Waimak United Football Club

Issue Three

17th April 2020 Newsletter

Waimak United Football Club is the largest football club in North Canterbury. We provide football experiences for all abilities from the ages of 4 years and over. 

Due to COVID-19 the season has been postponed to start Saturday 30th May for both Mainland and In-house, however we will keep you up to date if these dates change.

A message from WUFC's FDO Adam Keizer

Another week in our bubbles done, and hopefully another week closer to the return of normal life and the start of the football season. New Zealand, like most other countries who imposed social lockdown, will see a staggered approach as we move out of stage 4 into stage 3. Hopefully we are coming towards a time when things become a bit clearer as to what the next few months look like after weeks of utter limbo, I remain cautiously optimistic about the end of May start date for the football season.

I’ve recently sent a video to our senior first team coaches and parents of our youth talent centre players providing strength and conditioning training from home courtesy of Alberto Seidi, a good friend of mine from back in the UK. Alberto is a former Southampton FC and Portugal U20 striker who these days is a qualified personal trainer and will be doing a number of videos each week for Waimak United providing strength exercise specifically for footballers.

I remember his days at Southampton, where he worked under Mauricio Pochettino and was in a youth team that featured James Ward Prowse, Luke Shaw and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain to name a few. Alberto, alongside a number of other talented academy players, was given opportunities at a young age to train with the first team players and many of his teammates went on to become Premier League footballers, while sadly a serious injury cut short Albertos professional football career at a time when he was about to make the first team and was clocking sprint times faster than Theo Walcott. But still to this day he looks back with great fondness on his time at Southampton, he still stays in touch with many of his former teammates and coaches and values the family environment that Southampton have developed so successfully within their youth programmes. I remember going to watch Southampton away at Manchester United with Alberto after being given tickets by James Ward Prowse to sit alongside the first team players family members. Chatting with the players after the game, it was amazing to watch how close the bonds between them were, and how there was no difference between Alberto (who was working as a security guard) and Premier League footballers earning over 50,000 pounds per week in how they treated each other. These star players were nothing like you may expect in terms of egos and self-importance, quite the opposite. Their humility, approachable and respectful nature stuck with me as an example of the type of characteristics that are so important to be successful in football, at every level.

Not long before moving back to NZ last year I was invited down to Southampton’s training headquarters and learnt a lot from their approach to youth player development. A key thing that I took away from my visit was the characteristics I saw in the players at Old Trafford were on show in all the staff I met, from the kit man and receptionist to the Director of Academy. Good people with engaging and friendly personalities where everyone is deemed as important as the next person. I watched a senior administrators at the club take the time to chat to a young scholar about 14 years old to ask him how his family was and showed genuine care and interest in that young boy.  Whether or not that boy will make a career in football who knows, statistically probably not, but I’ve not doubt that boy will have learnt key life skills that will help in every aspect of adult life. This is why our club values are so important here at Waimak United, they are not just buzzwords that sound good, we need to make sure all adults involved at the club are setting an example and creating an environment where children can be confident, be respectful, adaptable, hardworking and humble. In order to achieve this type of culture we all must show and promote these qualities at all times on the training pitch and on matchdays, and the kids will simply follow our lead. It will set us apart from some other clubs whose focus is on teaching kids how to do stepovers in games or that winning is the most important thing, there’s not enough money in the world that will make me want to coach at a club like that.

The challenge for football clubs like ours will always be to provide community football for our region so we have football available for all ages and levels of ability and also to provide advance/ elite training for aspiring young footballers who want to aim for the highest levels in NZ football. That’s what we are working towards and the key thing is to have the right coaches working in the right space. This was another thing Southampton do so well, their 10^th grade coach will be someone who specifically works well with that age group and can engage and communicate with 9 to 10 year olds in the right way. That’s the same in every age group at the club and it’s something I want to focus on at Waimak, having coaches working in age groups that are specifically well suited to how they communicate and engage with players of that age. The coaching needs of team of 8 year olds in Mini Football is completely different from a team of 12 year olds playing in their Mainland grade. Equally a 14^th grade girls team will need a different type of character to get the best out of them compared to a Men’s reserve team. I think we have a really good balance of excellent coaches and good people running our teams, I love the fact that our 1^st team men’s captain Mitch Quigley coaches our 12^th grade Red team for example. I remember being that age and as a 12 years old having 23 year old senior first team captain as a coach would be so exciting and motivating. I really hope we can get more first team men’s and women’s players to get involved coaching and running our junior teams, working with parents, and so I’m hoping our board can support ways to encourage young senior footballers at our club to get involved. It’s not easy as they all have busy social lives unlike old gits like me, but it means the world to our junior players to have that type of engagement from young adult footballers.

