Each summer we hear from Capital Football about tweaks to the playing formats for the season ahead and this year there are a few new rules and some fee increases:
4th to 8th grades – players can now dribble-in as an option for goal kicks and a throw-ins can be used as well as a kick in from the sideline.
7th grade festival game durations – were 3 x 12 minute games and will be 4 x 12 minute games.
8th grade festival game durations – were 3 x 15 minute games and will be 4 x 12 minute games.
New 9th – 12th grade retreating line rule – Capital Football says this coaching tool has been successfully implemented in Junior Football throughout the world, has been used by some NZ Federations in over the past few years. “It enables and encourages our young footballers to start to develop and enjoy a style of play in keeping with Worlds best practice and New Zealand Football’s playing philosophy.”
“The game involves playing the ball out from the back with defenders learning to control and accept the ball. Midfielders check to receive and play between the lines, while strikers learn to defend from the front and use the retreating line to make angled runs. This provides realistic player movement both on and off the ball, making it a great format for the modern game.”
Check out the video that describes the new retreating line rule.
14th grade is now known as 14th/15th Grade or to us as the U15s.
CF says “College Sport Wellington have decided to run a combined Year 9 and Year 10 league this year on Saturdays. In 2019 Capital Football will dual age band the 14th grade to include 15th grade players. This will keep players in club longer and reduce the gap between the Under 17 competition. In 2019 Capital Football will undertake a full review of all competitions that Capital Football run in the youth space (13th to 17th grade) in consultation with clubs. This will then inform what competitions are offered in 2020.”
Capital Football’s fees are up by an average of $8 per player across all the junior grades and significantly more for our mens and womens players. Capital Football spend these fees paid by the club within your playing fees towards grassed grounds and artificial turf charges; operational costs; football development programmes and staff; health & safety including goalposts/signage; pathways to rep football; and NZ Football membership.
6,300 players and 785 teams are now playing Futsal in the Wellington region across junior, youth and senior Futsal leagues. That’s 700 more players than last year.
Updated 2019 junior and senior regulations are expected out soon here.