The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Youth Festival in New Caledonia represents the chance of a lifetime for New Zealand’s U-12 Capital Football side.
Capital Football has been operating since 2000 and has never sent a team overseas or fielded a U-12 side before, and are excited about the prospect of new growth and development.
Capital Football is based in Wellington, the home of Hyundai A-League side Wellington Phoenix. Wellington is at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, and is the country’s capital city.
Capital Football has a wide range of diversity in their squad and two players have particularly interesting backgrounds. Riley Kelliher is the only player to have played in the United States having played in Minnesota and hopes to return there later this year. Tamupiwa (Tam) Dimairo moved to New Zealand with his family a few years ago from Zimbabwe. Tam is our only player who does not come from New Zealand originally.
None of the three officials travelling with the team were born in New Zealand – with all staff coming from England. Tom Randles and Gary Jenkins arrived many years ago, but Bev Priestman only joined Capital Football at the start of this year. All have been involved in professional football and Tom and Gary have played for New Zealand’s national team, the All Whites.
No. SEX SURNAME FIRST NAME
1(GK) M PICKERING Jordan
2 M MARTIN Luke
3 F ROLSTON Emma
4 M PALEZEVIC Alexander
5 M DIMAIRO Tamupiwa
6 (C) M BAXTER Robert
7 M MITCHELL Jared
8 M SCHRIJVERS Taylor
9 M WINWOOD Glenn
10 M WAUGH Lachlan
11 F COOK Eleanor
12 M KELLIHER Riley
13
14(GK)