Youth Football (ages 13 to 17)
REGISTER
Registrations for the 2024 winter season open 1 January! Please email us with any questions.
Registration fee: $190, plus Swifts contribution dependant on training option selected.
KEY DATES
Season start: 4 May
Season finish: 9 September
For selected teams: see here for open training days, times and locations.
1. OVERVIEW
Youth Football is for players turning 13 - 17 in 2024.
Note: In 2024, we are not running U15 and U17 teams.
Players in Under 13 transition to playing on full sized fields with 11-a-side teams, on Sunday mornings.
Our Under 17 teams feed directly into our Men’s Senior Reserve and Third teams (largely made up of under 19 players) and First team, providing the opportunity for youth players to extend themselves and accelerate their playing "career". A consistent training environment across our youth and senior environments ensures players transition from junior to youth to senior football seamlessly.
Waterside Karori AFC is an accredited NZF Talent Development Programme provider.
More information is set out below.
2. UNDER 13s AND UNDER 15s
Players in under 13s and under 15s can opt to attend an open training session for a selected team, or to play socially.
Selected teams our (TDP teams) play in the Capital Development Leagues against other selected (TDP) teams from across the Wellington region, and therefore face tougher competition and a more advanced level of football. Players who are selected take part in the Swifts Talent Centre, which involves a greater level of commitment, including attendance at three trainings a week and a high standard of behaviour.
Open training sessions are optional – players who choose not to attend, or who are not selected, play in social teams.
Information on open training sessions can be found here.
Non-graded teams are put together by grade coordinators, who will aim to place your child with their friends or kids from the same school. The focus for these teams is fun, and additional opportunities are available to those who wish to work their way into a selected team next season.
Games
Games are 11-a-side (including a goalkeeper). Teams usually have 14 players, allowing for three substitutes. Teams play one 60 minute (U13s) or 70 minute (U15s) game each Saturday.
The time and location for each week’s game is determined by a draw published by Capital Football, which can be found here.
Selected teams play in “Capital Development Leagues” against other TDP providers. Non graded Karori teams play in the “Wellington/Western Zone Combined Leagues”.
Trainings
The format for team trainings will depend on whether your child is playing in a selected team or a social team.
Selected teams participate in the Swifts Talent Centre programme. Swifts Talent Centre is the club’s high performance programme, designed to provide high quality and challenging trainings. As an accredited NZF Talent Development Programme provider we follow high level delivery standards.
Swifts Talent Centre involves three trainings a week delivered by our qualified club coaches. Selected teams also participate in a range of pre- and post-season tournaments.
More information on the Swift Talent Centre can be found on the Swifts website here.
Please note that selected players are required to pay an additional fee upon selection, to help contribute towards the cost of coaching, turf hireage and tournament entry fees associated with Swifts.
Non-graded teams usually train once a week, either after school or on a Sunday. The day, time and location for trainings can be decided collectively by team members (subject to the availability of grounds). Trainings are run by parent coaches, or the team can opt to engage a club coach for an additional cost (more information will be provided closer to the start of the season).
3. UNDER 17S
Our Under 17 teams play in the Under 17 Capital Development League on Sunday mornings.
All Under 17 players participate in the Swifts Talent Centre programme. Swifts is the club’s high performance programme, designed to provide high quality and challenging trainings to in a single, consistent environment, and is delivered by the club's full time professional coaching staff.
Swifts involves three trainings a week, at Terawhiti Artificial Turf or a full sized field elsewhere in Wellington.
Our Under 17 players are also eligible to train and play in our senior environment - see below.
More information on Swifts, and U17 training details, can be found on the Swifts website here.
4. PROMOTION TO SENIOR FOOTBALL
Our Under 17 teams feed directly into our Men’s Senior Reserve and Third teams (largely made up of under 19 year old players) and First team, providing the opportunity for youth players to extend themselves and accelerate their playing "career".
A consistent training environment across our youth and senior environments ensures players transition from junior to youth to senior football seamlessly.
Under 17 players may be invited to join senior trainings, and then to play, by the coaching team throughout the season.
For more information please email swifts@karorifootball.co.nz
5. WHEN AND WHERE?
Season begins: 4 or 5 May
Season finishes: September
School holiday break: Football runs on the first and last weekend of the school holidays, but we take a break for Easter weekend and the middle weekend of the holidays.
School Holiday and Summer Programmes: Swifts Talent Centre operates a school holiday programmes and a summer programme during terms 1 and 4. We encourage players to keep up their football over the holidays and summer by getting involved in these! More information can be found on the Swifts website here.
6. WHAT GEAR DO YOU NEED?
Players need to have their own:
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Plain black shorts.
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Black football socks.
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Football boots.
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Shin pads.
Football boots and shin pads can be bought from most sports stores and off TradeMe. Socks and shorts can be purchased from the Soccer Shop or from most sports retailers in Wellington.
The club provides each team with black and white striped Waterside Karori playing tops and training gear at the beginning of the season (all of which must be returned at the end of the season).
Players train in Swift training kit. This is provided at no cost to players who are new to the programme, and can be purchased by players who have already received kit, from the Gear page of this website.
7. HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
Step 1: Register for the winter season
Online registrations are now open. Please email your grade coordinator (details here) if you wish to sign up.
Please email support@karorifootball.co.nz with any questions.
Step 2: Trials, for those who have opted to trial for selected teams
Trials are held in late February/early March - see here for more information.
Step 3: Grade Coordinators will put together social teams
Grade Coordinators will put players into teams after registrations close in early March.
Grade Coordinators will then be in touch with you, with information on your team and the start of the season. This might not be until mid/late March.
The club will separately email you once registrations have closed with more information on the season, how things will work, key contacts, and other key details.
Step 4: The season starts!