Lastly the other inspiration I see at Southampton is promoting home grown young footballers and creating genuine pathways from youth to senior football, they are one of the best in the UK in recent years for developing professional players. This is something we will be seeing at Waimak United within our talent space, already Ollie Hawkins and I have identified at least 3 players from our 15^th grade talent centre squad who will be training once a week with our senior 1^st team reserves squad when we can finally get back on the pitch. As the season progresses I expect we will see 14^th grade players being dipped into the 15^th grade to challenge them further, the same within the 13^th grade and I know Mike De Bono will be looking to invite some 12^th grade players to experience training with the 13^th grade.

We also have a number of 15 to 18 year old players in our WPL and CCL squad who are not just making up numbers but really thriving and becoming star players at the club. It absolutely astounds me that the NZ National Youth League has been scrapped and it’s one of many things that causes me concern for where we are currently up to and where we are going nationally in terms of player development, but I will save that topic for another day. For now my sole focus is on working with everyone at our club to make Waimak United as good as it can be and ensure the club is always improving and moving forwards. We won’t get everything right and there’s a lot of challenges we face but I think we are going in the right direction and if we can become a club that creates an environment and culture built around our club values, one that provides community football and elite talent development with the right people in the right roles and one that continues to develop homegrown footballers and give opportunities to  our talented youths to not just make the step up but to do so with the right support and guidance to ensure they thrive, then we will be a club we can all proud of.

Have a great week.

Adam Keizer – Football Development Officer

 

What's been happening at the Mak!

TEAM ALLOCATIONS

Team allocations for our In-house are almost complete and parents will expect an email later in the week. Please get in touch with us if you haven't registered your child for In-house or if you have and haven't heard from us by Monday 27th April.

We would like your help in coming up with new names for our In-house Fun Football and Mini Football Teams. Details are on the poster below. 

Keeping Active During the Lockdown Period

Over the coming weeks we will be posting regular videos for you to watch with activities and challenges you can try at home with the idea of keeping active during the lockdown period and practising some skills leading up to the start of the season.

NZ Football have launched a programme junior and youth footballers can do at home by themselves or with a family member.

Click on the link to access Week 2 Home Training Programme. Click Here

Team of the Week! Senior Men's CCL Squad

Jonty Ashworth (GK) -  An agile shot stopper who’s good with the ball at his feet and can play the sweeper Keeper to great effect, when he’s not hacking down strikers outside his box!

Dougie Hyde (GK) – An experienced Keeper with great hands who provides a calming influence on his back line, but you probably wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him.  

Luke Pickering (GK) – A talented and dedicated young goalkeeper who plays for St Bedes school team and joined the club from FC 2011 this summer.

Codie Senior (GK) – Another young goalkeeper who impressed during the U19 tournament last October but also fancies himself as an outfield player in training.

Mitch Quigley (C ) – Mr Waimak United, a true leader and a rock at the back for the team, deadly in the opposition box so don’t be surprised to see his name on the score sheet often this season.

Bailey McCleary – Another reliable performer for the team who could write a book on the ‘art of tackling , a real talent who can play in a number of positions. At only 3 foot 6 tall, he’s surprisingly good in the air.

Lucas Clark – The coolest looking player at the club, a fantastic and tenacious left back but a hand grenade of a centre back, the opposition rarely know what he is going to do next and neither does he.

Isaac Russell – A rising young star at the club who’s making the step up into senior football look easy, one to watch this season! Terrible hair cut.

Alex Kedzlie – Another new signing in the summer and a really talented young footballer who plays Fustal for Canterbury, can play in a number of positions. Looks like he has come to training straight from Woodstock 1969.

Jordan Dell – Joined from FC 2011 during preseason, a solid defender who will add strength and depth to the squad and looks a great signing already.

Flash Shanmugam – A cross between Rio Ferdninand and Paolo Maldini, probably the best footballer in New Zealand.

