From the Directors Pitch - June 09

I have spoken to a number of parents and coaches and there is positive feedback about what we are trying to achieve with the club, the grounds, the facilities and the coaching.

A quick summary of where we are at -

We have been getting rave reviews from our parents about the midget coaching, again Sean and Chris are doing a fantastic job with the youngsters

U9s with Dean are doing very well and making real progress.  

Sean has really turned the U10s round and they are beginning to improve their individual skills and play as a team.

U11s are struggling with results  but  we have players coming back into the side who have been injured and we are hoping that the team will turn the results around. They are all trying their best so we can’t ask for any more from them.

 U12s, are improving all the time and Mark is doing a great job with them.

Mark Gleeson's U13s have been playing in a very strong Metro league and have not been embarrassed by any opponents.  Despite some heavy defeats they have competed well and held teams for much of the game.  They will all be better players for the experience.  They are  going into the US1 league which may not be as strong, but will provide the boys with some good opposition including  a very strong East Coast Bays side. We are unfortunately losing two of our best prospects with goalkeepers Joseph Taylor and  older brother Elliott (captain of the under 15s) returning to England. This was a contributory factor in deciding to move from the Metro  league.  I wish the Taylor family and the boys all the best and look forward to their return to NZ, hopefully not too far in the future.

U15s coached by Steve Armitage  and Mark Cummins, have being going exceptionally well.  The side is top of the league and would like to congratulate them on doing a great job for North Shore.  

Ian has been training the U17s hard and results will start going their way as long as they keep putting the effort in and continue to play good passing football.

Please talk to the other coaches at the club as we are all learning and can help each other. Development coaches and conveners, at all ages,  should know which players are doing well in the participation teams.   It is important to remember that players develop at different ages.  Players in any participation sides may be potential stars for the future. So if a player does stand out, why not ask him or her to come along to training with the development squad. Children thrive on praise and recognition.

Early this week a coach asked me 'why was it that his players were not improving?'   At this stage in the season the children sometimes get bored.... playing with the same people, doing the same things in training and not getting any new experiences. How can we change this?  

Here are some of my thoughts 

• Organise a friendly with other NSU teams i.e.. U9s vs U10s etc.  
• Why not invite some older players into your session? Players learn by watching and then doing.  
• Don't be afraid to get your boots dirty and demonstrate.   
• Don’t ever tell the players off for making a mistake as young players learn by their mistakes. Remember football is about expression, let the players express themselves on the field.  It's not always about pass, pass, pass.  What does a player do if i confronted by the opposition?  Do they take them, do they turn? Let the children experiment with the ball.  Plan your sessions to put these opportunities in place but do not be afraid to make your sessions competitive.  Children LOVE to compete with each other.   We are not all Ronaldo’s but to develop, we have to let players express themselves, and they should NEVER be afraid of making mistakes.































ONE VOICE ON THE PITCH    If parents start shouting from the side lines, can you please tell them politely not confuse the kids. WHO SHOULD THEY BE LISTENING TO? Encouragement is fine but I am still hearing too many parents barking instructions and being negative towards the kids.  If parents are not conforming to this direction please report them to the me and I will discuss this with the individuals.  






If your having any issues please feel free to call or email me .

















We will be running a coaching session on Sunday  28th June for all coaches at 10am at Allen Hill Stadium. It’ll be an open session were you can come and talk about coaching, share some knowledge and maybe learn something too from other coaches experience.  We will be putting on a practical coaching session and giving you some tips that you can use within  your teams training.













Many Thanks








Paul Seaman









Director of Football










 APRIL 09