JUNIOR INFORMATION
Thank you for choosing to play at Old Boys’ this season.
We welcome you as a new family or as a returning family and hope you will have an enjoyable season with us with lots of fun, excitement and most of all great football.
At all times please be encouraging and supportive. Praise your children and other children, including the opposition.
Above all have fun and play fair.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Registrations for the 2026 season will open early March. Please check back here for the link then.
GRADE INFORMATION
All teams will be formed and parents contacted as soon as the registration process closes.
Junior players are only eligible to play in the grade which matches the age they turn in 2026 OR if they want to play up a grade with school classmates, the age they turn between Jan-March 2027.
This season, girls must play for a team in the girls only league in the first instance. Girls may also play in a mixed team as well as a second priority. If there are insufficient numbers for a full team in any particular grade, we will contact parents to see if their daughter wishes to play in a mixed team.
If you have any doubt about the correct grade to register for, please contact us.
First Kicks = 5 year olds (More Info)
Fun Football = 6 or 7 year olds (More Info)
8th Grade = 8 year olds
9th Grade = 9 year olds
10th Grade = 10 year olds
11th Grade = 11 year olds
12th Grade = 12 year olds
13th Grade = 13 year olds
14th Grade = 14 year olds
15/16th Grade = 15 and 16 year olds
9-16th grade teams will train once per week (weather dependant). The team coach will contact you when they have been advised of their team. The day of training will be set by the coach on a day that works for both team and coach.
As all our coaches and managers are volunteers and we couldn’t run our junior section without them. We greatly appreciate their support and their time that they give freely. We also encourage parents to get involved, so if you are able to coach or manage your child’s team (or just lend a hand on game days), that would be a huge help.
PLAYING GEAR
Fun Football to 16th grade players are required to wear the following uniform:
– Club Shirt (provided by the club)
– Club Shorts
– Club Socks
– Boots and Shin pads
All players provide their own boots with moulded studs or cleats only (no metal sprigs) and shin guards.
To view the range of playing gear and merchandise available, please click HERE
Although you are unable to purchase gear directly from the club, shirt, sock and short samples are available to view at the Clubrooms if you are unsure of the right size.
MERCHANDISE SUPPLIERS
Old Boys’ items such as shirts, shorts & socks can be purchased via the club’s shop.
KICK OFF!
The 2026 season for Fun Football to 16th Grade is yet to be confirmed by Southland Football, however the season is likely to run from late April through to August.
First Kicks will run on Monday afternoons during Term 2 only.
Weekly draws will be posted on the Football Southland website prior to each Saturday’s game.
Your coach will also advised the time, field and which team you are playing against.
We acknowledge that sometimes players will be away during some weekends and that some teams may be light on player numbers.
We will ask opposition coaches to lend one or more of their players so that the numbers on the field are evenly balanced.
This, of course, is a request not just for those weekends but for every weekend as it is no fun for anyone involved in a lopsided game.
CANCELLATIONS
In the event that we have to cancel games due to ground closures or bad weather.
Please check the Football Southland Facebook Page.
Or alternatively you should listen to More FM Southland 89.2
TEAM PHOTOS
Provided free to every player at the end of the season.
GET INVOLVED
We have a small team of parents and the Junior Coordinator who are volunteering their time to effectively run the Junior grades. Our objective is that football should be fun.
We also need lots of parental involvement. Parents can be involved in coaching, or managing a team (which is a different role). Parents can also be involved in supporting the coaches, by helping running skills sessions, or trainings, or even just keeping the balls ready on game day when they go out of play allowing more game time.
Generally the more successful and enjoyable teams have lots of different people involved and helping the coach.
If you wish to help in some way, please indicate this on your online enrolment or by letting the Junior co-ordinators know.
The club and Football Southland supports coaches through coach education sessions and other training aids.
Our junior committee works incredibly hard to make your participation in the Junior OB’s a successful and enjoyable experience. If you are interested in volunteering or helping out with various tasks for Old Boys then please email juniors@oldboysafc.co.nz for further information.
ADMINISTRATION
We will keep you informed throughout of important dates coming up.
We hope we have managed to cover a few points which may assist you and once again thank you for choosing Old Boys’.
Have a great season.
If anyone has difficulty with fees, questions regarding registration or any other general queries then please contact the Club Junior Coordinator at juniors@oldboysafc.co.nz
If you are a Junior Coach then you need to visit the Junior section of the New Zealand Football website.
It is a fantastic resource for coaching material including manuals, handbooks and videos. All free!!
Click Here to be brought direct to the NZF website.
GALLERY
Click here to view photos of seasons present and past.