A partnership with Te Awamutu AFC, Waibop, Te Awamutu College, and Te Awamutu Primary Schools to bring fun football activities to the schools. TA AFC engages the Waibop Football Development Officer to train Year 13 Sports Science Students to deliver and lead festivals in schools with up to 100 children taking part in each festival. Festivals have been taking place since 2016 and each year more than 500 children get to experience fun games and physical activity at their school while also being introduced to the 'Beautiful Game'. 'The School of Football is also the school of life'.
FIFA Grassroots Football had a trainer deliver the festivals course to New Zealand and I was among a group of others fortunate enough to attend the course to learn how to coordinate and deliver Football Festivals. From the course the attendees returned to their respective parts of NZ to deliver festivals. My first issue was how was I to deliver a festival to 100-150 children in one place at the same time. I spoke with the Sports Science Teacher at the local College who was looking for opportunities to complete practical leadership exercises for NCEA qualifications. We connected them with the Football Development Officer (FDO) who was happy to train the students to coach small sided fun activities and games to primary aged children. The FDO also had access to resources such as cones, balls, bibs and pop-up goals that would be needed for the festivals. Many of the Primary Schools in the area didn't have teachers with skills knowledge and experience to run football type activities and exercises with their students. The Te Awamutu AFC Club wanted to connect with more Junior Players and grow the number of junior teams taking part in football in the winter season. By running football festivals earlier in the year it was hoped that more children would be made aware that there were a range of football options available for them in the town, and that they might chose to join TA AFC.
There has been incredible cooperation and buy in by all partners that have seen the value in having festivals in schools, and have provided their time and energy to make it happen. The festivals are cost neutral as equipment used for other training programs is 'borrowed' to use at the festivals at times when it would otherwise be idle. The FDO and College students deliver the festivals during normal school hours when they would ordinarily be in sport science class with typically 5-6 festivals delivered each year. The students have completed their practical requirement for NCEA.
Teachers at the Primary Schools have appreciated that their children were provided an opportunity to engage in a fun activity that gets them playing and moving. The teachers observed and encouraged the children while coaches deliver the festival and lead the children through the respective activities.
The schools were then invited to a schools based tournament with both mixed and girls only teams. From here a number of new players enjoyed themselves so much they chose to register and play football in the winter season.
Waibop Football Development Officer - Scott Parsonage - trains the College Year 13 Sports Scicence Students to deliver small sided activities and games of football. Waibop help with logistics by providing equipment for the College students to make use of to deliver the festivals.
Te Awamutu College Sports Science Year 13 Teacher (Candice Barker) and Class - students learn and deliver the festivals and then complete assessment and assignments in regard to leadership styles and techniques. The work completed contributes to their NCEA Assessment. Candice provides transport for student coaches to get to and from the various primary schools.
Local Te Awamutu Primiary Schools - have fun festivals brought to their schools and provide the children, the time and the space for the festivals to take place - usually one hour per festival.
Te Awamutu AFC Coordinator - liaises with the Waibop Football Development Officer, the College Teacher and the Schools to book the festivals and assist with logistics where needed.
The FDO has been able to deliver football coaching to more potential coaches - being the College Students - and see football as a sport introduced to hundreds more children that they would otherwise have the capacity to reach.
The College Students get to deliver the festivals and complete learning reflections after each festival that form part of their assignment and provide credits towards NCEA awards.
Te Awamutu AFC gets to promote the club and attract new junior players to join the club by students getting an opportunity to ‘have a go’ that might not otherwise happen.
Primary schools appreciate that festivals are well coordinated events that the children have fun and are encouraged to enjoy and engage in physical activity. Teachers are provided with model games and exercises that they can use with classes after the festival.
More than 500 children from five different primary schools got to take part in fun activities that encouraged all children of all ages and abilities to take part. Sufficient equipment provided meant that all children were involved in activities and games that introduced them to movement and football skills.
Te Awamutu College students developed their leadership skills and knowledge in a safe environment and many were returning to their old Primary School that they attended before going on to College. Some of these students went on to help coach junior footballers during the winter season
Te Awamutu College students were great ambassadors for their school.
The collaborative nature of coming together to work towards and deliver festivals in schools developed a trust and understanding of the strengths that each partner could bring to the collaboration that has been working for more than five years now.
