Club News & Updates

Whakatane Town AFC

3 months ago

Good afternoon all,

On the 19th of March the club released a statement to it’s playing members following WaiBOP and New Zealand Footballs release of information, stating that all football activities were suspended, including training sessions. The timeline we were supplied at that time, and that we passed on to members, was that the season wouldn’t begin until the 2nd of May, and trainings would not begin until April 18th. Today, WaiBOP and NZ Football have released another statement, revising the start date of our seasons until at least the 30th of May, with trainings beginning on the 16th of May.

I said in that statement, that we would provide another update after meeting on the 6th of April. The country then prepared and entered its Level-4 Isolation in an effort to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 virus. I’m writing today so that not only our players, but also our wider community knows that we are still thinking about football, we are still thinking about the season ahead, and that our dedicated committee and our coaches are still working quietly in the background to better our club day-by-day.

Our committee met by Google Hangouts on Thursday night, and hosted an online committee meeting to discuss the usual, and unusual that is occurring at the moment. Our priority is to ensure that once we can train again, once we can play football again, our club and our players are as prepared as possible for this. With that in mind, I would ask that all players interested in playing senior football this season for Whakatane continue to register to the club. Our Senior Coaches Graeme Kinney (Federation), Cal Pirihi (Baywide), and Teneille Oglivy (W-League) can only select teams from registered players, so this is the most important first step to getting on the field.

In light of the reduced season time, and that we will not be able to provide as much football as previously believed, the club will review its player fee’s when we have an understanding from the governing bodies on what they are going to charge us. We have already been told that WaiBOP’S fees will only be a reflection on the amount of football that can actually be played, and we too will ensure that we are reflecting this in our player fees. When we have a solid idea on what this will be, we will update everyone to this cost.

Our committee are also working to ensure that when the lockdown is over, the club is in a financial position to continue making strides in the right direction. Aside from our Player fee’s and sponsorships from the wonderful business’s in our community, one of our largest streams of revenue is our bar and hiring the club out for functions. The clubrooms have a liquor licence that allows us to hire out the club and host events. If you know of anyone who is looking for a venue for a quiz-night, birthday party, wedding reception or any other event, we would appreciate if you would recommend the club as a potential venue. The club, and teams, will also be pressing to hold socials and events, so if you have any ideas, please contact us and we will work together. We understand that money is hard to come by at the best of times, so every bit of assistance even just in promoting the clubs services is massively appreciated.

We also appreciate the continued support from our members, and those in our community, who have continued to purchase Whakatane Town merchandise and playing gear through our webstore at ultrafootball.co.nz/football/clubs/whakatane-town-afc/. The club receives a portion of all purchases through the store, and we are very grateful to our partners at Ultra Football who continue to support us and provide us with the best equipment possible.

We hope to continue updating you through our social media channels like Facebook, and also our website at whakataneafc.co.nz/ as to what we are up to. I know that Graeme Kinney has given a fitness routine to the Men in the Federation team, so if you are looking for some extra exercise to complete from home during the lockdown, we can provide some guidance. Everyone who has participated so far or are maintaining their fitness levels will benefit immensely once the season begins.

Everyone understands that by observing the quarantine and isolation guidelines, as a nation we are in the best position to combat the spread of the virus, and then be in a position to go back to some sense of normality. This in turn means eventually, that Whakatane players will return to the fields to play football and enjoy our season.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Regards,

Jake Norman

Club President; on behalf of the Whakatane Town AFC Committee ... See MoreSee Less