at numerous venues across Wellington - so games may finish at 11am – controlled by the clubs that hold the festival days). Players are taken through 2 training drills called Station Rotation then play 4 short games of 5 v 5 on small fields, with no goalkeepers and modified rules. Players in Fun Football, also attend one training session during the week (this will be confirmed by your coach).
- First festival weekend for 2018 - tbc.
- Festival days will take place every 3rd week.
- Festival Weekends are played at: Newtown Park. Miramar Park, Wakefield Park & Karori Park.
- Fun Football players attend one training session during the week at Wakefield Park (coaches will confirm training day & time ASAP).
9th to 14th Grade Games
These Grades play on sportsgrounds around Wellington; in general, grounds can get further away as players get older. Listed are some of the venues these grades play at: MacAlister Park, Crawford Green, Vogelmorn Park, Mt Albert Park, Newlands Park, Sinclair Park and Wakefield Park. Players attend one training session during the week at Wakefield Park (coaches will confirm training day & time asap).
Girls Only
Girls Only play at Wakefield Park - Artificial Turf, Island Bay & Te Whaea - Artificial Turf, Hutchison Road, Newtown. Players attend one training session during the week at Wakefield Park. Artificial Turf Guidelines for Use - Please read.
More information on the Girls Only Sunday League can be found on Capital Football's website.
Training grounds for 2018
We have secured Wakefield Park this year as our training ground. The turf is booked Tuesday 5pm – 6.30pm & Thursday, 5pm - 6.30pm.
Training sessions are organised by the coach/manager, they will confirm training day & time as soon as teams have been allocated.
Guille Schiltenwolf (WU Junior Development Officer)
Guille orginally from Buenos Aires, Argentina has extensive Junior coaching experience. He has coached many football teams in Wellington. Guille is looking forward to coaching our younger stars of tomorrow.
Ball duty and fund raising roster - senior game support
A roster will be established for all teams above Grade 9 to take turns at supporting ‘ball duty’ for our senior most Wellington United men’s and women’s teams. When we don't provide ball kids, the club is fined $100. Ball Duty [pdf] Please note: Ball Kids from Grade 9 upwards. (Must be able to throw (not kick) the ball to the player from the sideline).
BALL DUTY
Pre-game:
For all games, arrive 30 minutes prior to kick-off. Assemble outside clubrooms door. Home team manager will meet you there, and take the ball kids to shed for collecting jackets if required. If the Home team manager does not appear, go to the Bar and ask for the Bar Manager. Note: Free coffee or tea for parents of ball-kids.
Game:
Maximum 4 ball kids required, minimum 3. 1 positioned at each end behind the goals, 1 each on either side-line. Sideline ball-kids must be on the track, not the field. Each ball-kid should be holding a ball before kick-off, and during game. 5 balls are provided for Central league, 1 for the field, and 4 for ball-kids.
Side-lines ball-kids:
The side-lines ball-kid should follow play up and down the side-line, so they are as close to the position the ball gets kicked out as possible. When the ball is kicked out, the ball-kid is to throw (not kick) the ball to the player requesting the ball to continue play, before they run to retrieve the ball kicked out. When they have retrieved the ball, they are to return to position, nearest to where play is underway.
Goal-end ball-kids:
The goal-end ball-kids should follow play from side to side, so they are as close to the position the ball gets kicked out as possible. When the ball is kicked out, the ball-kid is to throw (not kick) the ball to the player requesting the ball to continue play, before they run to retrieve the ball kicked out. When they have retrieved the ball, they are to return to • position, nearest where play is underway.
Ball-kid etiquette:
1. Do not bounce the ball, kick the ball or sit on the ball during the game on the side-line, or behind the goal. Ball-kids need to be paying attention to the game, and be ready to react to throw-ins or corners when required. Any loss of control of the ball that goes onto the field and stops play will result in around 40 very angry adults.
2. Always throw the ball to the player requesting the ball with his hands gesturing outwards. If 2 players ask for the ball at the same time, throw the ball to either. As long as somebody gets the ball and we don’t delay play.
After the Game: Hand the balls back to the Home team manager after everybody has shaken hands and are leaving the field. Head into the Clubrooms to the bar, where a can of drink and chippies or chocolate will be provided.
