2026 Season Update

New Roles, New App, and Growing Stronger 

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Welcome back to our returning families and a warm haere mai to our new members. As preparations for the 2026 season ramp up, we want to share some important operational changes designed to strengthen our club and improve the experience for every member.

Leadership & Coaching Updates

To streamline our football operations, we have merged the Technical Director and Head of Academy roles. We are thrilled to announce Barry Gardiner as our new Head of Academy, overseeing the entire Academy pathway from U11 through to U17.

Barry has been instrumental in building our current Academy and brings invaluable experience from his current and previous roles. There is quite simply no one better qualified to lead us into this next phase.

To support Barry and our growing membership:

• Pre-Academy Leads (U11–U13): We have created these new roles to provide hands-on support to our coaches. These Leads will ensure our members receive high-quality, age-appropriate development and a consistent coaching experience across the board.
• Club Administration: We are stoked to welcome Tarryn Barthow as our new Club Administrator. Tarryn has hit the ground running, and her football admin experience is already proving a massive asset to our club.
• 2026 Coaching Lineup: All coaching positions are now locked in! We have a magnificent group of coaches ready to lead our expanded Pre-Academy & Academy grades. Keep an eye on our socials for official staff announcements coming soon.

Streamlined Communication: The New Club App

We are moving away from WhatsApp and Heja! Thank you for being patient while a new update a was being made. Our new Club App is now live.

• App Details: www.fctm.co.nz/club-app
• Why the change? This will allow us to send targeted messages to specific teams and age groups, ensuring you get the info you need without the noise. It will also help us provide quick and efficient grade and club communications. We appreciate your patience while we finalise the rollout.

Training & Game Day Locations

With our continued growth, the new Artificial Turf at Links Ave Reserve couldn’t have come at a better time. We aim to give as many members as possible the chance to use the turf this year.

Home Grounds for 2026:

• Links Ave Reserve
• Gordon Spratt Reserve (with recent significant upgrades)
• Ocean Downs Reserve
• Macville Park

Pitch Maintenance: To keep our grass in top shape, please note that Ocean Downs will be closed in March, and Links Ave grass will be closed in April. We will be shuffling training schedules during these times and appreciate your patience.

Tournaments & Events

Maaka has been hard at work prepping our 2026 tournament calendar. Following our marquee tournament announcements earlier this week, we are now finalising the finer details. In addition to club-wide events, teams will have the opportunity to enter key tournaments like the Papamoa FC tournament in May. 

Grading & Competitions

Our Youth teams are confirmed for the NRFL Youth and WaiBOP Y-League.

For our Pre-Academy (U11–U13), our Leads will work with coaches and Barry to ensure teams are placed at the "right challenge point." This may involve playing in their current age group, playing up a grade, or entering our girls' teams into mixed leagues to ensure the best competitive environment for development.

We look forward to seeing you around the parks.

Ngā mihi,
Brendon & Maaka (Trustees)