A group of Waikato-based Futsal Whites have established a partnership with the aim of providing international playing and coaching opportunities in the United Kingdom.
Hamilton-based Four Zero Futsal is working with the Reading Royals Futsal Club, whose men’s and women’s teams play in the FA National League.
Former Waikato Rapids coach Sam Masterson has become head coach of the Royals and Futsal Whites Logan Wisnewski and Jordi Ditfort, and Rapids player Kyle Wisnewski are playing for the club in the current UK season.
The Wisnewski brothers and Ditfort represented New Zealand at the FISU World University Futsal Championships in Portugal (July 17-24, 2022), while Logan Wisnewski and Ditford played for the Futsal Whites who won the OFC Futsal Cup in September.
Watch: Jordi Ditfort scored a superb solo goal for New Zealand against Portugal at the FISU World University Futsal Championships.
READ MORE: New Zealand win OFC Futsal Cup >>>>
Four Zero Futsal was founded by Kyle Wisnewski to support the development of the sport, working with clubs and schools to develop programmes and create pathways to top-performance teams.
Another New Zealand international, Brayden Lissington, has been appointed a director of Four Zero UK and is also a member of the Royals playing roster.
“Reading Royals is a great club with big ambition. There is so much potential for growth here, and Four Zero is excited to be joining the club on this journey,” Lissington says.
“I’m also just so pumped to be on board and to be seeing my mates here in the UK!”
Royals secretary and men’s team manager Richard Oxley said:
“The immediate benefit of this partnership is a massive injection of international futsal experience into our men’s squad.
“We are also excited to welcome Sam Masterson to the club … Sam is a specialist futsal coach from New Zealand and will allow Brayden (Royals player-coach since 2020) to focus on playing.”
Under Masterson’s leadership, the Waikato Rapids finished first and second in the New Zealand Men’s Futsal Superleague. Masterson was named 2020 New Zealand Futsal Coach of the Year.
Main photo: Brayden Lissington … a futsal international now helping develop the game abroad. Photo: Royals Facebook.
About Four Zero Futsal
Kyle Wisnewski, founder of the academy, says: “I started Four Zero Futsal in 2019 to increase access to quality futsal experiences in our community, with a focus on creating futsal pathways. In term 1 of 2022, our coaches delivered over 450 sessions in schools and clubs. It’s awesome to think about the quality experience futsal players are receiving and the long-term impact this will have on the development of futsal in our community.”
Click here to visit Four Zero Futsal’s website >>>>
About the Reading Royals
Both the men and women’s first teams play in the FA National Futsal Series. The men’s development team play in the LNFS England Premier League and the Women’s Development Team play in a local league.
Reading Royals Futsal Club was founded in 2013.
More football stories
