FAQ
What is Talent vs Community Football?
NZ Football identifies football in 2 areas, Talent & Community.
Talent Football has international aligned standards that New Zealand Football accredited programmes must meet. For Junior and Youth football, these accreditations are Skills Centre (SKC) and Talent Development Programmes (TDP). Clubs have to meet high standards to obtain a club licence to operate these programmes. The accreditations are a fundamental part of the NZF Talent Pathway and when obtained, they are an acknowledgement from NZF of a high level of trust that the club is making the right decisions for the development of junior and youth members. SKC & TDP requires highly qualified and experienced coaches to operate.
Community Football is what we commonly know football as, and all clubs operate. Starting at aged 4, the principal aim is to provide all participants high quality football and futsal experiences that increase passion for the game, teach fundamental movement and playing skills while placing a priority on having fun. Community Football is operated by volunteer staff teams are mostly coached by parents, who often continue their training to move into the Talent space.
We see FCTM enabling clubs to put more focus on Community football, while FCTM focus on football development.
Skills Centre (SKC) vs Talent Development Programme (TDP)
Both are an important part of NZF’s Talent Pathway. Sessions are delivered by qualified coaches.
A SKC programme is the perfect way for U9 - U12 players to work on their individual development in a fun environment. Sessions focus on skill acquisition, using a long-term curriculum to develop individual technique and decision-making. This can be a supplement to a player's Community team training sessions or a great way to try football.
The TDP operates all year round for U13 - U17 players. It competes in Aotearoa’s top leagues, including the WaiBOP Y-League (Federation) and exclusively the NRFL Youth and Youth National Leagues. TDP teams also compete in premier tournaments across the country, such as the Taupo McCartney or Auckland U17 & Napier U19 National Tournaments. Qualified TDP coaches will identify appropriate challenges to support a players development, with opportunities to move across teams in the programme. This is an advantage of being part of a TDP accredited club.
What teams will FC Tauranga Moana operate?
Where possible we will enter multiple boys, girls and mixed teams. The WaiBOP U11 Bop League will be the entry league for teams, with anyone 11 years and under able to attend our football programmes but return to their club Community teams. We will also enter U13 - U17 teams in the WaiBOP Y-League (Federation) and U14 - U17 teams in the NRFL Youth and Youth National leagues, which are both exclusive to club with TDP accreditations which only FCTM will hold in 2025.
Teams will also be entered into Premier Tournaments across the country, such as the Taupo McCartney, Auckland U17 and Napier U19 National Tournaments.
What team will I be in?
It’s important that we shift away from the term “team”. FCTM operates football programmes, with multiple teams competing in WaiBOP Y-League, NRFL Youth and Youth National leagues across the country. As a member of FCTM, you have the ability to move across different teams under the guidance of our qualified coaches, who will identify appropriate challenges to support your development.
Teams are not static. One week you could be competing in the Y-League, the next NRFL Youth or one of the Senior football teams. This is a major benefit FCTM members will have over other clubs in the region.
What will the fees be?
Key criteria of obtaining SKC & TDP accreditations, is that the programmes are sustainable. While funding options (grants and sponsorship) are often available, they aren’t guaranteed. Operating a successful SKC and TDP requires qualified coaches and administration staff. We are calculating the overall costs and will set fees to ensure the sustainability of FC Tauranga Moana, details of what fees support will be available for members to ensure transparency.
FCTM will also be working closely with community clubs on removing financial barriers for members, so that the programmes are accessible to everyone (e.g. payment plans, access to a hardship fund).
Please see image below (Fees Comparison) to where our fees sit in comparison to other NZF Accrediated Youth clubs.
Where do my fees go?
Please see image below (Fees Breakdown) to understand the breakdown of our fees. Any queries, please email exec@fctm.co.nz
How much travel will be involved?
Travel is necessary, especially if aspiring players want to play against some of the top teams in the country. The U11 and U12 league is played within the BOP, U13-U17 Y-League across the WaiBOP region and U14-U17 NRFL League across the WaiBOP and NRF (Auckland) regions. The advantage of being an FCTM member, is that you will have the opportunity to play for multiple teams across these leagues. So if you don’t want to travel longer distances, you will have the opportunity to compete in a different league.
Where will I train?
Details of fields that FCTM will used are being worked through. A lot of activities are already across the FCTM areas in the Mount to Papamoa area, so a lot of our members are already used to travelling. It’s also handy that in Tauranga, it’s 15m to everywhere.
We will look to minimise travel where possible, especially if there are large numbers of members from a specific area.
I coach my child's team, how does this affect me?
Volunteer coaches will still be a major part of Community football, and there will be more support and increased opportunities for all levels of coaching development.
