What an exciting time ahead of us all as we move into the coming season of football. !! Not just the normal anticipation associated with renewed competition across all grades but finally, the opening of our new Amenities/Clubrooms/Administration Complex sometime in March and our welcoming of the Argentinian Women’s Football team to the FIFA WWC 2023, as their host, in early July.

Firstly, with regard to our key role in administering and overseeing approx. 135 teams across all age groups. You will have noticed a new look and feel of the Club website , as we transition into NZF’s preferred Data Management Service Provider, Friendly Manager. Hopefully, this will be more user friendly for you all and allow the Club to better communicate its activities and programmes to our stakeholders.

Secondly, our fantastic new Clubrooms Complex. The hard work and persistence of a number of Club members now sees construction of this building estimated to be completed and fully functional by 1 March 2023. Although its prime use will remain to house the administration and activities of the Football and Cricket Clubs respectively, it will be available for wider Community Use by third party organizations. We envisage offering a range of food and beverages but will initially start with a limited range as we shake out the wrinkles in its operation.   A formal opening ceremony is planned for early May.

At the same time, further work will be undertaken on demolishing the existing hub and changing rooms building, remodelling that central area and new sandcarpetting and sowing the Lower Field , in order to reposition it as the Premier grass field for future Club matches.

And then there is the awesome prospect of hosting the Argentinian Women’s team as they strive to progress through the Group stages of the WWC. It is important to note there will be some disruption to the delivery of our football programmes throughout July-Aug. whilst the tournament progresses, but we are committed to offering our members an opportunity to interact with the team personnel, hopefully including some coaching sessions. The Ellerslie Village, itself, will also be turned into a Fan Zone so there will be plenty of opportunities to experience a different culture whilst this huge tournament is in our city.

I would like to thank our coaching and administration staff for their continued commitment to providing you with a quality service, as well as our many volunteers that take on a myriad of roles , some by choice and others by necessity, in order to get our various teams on the pitch every weekend. This is a special year for the Club, so I would encourage you to get involved in whatever capacity you can.

Best wishes to you all, as you participate, support and succeed across the football fields of Tamaki Makaurau. It is going to be an truly exciting season.

Kind regards

Mark B. Weipers

President

Email : markw@location.co.nz

January 2023