Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek

At the start of the 2024 football season in the Cook Islands, most of the attention of the football community was focused on their teams’ opening game preparations.

But just as important as preparing teams to take to the pitch is how clubs are sustainably developed off the pitch and ensuring club administrators are equipped to take the next steps in their club’s evolution, whether they be in areas such as partnerships, marketing and communications, facilities and social responsibility.

To support Cook Islands clubs, Oceania Football Confederation Clubs and Leagues Manager Steve Dillon ran OFC’s Introduction to Club Management workshop on the eve of the 2024 Rarotonga Football Season’s kick off.

Club administrators from Matavera-Ngatangiia Football Club, Nikao Sokattak Football Club, Puaikura Football Club, Titikaveka Football Club and Tupapa-Maraerenga Football Club gathered at Cook Islands Football Association to learn about the variety of different initiatives that can take place on a national and local level to help develop their club.

‘These range from helping clubs understand local business opportunities available through connections in the local community, through to how on a national level how Club Licensing can help raise the collective standards of any league system in place.

“This OFC Introduction to Club Management workshop was the first to take place in the Cook Islands thanks to the enthusiasm and support of the Cook Islands Football Association to host for their clubs,” Dillon said.

While the information conveyed at the workshop is an obvious benefit for Cook Islands’ football clubs, what is just as – or even more – important, says Dillon, is how bringing club administrators together at a forum like this strengthens relationships between individual clubs, and between clubs and their governing body.

“It’s also been to get to know the club landscape in the Cook Islands and understand the club and league structures that are in place currently, supported by the CIFA Club Licensing system, and to help us as OFC to know how we can best support the clubs in the Cook Islands” Dillon explained.

Considerable strides have been made in club development in the Cook Islands in recent years. CIFA club licensing is unique in that it requires each club to have both a senior men’s and senior women’s team, ensuring that clubs are structured to support and provide opportunities to all in their communities.

“It was great to see the interactions and knowledge sharing between club executives, as well as witness the ambitions that are held by the local football stakeholders,” Dillon concluded.

For Angela Wallbank, Technical Director of Nikao Sokkatak Football Club, her club’s ambitions encompass its role in developing players for the national team, as well as providing opportunities in its local community.

“Club development opportunities are crucial for Nikao Sokkatak Football Club. They enable the club to enhance its capacity for training young talent, supporting higher competition levels, and increasing representation in national teams,” Wallbank said.

“Our ambitions are to holistically develop young players, create a positive culture for teams competing in local competitions, and achieve strong representation on national teams, as well as enhance community health and education outcomes through its football programmes,” she explained.

By engaging with forums such as the club management workshop, Cook Island clubs have the opportunity to achieve their aims and will be supported by CIFA and OFC through an ongoing OFC Club Development community on OFC Learn.

The Rarotonga Football Season kicked off last week with 2024 OFC Women’s Champions League representatives Avatiu FC registering a 2-1 win over Nikao Sokattak, Puaikura demolishing Titikaveka 4-1, and Tupapa Maraerenga beating Matavera Ngatangiia 2-0. In the premier men’s games, Tupapa also beat Matavera 2-0, Avatiu comfortably beat Nikao Sokkatak 4-0, and Puaikura narrowly defeating Titikaveka 2-1. The men’s and women’s leagues mirror each other, and competitions are in place for mixed junior grades and boys and girls’ youth grades from U-6 to U-18.