A three-day workshop has been held in Auckland to help player development in the Oceania region.
The Play Like The Stars workshop, organised by Oceania Football Confederation Player Development Manager Phill Park, covers topics including:
- Player development model and play methodology
- Gender equality
- Futsal
- Goalkeeping
- Alternative formats such as walking football
- Cultural football activity design
- Women’s football
Participants, who include representatives from nine of the 11 OFC member associations, were to take part in a practical coaching session with local grassroots players to be held at Papakura City’s McLennan Park on Thursday October 26, from 5pm-6pm.
The workshop attendees were also to visit a local school programme in conjunction with OFC Champions League winners Auckland City.
Main photo: Attendees at the workshop. Photo credit: OFC.
Parker told the OFC website the October 25-27 workshop — the first of its kind to go ahead since 2017 — provides the chance to “enrich all participants with a meaningful and impactful experience of all variations of football on any surface.”
The COVID pandemic had hindered opportunities for OFC member associations to work together.
“We are finally able to bring member associations together to information share, knowledge exchange and learn from each other’s unique cultures and national context,” Parker said.
”The theme of Play Like The Stars conjures up many exploratory opportunities and the imagination can run away from you.
“However, with such an exciting theme, we will delve into areas of player development possibly not explored before with cultural integration into football design.
“This particular cross-over has been manifested with NZ Football into their Kotuitui schools programme, which incorporates some Maori origin stories rewired into football activities.”
Attendees include the head of the OFC Football Division, Patrick Jacquemet, OFC staff from clubs and leagues, social responsibility, futsal, goalkeeping and women’s football.
The workshop will induct new regional development officers from New Caledonia, Francois Josse, and Tahiti, Yohan Tristant, into the Oceania Player Development Officers’ Network, commonly referred to as OPDON.
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