Some of our youngest members are introduced to football through ‘Fun Football’ – part of New Zealand Football’s Junior Framework. The players learn new skills in a fun and friendly environment, taking part in weekly sessions that provide wide-ranging benefits:

• Social & Emotional – lots of interaction, enjoyment
• Technical & Tactical – lots of touches, 1v1s, attacking & defending
• Physical – develop Functional Movement Patterns, more active
• Mental – lots of opportunities for success and for decision making

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Whole of Football In-house

Friday evenings – 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Seddon Fields, Meola Road

First session: 3 May 2024
Final session:  20 September 2024

No Whole of Football on the following holiday 2024 dates:
31 May, 12 July, 19 July

8th Grade Coordinator – Henry Willis - coordinator2016@wsafc.org.nz 

Grading is strictly based on the year of birth: (2024 Season) 2016 – 8th Grade

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Registrations and Teams

Registrations typically open early February through to April. At the close of registrations, the grade coordinator will put the teams together based on requests as indicated on the registration form (they do their best, nothing is guaranteed). If you have a few friends wanting to play together, they will all have to indicate this on their registration. Click here to register.

Once all registrations are sorted into teams, the coordinator will email out team details (typically early March). Each team will require a volunteer coach, assistant coach, and manager. It is at the team's discretion if they want to practice during the week or not. Teams will be given the option to secure turf space for training if they require it.

Girls teams (Girls Hub) or Mixed teams

We will run the weekly Friday sessions (see below) pairing up teams for the games.  In 2024 we will also offer opportunities for all girls teams to play against other all girls teams instead of playing against mixed teams (includes boys).  We appreciate some girls may prefer to play with and against other girls so want to provide this option.  This new 'Girls Hub' will be for girls in the 8th (2016 born) and 9th (2015 born) grades to increase the number of girls teams in this new Friday night 'Girls Hub'.  Games will be at the same time as all mixed teams and still run on Fridays from 5:30-6:30pm.  Depending upon the number of girls teams, there may be some games against mixed teams.  To register to play in a team in the 'Girls Hub', register in the usual way and state preferences including answering the specific question about playing in a mixed team or in the 'Girl's Hub'.

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Fun Football Programme

Friday Evenings – 5:30pm

The weekly allocation of pitches and rotation activities will be made available on our website and App usually at least two days in advance. Two teams will be allocated to each playing area.

Each team will need two ‘coaches’ on the pitch with their team – one to run the activity card and one to take their team to the other activity (with the other coach). The hooter is sounded to signal the start/end of each activity/game.

Activity cards should be collected from our Whole of Football Coordinator in the clubrooms, at least 15 minutes prior to the session, and returned to the Whole of Football Coordinator at the end of the session.

TEAMS
Maximum of 10 players per team is preferred 

PITCH
1/6th of a pitch is shared between 2 teams and split into 2 separate pitches each with 2m x 1m goals at each end

5:30   Fit4Football or General Movement game as a Warm-up activity with own coach
5:38   Activity 1 with own coach
5:46   Activity 2 swap with other team coach

5:54 Return to your original station for a drink – 3 minutes 

Coaches ensure half the team has bibs on and organise with opponents so bibs v non-bibs on each field. After game 1, one team swaps the bibbed players over and then each team plays against the other half of the opposition team.

5:57   Game 1 kick-off
6:12   Bibbed players swap and get a drink
6:15   Game 2 kick-off
6:30   Clear field (remove goals) return all cards to clubrooms

RULES

• Players are encouraged to enjoy being in possession of the ball; the focus is on having fun and participation
• Goal kicks and corners can be introduced. For goal kicks, encourage opposition players to retreat back into their own half to allow the team in possession to pass the ball out to begin their attack. 
• When a goal is scored, encourage the scoring team to retreat to their own half and allow the conceding team to restart from their goal - again passing the ball out
• Allow kick-ins rather than throw-ins when the ball goes out at the side of the pitch
• Coaches should try to ensure games are relatively evenly matched. If one team has more players than the opposition then the coaches can monitor the game and balance the teams as fairly as possible by sharing players
• Team coaches will be on the field to encourage players and their positive behaviours. Coaches should encourage all players to perform different skills and roles within the team

PARENTS/SUPPORTERS
All supporters should watch games from behind the fence or on the balcony and provide encouragement to all players.