Three generations of football fanatics
‘‘The soccer games that put the biggest grin on my face are the matches played this summer with my father and sons.’’ Tim Skinner
When the six-a-side summer league starts again at Neale Park this afternoon, the Off Whites will put their eight-match winning streak on the line but, with three generations of football fanatics in the team, they are unlikely to go off the pace.
Four members of the Off Whites are from the Skinner family. Caleb at 8 is the youngest. He is joined by his brother Ethan, 9, and dad Tim, 39, and granddad Rob, 74.
The team plays in the competitive mixed A grade in the summer league run by FC Nelson.
The family league requires that teams have three women or players under 14 years old on the field at any time. The competition is described as a fast, energetic game played in a social, yet competitive atmosphere, with different grades catering for all abilities.
According to the boys, granddad is the trusted man at the back, looking after defence. Ethan is busy holding possession in midfield, with Caleb creating the goals up front.
The other members of this team of mates include Luc and Jamie Gellatly with their dad Aldo, and Luca Hannan with his father, Tony.
Tim, who plays defender for Nelson’s division-one champion FC Nelson Sprig and Fern side, tends to float around positions on the field, and often not by choice.
‘‘Granddad is my sons’ first choice of defender in our family team, as my sons are quick to ask me, their dad, to sit on the bench if I am not playing to their expectations,’’ he said.
Tim said the praise for robust Rob was justified because he never showed any signs of tiring on the field and played solidly at the back.
‘‘He doesn’t get fooled by any fancy footwork or feints by opposition challenges.’’
Tim said his two sons were ‘‘fanatical’’ about football, learning most of their initial ball skills and love of the game from their granddad.
During their first years at primary school, the young guns would beg their mum Kirsty to take them to school early in the morning so they could play football with the older kids before class.
They soon earned the nicknames ‘‘Mini-dude’’ and ‘‘Mini-minidude’’ playing with the big boys on the bottom field at Central School.
The youngsters are constantly reading up on football techniques from books from the library, striving to get better. Time around their father does help in some ways.
Tim played in every game for Sprig and Fern this season. He said a real bonus was playing alongside Solomon Island international players Henry Fa’arodo and Moffat Kilifa during part of the season.
His two boys would tag along to some of the indoor training sessions, and also liked to sit in and listen during some of the pre-game preparation and instruction from the coach Steve Bignall. ‘‘I think it gave them some insight to how each player is given a specific role within the team game.’’
Tim said he enjoyed watching his sons develop as young footballers, and enjoyed sharing in their passion for football. He said that was one of the reasons why he alternated between coaching their junior teams, and why they decided to start the Off Whites.
‘‘The soccer games that put the biggest grin on my face are the matches played this summer with my father and sons. That’s what the beautiful game of soccer is about.’’