Frequently Asked Questions
Starting from 5 years old
First Kicks is a programme designed for children aged 5 and 6 years old.
Fun Football continues the development achieved during First Kicks. Both programmes are part of what’s known as the Whole of Football Plan. Fun Football caters for children aged 7 and 8 years old.
The Whole of Football Plan is run in-house (at either Te Puru Park or Beachlands Domain) and encompasses children from the Clevedon Football Club.
Typically we do not cater for children under 4 years old. This is because they are playing children up to 6 years old, as part of the First Kicks programme, and the difference in physicality is noticeable. We would hate for a young player to be discouraged from playing football because they cannot compete with children who are a few years older/bigger/stronger – we’ve seen this happen.
Junior Football (9 to 12 years)
BMAFC has multiple teams to cater for all playing abilities within this age group. Boys and Girls are generally mixed at this age group. However, as demand dictates there may be all-girls teams formed within this age bracket.
Youth Football (13 to 17 years)
BMAFC generally has multiple teams within this age group. Please note that – year to year – this is subject to demand. As children become teenagers, we often see a dropoff in player numbers at this age level. Players may be required to play up/down a grade to help field teams and ensure (wherever possible) that all interested players can be catered for.
Boys and Girls are generally mixed at this age group. However, as demand dictates there may be all-girls teams formed within this age bracket.
Senior Mens Football
BMAFC fields a competitive and ambitious senior mens football team. Our reserve grade team operates in conjunction with our first grade squad. Additionally, there is currently one social mens team playing in AFF’s third division (as at 2019).
For the more mature gentlemen, our club typically fields 3-to-4 Over 40s teams.
Senior Womens Football
BMAFC has maintained a very successful senior ladies team for a number of years now. Playing on Sundays, this is a very open and inclusive group of women.
New players are very welcome at all ages and skill levels.
Please see our Teams page for the most current information.
If your child turns 9 anytime this year that makes him/her 9th grade. If your child turns 10 anytime this year that makes him/her 10th grade. And so on… Simple!
Children playing in 8th Grade and UNDER are NOT Graded. This is because they are playing in a highly organised in-house system where grading teams will offer no benefit to the children.
Children and youth teams 9th Grade and ABOVE are Graded (unless it is known that there will only be one team in a particular age group).
When and where? Grading typically takes place in early-mid February each year. Details of grading time and dates are published in the News section of this website; on our Facebook page and distributed via our Email newsletter.
Please see also our Grading Philosophy.
Typically around early-April. You can find updates in the News section of this website; on our Facebook page and distributed via our Email newsletter.
Typically around late-August to early-September. The actual end date will vary depending on how many teams play in your division, and how many postponements (due to bad weather) you encounter throughout the season.
There is a HUGE amount of that work goes into getting a new season off the ground for around 400 players, and all done by volunteers, all of whom have work and family commitments as well.
Clubs have a deadline with Auckland Football Federation where we must have our teams finalised and submitted to the regional governing body some weeks before kick off.
On top of that, there is a high level of competition amongst Auckland clubs for the game’s emerging talent. We must be operating on a par with other clubs if we want to continue our growth and development towards being one of our city’s best football clubs.
All of this conspires to push Registration back a few months from kick off. We ask you all for patience while we work hard behind the scenes to bring you another year of fantastic footy!
Please note: it may be some weeks after your registration before you hear from your coach for the year ahead.
The Registration website you’ve used is a service which we subscribe to, and is provided by New Zealand Football. Its purpose is solely for collecting registrations. This website requires you to Log In in order to register.
Your Log In information on the Registration website DOES NOT provide you with a Log In for our Club website or automatically subscribe you to our newsletter (you can do THAT here!).
Our team of volunteers are busy organising gradings, finding coaches and managers where required, processing payments, chasing funding, organising teams, playing equipment, playing and training fields and other general business. All of this takes some work.
For important information, we try to regularly update the News section of this website; our Facebook page and distribute it via our Email newsletter. Please check our website and Facebook a few times a week for updates.
BMAFC appreciates your initiative and enthusiasm for attending external tournaments and wishes to support your efforts.
All fundraising MUST be banked through the BMAFC accounts for transparency and financial accountability, so your first task is to contact the committee with full tournament details and fundraising goals so that an account can be set up for you.
The BMAFC committee would then welcome an application from you for funding towards tournament registration costs. Your application should include the date of the tournament, relevant costs, details of fundraising events you plan to undertake and any other information you think relevant.
Don’t delay, contact us today! We are here to support you.
If your team has a match scheduled at Waiheke, please email the opposition club via the AFF website and they will arrange for your team to be picked up from the ferry terminal.
BMAFC will then reimburse your ferry costs for each player and ONE parent (additional supporters must pay their own fare), simply email the invoice/receipt to the Secretary with full bank details for reimbursement.