Te Awamutu season gets under way
Football is all go for 2024 at Te Awamutu AFC with Fantails, First Kicks, 5-a-side, social, men’s and women’s preseason training all in action, with more activities to come.
There’s something for almost everyone in a year the club believes could be one of its biggest for a long time.
So big in fact, that planning on how to configure the club’s three areas best is well under way.
Conversations around this year’s Long Term Plan (LTP) and addressing growth are the most pressing issues, with football in Te Awamutu doubling in size in two years.
Barriers around space and lack of facilities are now leading conversations — a good situation but a difficult juggling act.
There’s some extremely good data coming through around participants via various communication channels and a lot of information from Sport New Zealand, New Zealand Football and Sport Waikato.
The Fifa Women’s World Cup being on New Zealand shores has been a driving force for the sport.
It highlighted the game and provided some incredible moments that captivated the country as well as Te Awamutu.
Te Awamutu AFC had the highest uptake in ticket sales through the club sales promotion, as well as buses travelling to the event
In addition to running all the aforementioned activities, the club has a junior open day on February 24 from 10am to midday at the stadium on Armstrong Ave.
Planning is well under way with the in-school programme, which combines with WaiBOP Football, the local governing body and Te Awamutu College students.
This is all leading towards the Primary Schools Fred Amess Cup on April 5.
The club’s third year of school holiday programmes has created a great culture and outlet for kids, parents and areas around the Waikato.
The January programme saw two young girls travel from Morrinsville to attend the session.
The club intends to have this programme as a target area for reducing some barriers around attendance and equipment in 2024.
“There’s so much happening in and around this town. Football plays a part in the community and we are striving to make sure we don’t forget, that without the community and without the buy-in, we would never be able to keep this momentum going,” Te Awamutu AFC president Sean “Stringy” Stringfellow advised.
“We have more volunteers and ideas for community engagement than ever before.
“There’s a strong group on our volunteer committee and there are lots of people and businesses asking what they can do to help.
“It’s a humbling and awesome space to be in.
“The women’s team put a proposal together to address the state of the toilets at the stadium which is being renovated this Saturday — things like this come from having a good culture and willingness to get things done,” Stringfellow said.
For further information, visit teawamutuafc.co.nz or go to the Te Awamutu AFC page on Facebook.