For all footballers aged 11 or 12 on 1 January. The 12th grade is the beginning of serious football. Players are bigger, stronger, faster and normally have past experience so the competition is usually more physical and played at a much higher level. At this level teams can still be mixed boys and girls.
By now all rules of soccer are applied and players are held much more accountable for fouls and incorrect plays. Each team has 9 players on the field at any one time with unlimited rolling substitutions. These are made during stoppages and are coordinated between coaches and referees. Games are on a pitch 55m x 80m (3/4 of a full size pitch)and last for 25 minutes per half.
By this age players have normally found their niche on a soccer field and position changes are not as frequent as the younger grades. Team work and passing is very important to cover the larger field sizes.
The children learn how to play in proper positions and adhere more closely to the rules of the game. In 2008 we had 5 x 12th grade teams. There were also 2 teams from Russell and one from Kaikohe so the games were usually held in Kerikeri. Exact number this year are yet to be confirmed.
2008 saw a healthy competition between the teams with Ray White’s team eventually winning the tournament by one point.
At this level there is the opportunity to be selected by United Soccer 1 to take part in the prestigious Weir Rose Bowl Tournament and compete, with U12 teams from throughout New Zealand. At this point one discovers there is great competition out there but also that Kerikeri has produced some really great Junior players thanks to our dedicated coaches.
We all headed south on Saturday with our 10-12 year old girls excited to play against other girls teams for the first time all year. Stayed overnight at the Millenium Institute of Sport in Mairangi Bay which was awesome for all. Found out at 730am Sunday morning that the pitches at Lloyd Elsmore Park weren’t up to it and the event had been cancelled. Fortunately, the host club Fencibles AFC did acknowledge our support and commitment to the tournament the second year running so put forward teams to play us.
The 11th Grade girls had 3 games against their equivalent grade. They won 2 and drew 1, never conceding a goal. They passed well, played intelligently and with a huge sense of spirit and passion. Cricket(Donkin) and Paul Cook did a great job of directing the team against some pretty sharp club sides and the Auckland coaches were surprised by the quality of play.
Our 12th Grade side drew 2 and won 1, also not conceding a goal. They too played really composed, patient, smart football. We dominated possession and territory and for a change from our regular games against the Keri boys, were on attack for most of the games! The most obvious difference between the teams at the 12th level was the physicality, again coming from our girls playing against boys every week versus the other teams playing in a girls league, even though they were 1st Division Akl sides.
All in all, though we were unable to play in the 30 team all-girls tournament the Keri girls certainly proved their worth and measured up against a big Auckland Club. They left the big smoke fizzing.....and with some very proud parents and coaches!
Junior Soccer in Kerikeri is alive and well. We encourage parents to assist and also to become coaches and managers.
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