The Wellington Phoenix are delighted to announce a new partnership with Waterside Karori AFC as the Phoenix look to grow their pre-academy centre (PAC) programme in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Waterside Karori AFC is one of Wellington’s biggest clubs, with close to 1000 players, of which more than 650 are juniors, and 80 teams.
They join Lower Hutt City AFC, Queen Margaret College and Whitby Collegiate as PAC partners in the Wellington region and the Phoenix are looking to build relationships with other Capital Football clubs.
Twelve clubs in other parts of Aotearoa, from Whangarei to Dunedin, have adopted the pre-academy centre programmes in the past two seasons.
The PAC programme is targeted at players in the skill acquisition phase (ages 9-12) and looks to build on their key skills and confidence to help them take the next step in their football journey.
PAC clubs are able to utilise the Phoenix’s pre-academy training programme and development centre, which is an online platform to develop players, coaches and parents.
Meanwhile, Rory Fallon has left the Phoenix academy and has been appointed the new head coach of Waterside Karori’s men’s first team.
The former All Whites striker has been the head of youth development at the academy for the past two years and has coached a couple of the club’s age-group teams alongside his coaching commitments with the national team.
Fallon will remain involved with the Phoenix in a new capacity, outside of the academy.
