First Kicks is our very popular introduction to football for boys and girls, aged 5 to 7. Children must turn 5, 6, or 7 during the calendar year to be able to play in this grade. Girls turning 8 in the calendar year may choose to play U7 if they wish to.
This programme runs on Sunday mornings. It is based at Raroa Normal Intermediate School, in Johnsonville. U5 and U6 First Kicks play from 9:30am to 10:30am, then U7 First Kicks plays from 10:45am to 12:00pm.
Ideally teams comprise four or five players.
The playing teams are 3 v 3 and do not include a goalkeeper; they use a size 3 ball on a pitch 15m by 25m with goals that are 2 x 1 metre.
We endeavour to incorporate all of your preferences and requests when we allocate teams, but it is not always possible to achieve this. We also consider putting children into teams from the same school and of a similar age where possible. Teams will need to select their own team name before the first game.
Coaches and Managers – like all club activities, we are reliant on parents to run the Sunday morning programme. Coaches will be provided with training and coaching plans but will require parents to help with organising activities and assisting with games. Like everything with children this age, the more parents contribute in the sessions by encouraging and supporting the coach and players, the more the children will benefit. Please give consideration to whether you can take on one of these roles.
Cancellations due to wet weather or closed field are advised by the Grade Coordinator usually by 8:30am. They will send out a cancellation email to the coach and manager of each team. Team managers should ensure the message is circulated to all families in the team. A message will also be posted on the First Kicks Facebook page.
Under the NZ Football Whole of Football Plan, there is an emphasis on more touches on the ball to ensure participation, improve skills, and above all provide a positive and fun experience for the First Kicks footballer.
Each week our Grade Coordinator will prescribe a set of skill based activities for each team to undertake with their coaches, as well as set a draw for three small sided games.
Skills activities are classified as:
General Movement activities focussed on agility, balance and coordination, which help support the foundation for players to learn and achieve more complex sequences as they develop.
Football Technique ball mastery activities focussed on some of the core techniques of football – dribbling, turning, shooting – fundamental features of the game.
Football Co-ordination activities focussed on lots of touches on the ball, allowing players to explore, make decisions and challenge them to use different parts of their feet.
Small Sided Games – a focus on games with a small number of players in each team. There are no goalies and the score is not recorded. Games are played on a small pitch with one or two goals at each end and provide players with the motivation to play the game, make decisions on the pitch and give them a chance to use/practise their newly acquired skills.
U5 and U6
Each week two teams are rostered on duty. This means they arrive early (9:00am) to help the Grade Coordinator set up the goals. Other teams will assemble at the pitch assigned (in their weekly draw) with their coaches and managers and be ready to start at 9:30am sharp.
U7
Each week two teams are rostered on duty. This means they stay late to help the Grade Coordinator pack up and put away the goals.
All teams assemble at the pitch assigned ready to start at 10:45 sharp.
All grades
Team Coaches will work through the three prescribed station drills. Listen for the hooter to let you know it’s time to finish the drill you’re on and start the next one.
After a half time orange break, teams will move to small sided games. These will be against other teams in your Pod. Some weeks you will stay on the same pitch while other weeks you will move to a new pitch within your Pod for each game.
We will soon include a map to this page to show the location of each Pod. If your team is drawn to move (or rotate) pitch – always move in the direction shown on the map.
[Map with POD layout coming soon]
Session Timings
| Timing | Activity | |
| U5 and U6 | U7 | |
| 9.00-9.15 | Set up (rostered) | |
| 9.30-9.38 | 10.45-10.53 | General Movement |
| 9.40-9.48 | 10.55-11.03 | Football Technique |
| 9.50-9.58 | 11.05-11.13 | Football Coordination |
| 9.59-10.03 | 11.14-11.18 | Half Time Oranges |
| 10.04-10.11 | 11.19-11.29 | Game 1 |
| 10.13-10.20 | 11.31-11.41 | Game 2 |
| 10.22-10.29 | 11.43-11.53 | Game 3 |
| 10.30-10.35 | 11.54-11.59 | Team wrap up / Player of the Day award |
| 12.00 | Pack Down (rostered) | |
Rules and Etiquette
In line with The Onslow Way – the objectives are participation, fun, and skill development. Competition is not the focus, which is why we don’t keep score in the games. Thus, during the game, parents are allowed (requested!) to whoop, holler, cheer, applaud, and generally encourage their children and their team mates as much as they can, but must never criticise the players or the opposition. Also, if the two teams drawn to play each other are not evenly matched in numbers or there is a big gulf in ability, we would expect players to swap teams to even things up rather than for one team to be running rings around the other. The emphasis is on fun for everyone!
View Weekly Draw
