A new partnership to develop young Bay of Plenty footballers aims to provide them with some of the best facilities in the region.
FC Tauranga Moana will launch in January as a joint venture between Tauranga City and Papamoa FC with the aim of developing players between U-9 and U-17.
READ MORE: Papamoa and Tauranga City set up new entity to develop young players >>>>
Papamoa FC have announced plans to significantly improve their facilities at Gordon Spratt Reserve and Alice Johnson Oval through council investment, grants and club funding.
In a social media posting, the club says: “It is going to be a cracker. Two clubrooms, premium pitches, new lights, additional carparking, field realignments (creating additional fields) and Astro pencilled for future growth.”
The club has been working with the local council to get improved facilities into its annual and long term plan (LTP).
“The clubroom facilities are not all council spend. Clubs will need to contribute(ideally through leveraging funding grants).
“Lighting developments begin next week with new cabling going in to support the new lights on fields 7 and 8.
“The future developments take into account our entire community user group as a multi user complex.
“To support our growth we have the use of Simpson Reserve for 2023 which will have an 11th grade and a full size field on it.”
Papamoa’s new first team coach, Mark Cossey, said: “The club has grown hugely over recent years. I have been around the football scene for a number of years and can see an enormous upside.
“The fact the club is creating partnerships outside of itself for the benefit of all speaks volumes.
“The partnership with TCAFC and the development of FC Tauranga Moana will be integral to the growth and development of our footballers in this region.
“The scale alone, when compared to any other WaiBOP clubs, offers endless possibilities.
“The council’s proposed investment into local facilities on this side of the bridge is larger than I have ever seen, which will further support the growth.”
READ MORE: Former All White Mark Cossey makes switch from Rovers to Papamoa >>>>
Development plans
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