Adam Harrison – Another very exciting young talent who already looks like a key player this season, often seen flying up and down the right flank whilst winding up the opposition at every opportunity.

Marcus Brant – If he could pass, shoot and head the ball he would be a sensational player, one of the toughest tacklers you will see and still only 18 years old. Another young star to watch out for.

Cam McCracken – Another experienced and solid defender with a smile that melts a thousand hearts across North Canterbury and who adds real strength to the squad.

Bailey Hodge – A young fullback who has impressed during preseason, can put in a great cross but don’t ask him to shoot.

Floyd Duffy – About 80 years old but probably the fittest player in the squad, one of the key players to Waimak United’s chance of success this year.

Kane Fraser – Suffers from football compulsive disorder, never stops thinking about the game and is the engine in the middle of the park for The Mak, an example to young players in terms of work rate and commitment.

James Price – Remember the name, this boy can play! Another upcoming young star who makes the game look effortlessly easy at times, can pick a pass and glide past defenders. Often looks miserable due to being a West Ham fan.

Shane Tanner – Another reliable performer and all round nice bloke, can keep it simple when needed and do the hard yards, but has potential to score a worldie by accident.

Luke Fraser – The worst penalty taker in the world, but one hell of a footballer when on form. Has potential to become a special player in the coming years.

Ben Whiting – Another young starlet who is new to the club, a talented and hardworking midfielder who will be pushing some of the senior players for a spot in the first team squad

Ollie Hawkins (player/coach) – No shirt is too tight, fancies himself as midfield maestro until his knees give up after 15 minutes. Joint head coach with Adam Keizer, Ollie is the brains of the operation.

Nick Dykes – Another upcoming local youngseter who has stepped up from youth football, probably the most improved player during the summer who is strong, quick and excellent on the ball. Don’t be surprised to see him make his debut this year in the first team.

Tahu Russell – A versatile and likeable player who is definitely not only being selected because he give us free coffees at Kaiapoi Coffee Culture ….

Sam Stevenson – An 18 year old who looks like your uncle in the 1970’s, probably has the quickest feet in the team and can turn defenders inside out but can’t tie his own laces.

Danny Loney – A cross between Wayne Rooney, Rocky Balboa and Gabriel Batistuta, has never been knocked off a ball in his life and scores goals for fun. Started playing senior men’s football when he was 8 years old. 

Robin Hodson Seel – Quicker than a horse and top goalscorer in the preseason tournament, another rising young star at the club who is going to be an absolute nightmare for opposition teams this season. Good luck to any fullbacks up against him this season.

Kian Grogan – A talented and tenacious young forward from Lancashire in England, drinks a pint of gravy at half time, another name to look out for this year. Once ran over a duck on his moped.

Joaquin Serrano - Came to NZ to work on a farm after being kicked out of Chile due to his terrible football skills, he adds a bit of South American flair to the squad list. Very hardworking, skillfull and another versatile player.

John Hope (player/coach) – Has played for every football club in New Zealand, John is joint head coach of our Reserve team alongside Jae Lee. Scores on average at least three overhead kicks per season.

New Signing – The virus hasn’t stopped Ollie Hawkins from his usual wheeling and dealing from inside his bubble, with an exciting new signing joining the squad once the football season finally kicks off again in May 2020.

CCL squad players celebrating their Senior Men's Preseason Tournament win!

Player of the Week! Maddison Pawson

This week we profile one of our junior female football players who loves to get out there and have fun!

If you are interested in being the player of the week email Adam at fdo.waimak@yahoo.com.

Sponsor of the Week- Supporting Local!

We would like to take the opportunity to turn the spotlight on some special local businesses who have been helping us over the years. Please remember these wonderful businesses after the lockdown is lifted and support local when possible.

Prior to lockdown our U17's Girls were in preparation for the U17 National Youth Tournament in Auckland. The girls had worked hard on and off the field to get organised for the trip. Unfortuately due to Covid-19 the tournament held by Western Springs was postponed. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all the businesses who sponsored the girls, for their support and kindness in sponsoring each individual player. We are optimistic and thinking postive that the tournament will be able to go ahead at the end of the year!

waimakunited@xtra.co.nz  fdo.waimak@yahoo.com  www.waimakunited.org.nz