ROTORUA – Māori Football Aotearoa (MFA) visited to Whakarewarewa Primary School in Rotorua this week, connecting tamariki, staff, and whānau with football and the pathways the game can offer.
For Māori Football kaumātua (elder) Phill Pickering-Parker, the visit was deeply personal – a return to the town where he grew up in the 1970s.
He shared his football story with the students, staff, and parents. Pickering-Parker was a New Zealand U-16 international and has played and coached for Māori Football Aotearoa. He is currently a Player Development Officer for Oceania Football Confederation.
Pickering-Parker gifted the school a framed Māori Football Aotearoa jersey and his own framed New Zealand jersey.
Phill encouraged tamariki to dream big: “One day, you too may pull on this jersey, or the jersey of Māori Football Aotearoa, if you work hard, have fun, and keep playing football.”
He reflected on the significance of engaging Māori communities at an early age:
“The visit to Whakarewarewa School was an emotional one but also very important as we plant the seed of Māori engagement with the sport of football at an early age. It is vital that we connect tamariki with the game and blend the passion, fun, and ambition of the sport early so they can see there is a pathway into the future for them.”
Representing WaiBOP Football, Football Development Officer Natalie Broadhead said it was an inspiring day for everyone involved.
“I think it was pretty cool having the tamariki learning from Phill about where their roots are from, and then the pathways available to them as young Māori footballers. Often tamariki miss out on those visuals of the pathways ahead of them.”
Natalie highlighted the region’s promising growth in the junior game, as well as the challenges.
“Our junior football space has been growing well, and we’ve got healthy leagues in our region. We do have some challenges around making sure we have enough resources, such as coaches and volunteers. That’s one thing we really need in the game going forward – more people to help deliver football every week.”
She also emphasised the value of collaboration between organisations.
“I think having key partnerships and connections with each other can only strengthen the game and the connections we have with our different communities. Working with Māori Football Aotearoa, Sport Bay of Plenty, Auckland City FC, and local people like Sergio helps us resource and support each other better.”
Gordon Watson, MFA Board Member and Auckland City FC General Manager, spoke about inspiring the children to see a football pathway in their own futures.
“Our kaupapa was to open the football pathway for the children in their imagination – through our kōrero, then consolidate that with some futsal, so they can play through the school, to club football, to Māori Football Aotearoa representation, to perhaps one day a national team career. But even if they don’t reach those heights, the most important thing is that they can enjoy football or futsal for life, staying fit, strong, happy, and connected to all the positive elements the sport brings.”
The visit co-incided with the delivery of the Kōtuitui programme, a six week football and futsal based programme to help children develop their cultural intelligence skills and enable them to better connect with people to celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural roots and our ever-growing multicultural landscape.
Sergio de Sauza Alves, a former professional player with Santos in Brazil who also played in Japan is now a Rotorua local. He is a well known coach delivering football and futsal programmes in the Rotorua area, and delivers the Kōtuitui programme at Whakarewarewa Primary School.
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Photo Credit: Māori Football Aotearoa
Video – Māori Football Aotearoa visits Waiariki FC & Whakarewarewa Primary School
