Frequently Asked Questions for Junior Football
What Grade is my SON in?
His age grade is determined by the age he will be as at 31 December of the calendar year.
- If your son is 7 as at 31 Dec of the calendar year he will play 7th Grade,
- If your son is 10 as at 31 Dec of the calendar year he will play 10th Grade.
What Grade is my DAUGHTER in?
As above but girls are allowed to play a grade down, in fact it is recommended that they play a grade down especially as they get older ( e.g. 11yrs on ).
- If your daughter is 8 as at 31 Dec of the calendar year she can play 8th grade or 7th grade.
- If your daughter is 12 as at 31 Dec of the calendar year she can play 12th grade or 11th grade.
What is First Kicks (Nursery Grade)?
First Kicks is the new initiative from the NZ Football Whole of Football Plan for nursery grade players (aged 4 through 6 as at 31 Dec that year). Tawa Junior Football implement the Game day component, which is filled with lots of short activities and exposure to the different compoennts of the game. The emphasis is on fun, exploration and enjoyment for individual players, with no requirement to understand tactics or team play.
At First Kicks stage, players will experience being rotated through a number of fun, yet challenging skills stations before playing games in a small sided format (3v3 or 4v4).
What is Fun Football (7th & 8th Grade)?
The introduction of Fun Football as part of NZ Footballs Whole of Football Plan promotes a shift away from 7-8 year olds playing in competitions with larger game formats. Tawa implemented both the Game Day and Training Day formats during the 2011 pilot year. As with First Kicks, Fun Football utilisies fun activities and small sided games as a motivational, but not over-burdening environment. The focus is on individual development of the payer with no requirement to understand team tactics and this is relfected in the playing structures. 2012 sees the Whole of Football plan implemented at all clubs in the Wellington region.
Fun Football training and game days are run in-house. Every 3rd week Game day, the Tawa teams will play against other clubs in the region. These are called Feastival days. Each game day will include a 20 minute technical warm up, followed by four ten minute games.
What is Mini Football (2012 9th & 10th Grades)?
As part of the Whole of Football Plan, 2012 sees the introduction of Mini-Football for these grades.
Players will continue to play in squads of 8 or 9 (games are 7 aside) with a coach.
Matches against other clubs will still be played and the teams will still be graded. The game format changes slightly from previous years. Rather than one match, each team will be playing two matches every Saturday, retaining the same length of football (2 x 25 minute matches). Four teams will be placed at each football field venue and will play against each other.
The key reason for this change is to encourage the players to enjoy their football experience, with less focus on results. The focus should be less on the results at this age and more on their overall football education. This format also allows for the rounds to be played out faster, thus allowing the teams to be promoted/relegated within the league to ensure that teams are playing against similarly skilled teams.
Travel leagues (out of zone) will also be introduced for those teams in the 'top' sections for the 10th grade only.
Where do the teams play and what sort of football do they play?
- Separate Girls Sunday league! – currently at Nairnville artificial pitch Sundays mornings
- First Kicks (Nursery Grade) – see above
- Fun Football (7th & 8th Grade) - see above
- Mini Football (9th & 10th Grades) – see above .
- 11th Grade – 9 a side played in the Wellington region, excluding Hutt Valley.
- 12th Grade - 9 a side played in the Wellington region, including the Hutt Valley.
- 13th & 14th Grade inclusive – 11 a side played in the Wellington region, including the Hutt Valley.
- Junior Premier League ( JPL ) – 12th grade and above - is played across the Greater Wellington Region.
- 15 years and above – managed through the colleges – same as 2009.
15th grade and above no longer exist at the Junior club.
All football for these age groups are now administered by the colleges throughout the Wellington region. U17 & U21 grade teams are available through the senior club.
What are Trials?
Trials are another name for Grading, a process which is conducted during a Grading Festival (see below)
What is a Grading Festival
By the Mini Football stage, players should be surrounded with others of similar ability, allowing coaches to challenge and get the best out of players within the group. Best with best is currently known as 'grading' and typically occurs around the age of nine.
It is also important to recognise that players can differ greatly at this age which compounds the needs for a grading process. Recent research has revealed that in any given age group there can be a 4 year football development age difference between players. In simple terms, some players start playing earlier than others, practice more or even mature earlier, which can give them a football development age above their chronological age. With this in mind it is important that we use the grading process to differentiate between players who may require higher levels of competition enabling them to play against players of similar abilities as well as matching the technical development programme to extend their skills and techniques. Through this process players are able to play and train at levels that are motivating, stimulating and matched to their actual football development abilities and needs. This way all players are provided with is the opportunity to develop in an environment that will help develop confidence, lift self-esteem and create an effective platform for prolonged involvement in the game
Players attending a grading festival are assessed on their skill level, teamwork and fitness.
