First Kicks play every Saturday morning during the season at Jim Cooke Park. It caters for children turning 4 to 6 years old during the calendar year.
The First Kicks programme focuses on giving children their first experiences of football. The aim of First
Kicks is to have lots of fun and fall in love with football; if children love it they will keep coming back.
Focus
• Discover the ball and its movement
• Fundamental movement skills
• No set teams – mixed teams each week
• Positive football experience
Training / Practice
There is no additional training or practice for First Kicks.
Games
During the football season First Kicks players play games once a week, your Game Day is:
Saturday
8:50-10:00am
Jim Cooke Park, Nimmo Ave, Waikanae
Each week the First Kicks grade play at Jim Cooke Park on the field directly over the stopbank from the
changing rooms (at the end of Nimmo Ave). First Kicks usually play along the sideline of the field on the
river side, however, at times they need to move in order to minimise damage to the field; your Grade
Coordinator will advise you if there is a change in location.
On Game Day the children are lined up in two lines according to age, 3-4 years and 5-6 years, then sorted
into teams of up to 8 players. Each team is assigned to their first coach who will take them to their first
station.
There will be 4-5 stations setup, each with a coach playing a different game that focuses on a different
aspect of football. The children play at each station for 8-10 minutes before moving onto the next station;
the coach doesn’t change station only the children move. After rotating through 3 stations the children will then play 3 Small Sided football games.
The games are a simplified football game with 3-4 a side, no off-side, no goalies, and no score keeping.
The games last 8-10 minutes each with no half time and a 2 minute break between games to have a drink
and move to the next field.
We do not have set teams in First Kicks. Your children will get to play with different children and coaches
each week, allowing them to make more friends and get to know more people. This model has worked
very successfully for the last few years and covers any children absences.
Please note that children will be lined up at 9am sharp but we ask that you arrive NO LATER than 8:50am.
Arriving on time allows for children to have a kick around and get comfortable in their surroundings making them happier and more confident to play. It is also very difficult to allocate children to a team once the allocation is complete and teams have been sent off with the coach. Bear in mind that coaches and coordinator volunteers have their own children to sort out also.
The 2024 First Kicks Coordinator is Sam Hooper.