PROGRESS ON NEW CLUBROOMS AND AMENITIES BUILDING AT MICHAELS AVENUE

The project is at a stage where one further push for donations will enable us to start construction

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2021

Welcome to both our existing members and families, as well as those of you who have decided to join our Club for the first time, as we prepare for, hopefully, a more satisfying season of football, after the Covid dramas of 2020. We trust that your experience at our club will be an enjoyable one.

Although the previous season was very disjointed, with the commitment of our wonderful team of employees, contractors and volunteers, the Club managed to offer our membership a quality experience in spite of the constraints imposed on us by AFF, NZF and the Government. A big thank you must go to these persons who continually made plans, only for them to be changed by factors outside their control. It certainly was frustrating for all of us involved in the Club, as I am sure it was for our membership.

Notwithstanding that, the season end was punctuated by a wonderful National U11 Tournament, managed by the Club and partnered with Auckland Stadiums, held at Mt Smart in early December. This was an outstanding success, as evidenced by the number of positive responses received by participant Clubs, and the Club is keen to build on this relationship in the coming years.

But now to the new season and although we bring a sense of positivity to our planning, we remain cognizant that the effects of Covid may still be felt in 2021. With that in mind, your Executive Committee has determined to withhold a small surplus arising from prudent management of the Club’s 2020 activities (and which we previously had thought might be able to be passed back to the membership) until registration numbers for 2021 are confirmed, and we have a clearer understanding of the coming season’s makeup.

In the interim, many of the initiatives planned for 2020 and that were unable to be rolled out due to Covid are now firmly in focus for 2021. These arose from the Club’s recent Survey results in late 2019, and now centre on ;

Facilities : Detailed Design for Building Consent documentation has been completed, and the Club lodged for Building Consent with Auckland Council prior to Christmas. Thank you to those who have made donations to date to help us get to this stage. We anticipate starting construction in early March, with a target of having Stage 1 completed by early 2022. More information is available on the “Information/Facility Upgrades” section within this website.

With progress being made, we are excited to have recently made a submission to NZF to be considered as a prime Training Venue for one of the teams involved in the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Currently, we are going through the assessment process but if successful, this would be great exposure for the Club in furthering the promotion of Women’s football within our catchment.

Coaching Enhancements : With the 2020 planning strategies already in place, we can now move forward in 2021 with the implementation of our long term phased plan for Talent Development, focussing on Player Retention, Talent Development Programmes and a range of Coaching Initiatives at both Grassroots and Premier levels.
Communications : The Club is determined to improve its communications to members, particularly in order for you to better understand the programmes being offered within the Club, and the various expectations for participation therein. You will see evidence of this in the weeks ahead.

Sitting over all of these strategies is the Club’s Strategic Plan. The current 5 year Plan expired at the end of 2020 and one of the key tasks this year for your Executive Committee is to facilitate workshops that will enable a reformulation of this document for the next 5 years. In addition, work is ongoing on the development of a Club Marketing Plan that seeks to position the Club appropriately within the ever changing Auckland footballing landscape. As our membership has said before, maintaining and enhancing the “Community Feel” of the Club remains uppermost in your Executive Committee’s minds and endeavours on your behalf.

In conclusion, a thank you to our various Committee Members for their respective time and energies, to our Sponsors and Charitable Trusts that provide much needed financial support, and to our various members/parents that give freely of their time to ensure that Ellerslie teams are visible in all competitions.

May I wish you all the best as you participate, support and succeed across the football fields of Auckland, under the red, black and gold colours of Ellerslie Football Club.

Kind regards

Mark B. Weipers

President

January 2021