Check out our intro to First Kicks video on Youtube.
When?
Saturdays 9 – 10am, from 7 April to 25 August 2018
There’s 19 playing Saturdays.
No games on Easter Weekend and on the middle week of the school holidays.
Who?
First Kicks is aimed at those turning 4, 5 or 6 this year (and born in 2014, 2013 and 2012) with or without any previous experience kicking a ball. Last season we had around 60 kids playing each Saturday morning. It’s superb to see the turf humming on a Saturday morning with around 200 playing across two hours. You’re most welcome to come along and give it a go first to see if your player is keen.
Where?
Football Turf at Maidstone Park, Park Road (opposite Parapine ITM)
What?
We follow the New Zealand Football Junior Framework that encourages a variety of skill development and is all about building the foundation for future years. You’ll probably see us using laminated games guides from the framework each Saturday. Each Saturday we’ll start 9am sharp. The first part of the session is made up of four station rotations (around 8 minutes each) that focus on each training area including general movement, football coordination, football technique and small sided games. Then we play games (around 8 minutes each) for the remainder of the time. We mix up the players using bibs. Teams are re-created each Saturday. We’ll often split the whole grade in to the more confident players and those who are still finding their way. See the action in our photo gallery of First Kicks and 7th and 8th Grades.
Parents are game leaders
We have a number of parents volunteer to act as “game leaders” so all our children can enjoy a good productive morning’s play. The role is far more about making sure they’re having fun than any technical football job. There are a ready-made game cards to work with and we always love coaches who are keen to get a bit crazy. Everyone coaching is a parent of a First-Kicker. Please let James know if you’re keen.
Register and pay online
Returning players will need their MyCOMET login.
New players will need to set up a new MyCOMET player profile.
Click here to find out how on our registration page.
2018 seasons fees are $90
Payments for the season are made by credit or debit card when you register. We welcome registrations throughout the season. All registrations within a month of the season start will pay full fees and any other amounts will be advised by the grade manager. If you wish to talk about payments – please get in touch.
Gear you’ll need
Once all paid up, we’ll give players an orange club shirt (for them to keep). Your budding footballer will need shorts and closed shoes – football boots are best for the turf. Plus they can wear their favourite football team colour until they get their club shirt. Shin pads really are a must. Black shorts and club socks are preferred, but are not compulsory as the only uniform piece expected at this age is their t-shirt.
Game rules
To ensure each player has as many touches of the ball as possible and young players concentrate on skills that are best suited to their age we play a simplified version. No goalies. No offside. No corners. Kick / dribble in instead of throw-ins. Attacking team returns to half way for a goal kick.
Players of the day
Plus there’s lots of rewards to earn including All Whites posters, player of the day certificates and rewards and skills zone prizes throughout the season.
Cancellations
Are few and far between as we play on an artificial turf so we usually just play on. However if it’s obvious it’ll be bad we have a UHCF First Kicks 2018 Facebook page that we post updates to.
For more information
Contact our First Kicks Grade Manager
James Lamb
027 266 9295
james@upperhuttcityfootball.org.nz