The Wellington Phoenix in partnership with Capital Football, is launching the very first girls programme in 2021. The U15 (2006 and 2007 born) Girls team aligns with New Zealand Football’s Girls Youth Development Pathway which supports full time centralised girls’ programmes delivered by local Federations. The partnership between the Wellington Phoenix and Capital Football allows girls the opportunity to experience a quality programme with access to the following:

• Wellington Phoenix Curriculum
• Coaching by Wellington Phoenix and Capital Football Staff
• Full time training programme including 3 trainings and 1 game in a mixed league each week
• 4 visits from NZF Age Group Staff
• GPS monitoring and tracking
• Access to athlete wellness and loading management systems
• Full medical screening & regular physical reporting – standardised with NZF
• Video analysis through Hudl
• Access to strength and conditioning and on-site physios
• Player Workshops & Personal Development Seminars

As the girls and women’s game grows, the Wellington Phoenix and Capital Football acknowledges its role in supporting emerging female players with an aspirational pathway. With the support of New Zealand Football, Capital Football and the Wellington Phoenix are able to provide a unique opportunity for emerging players to develop with full access to professional club resources.

Players will have the opportunity to be selected through the Wellington Phoenix & Capital Football Girls U15 Identification Camp. There are two routes to register for the Girls U15 Identification Camp.

1.  For all players currently registered for a club, your club will send in nominations to attend the Girls U15 Identification Camp on behalf of the players. Please check with your club to see if your club have nominated you.

2. For players unattached to a club and would like to attend the Girls U15 Identification Camp please write into Maia Vink, Capital Football Assistant Federation Development Manager maia@captialfootball.org.nz.

Wellington Phoenix & Capital Football Girls U15 Identification Camp
Dates | March 6 & 7
Times | 9.00am-1.30pm
Location | Petone Memorial Park
Cost | Free

With Capital Football and the Wellington Phoenix announcing a partnership to provide young female footballers the opportunity to be apart of a centralised development programme, we would also like to provide some insight into certain areas of programme.

The competitions team name, “Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls”, was chosen to reflect the most accurate description of the programme.

The Wellington Phoenix are an affiliated club of New Zealand Football and a voting member at congress. 

To aid with homegrown club recognition, players within this Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls team, will select an “eligibility registration” in comet. An eligibility registration will recognise the homegrown club connected to each player but will provide no ability for the player to play for their selected/recognised homegrown club during the current season.

When New Zealand Football selections are made, both the Wellington Phoenix and the applicable homegrown club will be recognised side by side.

For players that will exit the programme at the end of the 2021 season, we will be recommending that they return to their homegrown club.

The Capital Football Federation Development department recommend that the most appropriate level for the Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls team to play in is the U13 CDL.

As a full-time programme training at an advanced level, the Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls team require the opportunity to play in a “top tier” league against structured teams, technical players, higher qualified coaches, and with a greater chance of receiving appointed referees.

The jump to the U15 CDL mixed league would be considered too much of a challenge, where the U13 provides the perfect range of challenge and extension. Generally, it is accepted that girls are able to play one year down in mixed competitions, but for a whole team in this case, two years is more appropriate.

We also believe that the mixed teams of the U13 League will benefit from playing against and observing a high functioning girls team.

Capital Football will conduct a full review of the Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls partnership by October 31, 2021, with Club and New Zealand Football consultation determining the shape of the partnership moving forward.

We see collaboration across all party’s paramount to the success of the partnership and scope of its future.

For further information on the Wellington Phoenix, Capital Football Girls U15 Identification Camps and the Wellington Phoenix U15 Girls team, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Maia Vink at maia@capitalfootball.org.nz

Article added: Friday 05 March 2021