Fun Football (7 - 9yrs)

FC Nelson Fun Football

​​​​​​​​​​​​​This programme is part of New Zealand's Football's Whole of Football 2.0 Framework and is designed to assist players aged 7-9yrs to develop basic football skills through direct coaching, fun, practice and games.

Early engagement into the game should be encouraged as it is necessary to reach excellence. This initiation phase is to allow the children to discover the game, provide for learning basic fundamental movement skills and create positive football experiences.

Skills First Footy - featuring Funino style play - lots of ball action, passes, changes of direction. Lots of movement and fun. Build confidence in the perfect bland of learning and play!!

Learn a new skill or two each week, put it into practice on the pitch, then take it home to keep improving.


DATES: Saturday 9th May - Saturday 22nd August

LOCATION: Neale Park

TIME:  10.15am - 11.15am

Kings birthday weekend - ON

Matariki weekend - OFF

School holidays: ON July 4th, NO play on July 11th & 18th 


Please provide your child with 

  • Shinpads

  • Socks, shorts

  • Suitable footwear

  • waterbottle

They will be provided with a FC Nelson playing shirt for the games but they need to be returned at the end of each session.  An undergarment is advised. 


All players will do a little combined warm up together before they play games in their teams. The format will be 4v4 or 5v5 to provide many opportunities for everyone to play and get touches on the ball.

We allocate players into teams before the start of the season and rotate teams each week to play a different opposition.


Fun Football Guidelines

  • No competitive games

  • Adults and children work together informally to meet the personal/emotional needs of the youngsters

  • Lots of chances to score goals and enjoy mini challenges

  • Encourage participation in a variety of additional activities to develop physical literacy (e.g. running, jumping, throwing, etc)

  • Parents and game leaders bring out the fun of football through guiding and supporting their children to understand the basic rules of Fun Football


  • 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


Register for the season now - https://www.fcnelson.co.nz/winter-season/registrations


Parent Involvement

Like all club activities we are reliant on parents to help run the Saturday morning programme. A Co-Ordinator will run the sessions and will have training and coaching plans but will require parents to help with organising activities and assisting with games.

Like everything with children this age, the more parents contribute in the sessions by encouraging and supporting the co-ordinator and players, the more the children will benefit. Please give consideration to whether you can take on one of these roles.


If you have any questions please contact our FDO, Manuel - manuel@fcnelson.co.nz