Football: Pāpāmoa Football Club setting goals for new season

Pāpāmoa Football Club president Maaka Nelson says he expects the club's ranks to swell in coming years. He is pictured with, from left, Zach Nelson, 8, and Caleb Nelson. Photo / George Novak

A solid ground game is at the core of Pāpāmoa Football Club's tilt at the Waikato Bay of Plenty Premiership title this season.

Pāpāmoa were runners-up last year and while the competition is not scheduled to begin until March 30, Pāpāmoa's Easter weekend fixture against Tauranga Boys' College has been shifted to this Saturday, as it suited both clubs.

Pāpāmoa coach Colm Kenny says he is excited about this season.

"The league is very tricky and we need everyone available at trainings and on Saturdays to create that stability," Kenny says.

"We have six new players, so we want them to play together as much as possible. The consistency will come.

"We have a lot of attacking players and quick wingers to get in behind the defence. We want to keep the ball on the ground and the defenders will play the ball out from the back and then through the midfield. We are not going to be hoofing it upfield."

Off-field commitments are a challenge in pre-season for most codes but Kenny says the team has a strong line-up for Saturday.

"We are pretty good at the moment, but pre-season is always hard," Kenny says.

"Training sessions have been good and we are still waiting on a few to come back."

Kenny will also play up front for Pāpāmoa and has co-coach Antony Meiklejohn to share the load.

"Me and Anthony are in the process of completing our C coaching licence. We both have the same ideas, he has the vision from off the pitch and I am on the pitch. I have to put my player's hat on when I am on the field as I haven't been too happy with my performances."

Winning the premiership will be a step on the path to what the club hopes is promotion to the Northern Regional League. This season also comes in the middle of a boom period for the club – one that mirrors its home suburb.

Pāpāmoa Football Club president Maaka Nelson says he expects the club's ranks to swell further in the coming years.

"We are going through exponential growth and with the size of the club now, we made the decision to focus on providing pathways for the players – whether it is to get them to semi-professional or professional level or to just have fun footy with their mates," Nelson says.

"We want to make sure inclusive club and that there is a team for everyone."

Along with the regular season teams, players in the futsal, skill centre frameworks and holiday programmes, Nelson says the club has around 1000 players registered throughout the year. This year the club will have four men's teams and it is looking likely to include two women's teams.

The club has implemented Jaz Quilligan as its director of football and Nelson says the club is hoping to make some structural changes this year.

"We want to learn how to be more efficient. It probably happens at all clubs, but a committee is cyclic, so you will usually have new ideas come in. We want to put a concrete strategic plan in place for the next five years. Part of that was getting Jaz on board as director of football."

Nelson says Pāpāmoa is the second largest club in the Bay of Plenty and he expects the club to grow by up to 70 members each year.

Pāpāmoa's first five league fixtures:
March 16: v Tauranga Boys' College
March 20: v Melville
April 6: v Taupō
April 13: v Te Puke
April 27: v Waikato Unicol