Tawa creates a streamed team for each grade from 9th-14 grades. The Age Group Coorindators (AGC's) organise the Grading Festival for their respective group. Generally indepentant selectors attend the grading and help with selection. To be sure you are aware of Grading dates please contact your AGC.
What is the Coach Educator?
The Coach Educator is a the 'director' of a structured coaching program for all Tawa Junior Coaches from 7th - 14th grade. The program aims to ensure that all Coaches have a fundamental level of training to enable them to successfully coach kids. The Coach Educator is also responsible for running the Player Development Programme (PDP) and the holiday programmes. The position of Coach Educator was a new initiative started in the 2011 season.
Age Grade Co-ordinator Contact Numbers
| Junior Club Captain | Allan Pledger |
| Fundraising Coordinator | Kath Henshaw |
| Coaching Educator | Triston Leigh |
| 14th Grade AGC | vacancy |
| 13th grade AGC | Mike Green |
| 12th Grade AGC | Kerry Hunt |
| 11th Grade AGC | Bevan Hartley |
| 10th Grade AGC | Simon Wellborne |
| 9th Grade AGC | Paul Gunn |
| 8th Grade AGC | vacancy -interim contact Simon Wellborne |
| 7th Grade AGC | vacancy -interim contact Simon Wellborne |
| Nursery | vacancy -interim contact Simon Wellborne |
First Kicks and Fun Football: Why do players experience skill activities on game day rather than just playing a game?
Although station rotation is not at the heart of the day, it provides a valuable platform for players to continue developing the football skills that will be later applied in to the real game situation. Focus should be placed on individual development; particularly between the age of 4-8 years, which will lead to more confident and technically competent players. Greater skill levels will only increase the child s love and appreciation of the small sided game.
First Kicks and Fun Football: Why do players keep rotating rather than just playing the one game?
The junior framework places the needs of children at the heart of the structures. As you will be aware, young children have a limited concentration span and therefore require lots of variation in order to keep them engaged and interested. By offering an environment which has lots of variation with different components, we aim to maximise the limited time players experience football. The amount of time spent in a small sided game has not reduced from previous formats, it simply has been split in to shorter bite size chunks to increase motivation levels for more of the time, as well as reducing the impact on high score lines and over dominant players.
First Kicks and Fun Football:What is involved in the rotational activities?
New Zealand Football has researched what children at different stages of their development require to provide them with the foundation for effective future participation. Love for the game is at the heart of the junior framework and core to that is players feeling competent at the sport, therefore it is crucial that the right ingredients are provided to players. There are four key components to a player s development:
- General Movement provides players with fun energetic activities which generally take place without the use of the ball. It develops physical literacy and is the fundamental foundation for players to learnmore complex movements as they progress through Junior Football
- Football Coordination provides the opportunity for players to familiarise themselves with the ball through lots and lots of touches. Players, particularly at the younger ages should be allowed to justexplore and use their imagination, whilst dribbling and changing direction quickly with the ball.
- Football Technique is developed through fun, motivational activities which offer players lots of dribbling, shooting and for the fun footballer fakes and turning. The use of competition and games in skill sessions offers repetition of techniques in a motivational setting.
- Small Sided Games provide players with the chance to practice their individual skills in a group setting. It promotes freedom and exploration, which is more motivating for a player than anything else. At these young ages no emphasis should be placed on team tactics, with game leaders encouraging and praising individual play. With small numbers and small pitches, playing small sided games provides players with lots of opportunities to be successful and provides them with the much neededconfidence.
First Kicks and Fun Football: Is there much flexibility for the club when delivering the framework?
New Zealand Football has provided standardised playing and operating formats for both game day and training, however within these formats is flexibility to best meet the needs of both clubs and players.
What is flexible?
- Pitch sizes; We have provided a minimum and maximum pitch size range
- Goal Sizes; We have provided a minimum and maximum goal size range
- Station activities; Clubs can alter the timing and number of station activities prior to playing small sided games on game day, with a requirement to run at least one.
- Playing formats; At both First Kicks (3v3 & 4v4) and Fun Football (4v4 & 5v5) we have allowed clubs to choose between two formats based on the needs of the club and the number of players registered.
First Kicks and Fun Football: Why do game leaders stay on a station and not move with groups of players?
This format has specifically been designed to support both coach and player development. Players are exposed to different game leaders throughout a season, who will all have different things to offer a child s development. Players are therefore not restricted by the weaknesses of one game leader and can access the strengths of others, whilst been provided with the much needed variation. We have also tried to support game leaders more, with the requirement to run only one activity for short amounts of time rather than running a whole session and having to manage young players for long periods.
I want to pay the Club for development/holiday programmes or fees. How do I do this?
You can fees by pay
- Cheque, posting it to the contact details listed on our contact page.
- Internet Banking Account # 03 1534 0004852 00