Mainland Premier League

AW82 if your news is true that is even more of a reason to ensure there is a critical mass of women's players through the grades at a club before adding/deleting WPL teams every season.

Yer that is random if true AW82, who could be dropping out, I guessing Uni?  To be honest I don't really mind about Parklands, altho it is a bit random that the decision to bring them in is made at this late stage. I'd prefer a Nelson team to join in with their Men's flights and games, that would add something to the league. Surely the next team down from Parklands isn't a U13?  How will that work?

I'm sure with having a premier team then numbers will come to still have a pdl side & there was a 14th grade team last year so this year they will be 15th grade. I see your point about potentially weakening pdl but why hold back not going to premiers just because you would weaken other clubs 2nd teams? Parklands produces quite a few rep players who will/would probably leave if the step up to premiers is not taken as they will go to clubs where they can get these opportunities. This will keep more girls in the game creating the pathway through all grades.

Vim, Gings,

I hear that Nelson tried to get a team off the ground this year but didn't quite managed it & that next year is basically a definite along with Selwyn. Having an 8 team league would be great

Call me old fashioned but I just think you build a house on solid foundations and I don't see enough of it yet at parklands.

Fair call but no harm in trying, Uni have sustained a premier team without much underneath them & to a lesser extent Western aswell so they have shown it can be done.

True that. But if AW's mail is correct one team is dropping out.

How are things at halswelll? Bridget didn't last long, and not sure if Gareth coaching again; also selwyn girls/burnley growing. Any hawks on here?

Heard Halswell was chasing Vince Binding from Selwyn for their Women/PDL team.

Why are capital football advertising for a football devt manager? Isn't that the job mike de bono just went into?

Sorry to hear that for mike, but a good football man is our gain and wellys loss.

McMahan appointed as Selwyn's First Women's coach according to email sent out by club.Talk of a number of girls, some as far afield as Ashburton, joining them.

If Selwyn can get their really good 12/14's sides of 2010,11,12 through to WPL then that is a real success story. 

Vim says Girls grades 2014 are now 11/13/15. 

2013 U17 girls Sth Island results:

1. otago
2 nelson
3 selwyn
4 sth canty
5 Canty/chch black
6 canty/chch red
7 southland
8 marlboro

U14s selwyn =9th
U12s selwyn 11th

yes thanks for that GG we can see they have performed well at SIT

from memory 10CC said they were not able to send their 'best XI' to that tournament or 2012

From Mainland Football:

Football’s stellar year recognised.
Football’s very successful 2013 has been recognised with five finalists at the Marriotts Hadlee Sports Awards.
Cashmere Technical’s success in winning New Zealand Football Chatham Cup, South Island Football Championship, Mainland Football Premier League, MacFarlane Cup and the Hurley Shield as well as six Mainland Football Awards sees it as one of three finalists in the Club of the Year. 
Gareth Turnbull is one of four Coach of the Year finalists after guiding the Mainland Pride to their first national title and Coastal Spirit women were crowned National Women’s Knock Out Cup Winners, a first for Canterbury since 1994. His contribution to the women’s game in football makes this a well deserved honour.
Canterbury women achieved a further three finalist spots with the Mainland Pride in the Sports Team of the Year, after taking out the NZ Football ASB Women’s League Championship for the first time. 
Annalie Longo and Meikayla Moore topped off their stellar seasons earning finalist spots in the Sportswoman of the Year and Young Sportswoman of the Year categories respectively. 
Annalie Longo achieved her 50th senior Football Ferns cap in 2013, to add to the 33 achieved at U17 & U20 International level. She won the Cyprus Cup with NZF Football Ferns  and the National Women’s League with Mainland Pride. She is the epitome of professionalism in women’s football.
Meikayla earned her first full international cap as a New Zealand Football Fern, and was also a New Zealand Football Young Fern – Under 20’s International. As well as winning Mainland Football’s Women’s Footballer of the Year and Women’s Defender of the Year, she was a member of the successful Mainland Pride and Coastal Spirit premier women’s teams.
Craig Rhodes’ contribution to football has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award. This is a richly deserved acknowledgment of his commitment to both Club and Federation football. He is currently Chairman of Mainland Football and has been on the Board since 2009. He has been on the Canterbury United Board since 2008 including 3 years as Chair. Craig was Chairman of FC Twenty 11 (the largest football club in South Island) from 2008 – 2013, and Chairman of Burnside United 2001 – 2008 prior to its merger forming FC Twenty 11.
Mainland Football congratulates all the finalists on their achievements, they are well deserved.

Maybe criteria need to be introduced into Premier Leagues to ensure quality and commitment. Must have a reserve league team, must have a women's team?  Thoughts?

Criteria for exactly this sent around clubs earlier this month . Also compulsory coach qualifications. http://www.mainlandfootball.co.nz/fileadmin/user_upload2/Coaching/Mainland_Football_Mandatory_Coach_Education_SUMMARY_2014_updated_15_Jan.pdf Quite A number of quality coaches around without qualifications, even more with the "piece of paper" but without a clue. Go figure how that's going to work.

Oh wow, I hadn't heard about that. Junior teams to be deducted points if criteria isn't met.  Boom!

Good on Mainland for finally going through with this. 

Clubs have had warning about this for the 2 previous seasons. 

Doesn't change the accuracy of 10CC's last line :) but at least sets a marker to improve coaching standards. 

How many years of "Criteria for Junior Div1"? Miserable failure with only few clubs attempting, combined with no enforcement at all by MF. Will/can this realistically be any different? Coaches, Junior or Senior, are hard to come by at best of times, let alone good ones. Can see reaction now of some of those that have been coaching at a higher level for a number of years to be now told that unless they have the piece of paper from NZF, they are not able to coach anything but a social grade.

Out of interest; What official qualification has Keith Braithwaite got...........?

Another thing is do you actually get given the 'piece of paper' as I did the Youth Qualification a couple of years back and have received nothing!

Not always. 

Some courses (IIRC first kicks) you go online at the end of the course to register and then access more info

Youth it's registered by the course provider, then they include you on mailing list for various Coaching Initiatives. 

ie: Paul Bateson's program end of 2013

looks like Korosh is doing coach ed for Mainland 2014

Seems to be the only qualification Keith Braithwaite has got is signing overseas players! And poor ones at that

Keith has a degree in sales and marketing (commercial) which equates to knowing how to face up an outer of Cadbury chunky so it looks the shizz. Other than that, I don't know.

Also a post graduate paper in shouting. Passed with honours!  :P

Yay for Koresh being the education guy!

Several Clubs have already told MF "thanks but no thanks" and won't be assisting at Canterbury United games for that very reason!

Really? Is it that bad?  I ruddy well enjoy watching the coaches almost as much as the game. 

I got no problems with it all.

Probably in combination with the generally accepted language and behaviour from the thugs passing themselves off as "supporters" that side of the grounds. If you bring kids to ASB park, keep them on the opposite side until this ugly element is dealt with. Clubs are responsible for their club's players, coaches and supporters behaviour yet a blind eye is turned at ASB park when it comes to Canterbury United games. 

Yes they're vocal, but I've never hear the 'thugs' swearing or using bad language.  The worst I've heard is 'tosser' which probably isn't high up on the naughty word list. 

Keith on the other hand....   But as I said I got no problem with it.