Fresh from trophy win, Kaikohe FC want to get more Māori to play the Beautiful Game

Fresh from winning the Stafford Choat Plate, Kaikohe Football Club is celebrating with a drive this weekend to get more Māori to play the Beautiful Game.

After winning a major Northland footballing trophy last weekend, Kaikohe FC is now on a drive to grow football within Māoridom in the region.

Kaikohe Football's Phoenix Division 2 men's team has taken out the Stafford Choat Plate final with an emphatic 9-3 win over Whangārei's Madhatters Black Division 2 team.

Due to lockdowns the final was delayed six months, but Kaikohe took their chance and charged clear at Whangārei's Semenoff Stadium in the final third of the match after leading 4-3.

While it was an all-round team effort that nailed the win, striker Jeremy Rintoul had a starring role, nailing four goals. The team ranged in age from 16 to 45.

But the celebrations are not over yet, with a major event on at Lindvart Park in Kaikohe this Saturday, as the club begins a drive to grow player numbers among Māori throughout Te Tai Tokerau.

Kaikohe Football Club president Sean White said the club is collaborating with Oceania Football Confederation, New Zealand Football, Northern Football Federation and Māori Football Aotearoa to bring football to the community, promote pride in the community and whanau ora through what he describes as 'the beautiful game'.

"This collaboration is a first in New Zealand and is the start of a journey to break down barriers by upskilling local coaches and developing players. So this is all about doing it for our mokopuna and rangitahi," White said.

"From 10am to 2pm there will be fun games, prizes and giveaways and we are encouraging families to come and find out what football is all about and meet our champion team as last weekend's result is the biggest achievement in our club's history."

Player and event organiser Hone Fowler said under the guidance of White and his club co-ordinators, the club has grown strongly over the past seven years.

"We have around 70 players now and two-thirds of those are juniors. Our club would have the biggest representation of Māori players in New Zealand and three of our juniors represented Māori Football Aotearoa age-grade teams in 2021," Fowler said.

"There is a really special culture within the club and we are determined to introduce football to more Māori by creating a template for engaging with our schools and communities. We are absolutely committed to this journey and welcome people to come and see what it is all about."