First Kicks - 4-6 Year Olds
Our youngest members are introduced to football through ‘First Kicks’ – part of New Zealand Football’s Junior Framework. The players learn new skills in a fun and friendly environment, taking part in weekly sessions that provide wide-ranging benefits:
- Social & Emotional – lots of interaction, enjoyment
- Technical & Tactical – lots of touches, 1v1s, attacking & defending
- Physical – develop Functional Movement Patterns, more active
- Mental – lots of opportunities for success and for decision making
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First Kicks (4-6 Years) In-house
Saturday Mornings - 8:30am
First session: 3rd May 2025
Final session: 6th September 2025
No Football on the following holiday 2025 dates: 31 May, 21 June, 5 July
First Kicks Grade Coordinator – Karen Sykes - firstkicks@otumoetaifootball.co.nz
Grading is strictly based on the year of birth: (2025 Season)
2020-2021 – 4-5th Grade | 2019-2020 – 5-6th Grade
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Registrations and Teams
Registrations typically open early December through to late February. At the close of registrations, the grade coordinator will put the teams together based on requests as indicated on the registration form (they do their best, nothing is guaranteed). If you have a few friends wanting to play together, they will all have to indicate this on their registration. Click here to register.
Once all registrations are sorted into teams, the coordinator will email out team details (typically mid April). Each team will require a volunteer coach, and manager. It is at the team's discretion if they want to practice during the week or not.
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First Kicks Programme
Saturday Mornings – 8:30am
The weekly allocation of pitches and station activities will be made available on our website and App usually at least two days in advance. Two teams will be allocated to each pitch shown on the draw. The first team listed will wear their shirts the Green side out. The second team (Away team) will wear theri shirts Black side out
Each team will need two ‘coaches’ on the pitch with their team – one to run the activitys and one to take the team in games.
TEAMS
Maximum of 8 players per team
PITCH
25m x 17m (1/16th of a pitch) with 2m x 1m goals
FORMAT
8:30 Activity 1 - Fit4Football 11+ kids (learn more about Fit4Football here)
8:38 Activity 2 - Football Technique
8:46 Activity 3 - Football Coordination
8:54 Activity 4 - Small Sided Game
9:02 Return to original Station for a drink – 2 minutes
Coaches ensure half the team has bibs on. The players wearing bibs will move clockwise to play two 8 minute games. One coach will move with the bibbed players and the other will remain with the non-bib players.
9:04 Bibbed players rotate clockwise – Game 1 kick-off
9:12 Bibbed players rotate clockwise – Game 2 Kick-off
9:20 Pod coordinators return all cards to clubrooms
RULES
- Players are encouraged to enjoy being in possession of the ball; the focus is on having fun and participation
- There are no throw-ins, goal kicks, corners, free kicks, or kickoffs
- If the ball goes out of play or a goal is scored, coaches are encouraged to throw a ball back onto the pitch
- Coaches should try to ensure games are relatively evenly matched. If one team has more players than the opposition then the coaches can monitor the game and balance the teams as fairly as possible by sharing players
- Team coaches will be on the field to encourage players and their positive behaviours. Coaches should encourage all players to perform different skills and roles within the team
PARENTS/SUPPORTERS
All supporters should watch games from behind the fence or on the balcony and provide encouragement to all players.
