Local Focus: Bay of Plenty women's football on the rise

Pāpāmoa FC is looking to capitalise on interest in women's football with Australia and New Zealand hosting the Fifa Women's World Cup next year.

Pāpāmoa FC Women's football co-ordinator Jo Arnold said the club was experiencing continued growth, thanks in part to Pāpāmoa's expanding population.

"There's a lot more women coming back to the sport after having years off having kids and then we've got a lot of juniors and youth players interested in the game," Arnold said.

"There's also a lot of people moving to the area from Auckland and other places so we've definitely noticed a big increase in the female senior space.

"It's getting bigger and bigger each year."

Established in 1995, the club has about 900 members and is based at the Gordon Spratt recreational reserve.

Local player Rowan Lowe said it was a great time for people to join their local football club.

"I was new to the club at the beginning of this year and I basically wanted to meet like-minded women who were keen on having a good run around, picking up some skills and just having fun," she said.

"It's been nothing but that for the past couple of months. It's been awesome."

Veteran player Tammy Bicker said the sport was becoming more accommodating for women.

"When I was playing women's football back in the day there was only one team and it wasn't very well known that women play football.

"But now there's a lot more development for the women and encouragement to get to that senior level, which is really nice."

Senior club officials said a lack of dedicated facilities was holding the club back.

"Sharing the space with rugby and baseball makes it hard for training," Arnold said.

"There's no club rooms so I think people tend not to bring their kids down."

Club president Maaka Nelson said Pāpāmoa FC would be the "largest club in this region" in two years "but we don't have anything".

"We've got a changing-room facility and there is a recreation centre but that's owned by Bay Venues, so there is a cost to go in there," he said.

"It's hard to create the community feel without a centralised point. It's the No 1 thing we need."

Nelson said $5 million was allocated to the sport in Tauranga City Council's Long-Term Plan.

"We've spent eight years with the council on the Long-Term Plan and annual plan submissions.

"Since the commissioners have come in things have definitely improved."

He said he hoped to have a more concrete idea of the club's future by the end of the year.

Arnold said providing a pathway for regional players to compete in the top league was another challenge.

"Girls from the Bay of Plenty would have to move over to clubs in Hamilton or Auckland to play at the Northern League level.

"That can be a barrier for a lot of girls, especially at the junior level where they'd have to move schools or move towns."

Nelson said a plan for the future of regional football was submitted to Tauranga City's commissioners.

"It's an open document that, pending an agreement between ourselves, Tauranga City and Ōtūmoetai football club, ensures we can drive in a similar way," he said.

"The three biggest clubs require the same thing so it probably isn't cost-effective if you're trying to provide $5m or $10m for individual venues.

"Potentially the alignment piece, a centralised home of football available to everybody to come in and support, is the right thing to do," Nelson said.