Youth grades play 11 per side on full size fields, using full size goals. Coaching is at a certified level, and games are played against other clubs, within graded divisions.

Dates:

Registrations will open on the RDS web site early January 2025, and close in March 2025. We will take registrations thereafter only if we have any teams that need additional numbers.

Please register as soon as possible. That will help us get those teams registered into their appropriate NRF grades. Early registration also helps us fulfil any preferences you have.

The season start date is 5th April 2025 and fixtures can be found here.

Fees:

For 13 - 19 year olds, a full season of Youth grade football will be $90. This includes the use of an RDS uniform (shirt and shorts).

Note: Purple RDS socks can be purchased on a Saturday morning during our First Kicks/Fun Football (8:30 -9:45am) from the portacabin office at Metro Park. The socks are $15 per pair.

Girls Teams:

Following the upturn in interest due to the Womens World Cup held in NZ in 2023, we have seen greater numbers of girls wanting to play football. We offer girls the option to choose whether they would prefer to play in a mixed team, or an all girls team. Girls teams can also elect to play in either girls or mixed competitions.

Coaching/Supervising:

We ask for volunteers to take each team that is playing this season.

For Youth grade, one or more coaches and one manager is ideal. These roles can be shared by parents to get around commitments that may prevent the full-time attendance of the coach/manager, provided these volunteers co-ordinate this.

Youth grade plays 11-a-side games and teams can have up to 16 players.

These teams are permitted "rolling substitutes", and every team coach appreciates help from a parent(s) who will manage the substitutions to ensure every player gets equal opportunity on the field each week.

Mid Week Practice:

Each team will need to have at least one mid-week practice session. The first priority of every coach is to identify which afternoon/evening their team will train and advise our RDS Co-ordinator, so that field space can be allocated at Metro Park for the desired time slot. We make every effort to accommodate all coaches, but in the event of field congestion, we will advise as soon as possible.

Saturday games for Youth may be played across the Auckland area, depending on how many teams are in each competition. Grade 13 is the first age group where results are recorded for the purpose of grading into leagues.

Sideline Etiquette:

Teams will no doubt, encounter games against other clubs, when side line, or refereeing behaviour suggests a Premier Division contest is under way. This is "old school" mentality, which NZ Football is working to change. As an affiliated club, RDS wants to play its part in changing sideline and on field behaviour's, remembering that the game is for the enjoyment of the players. Spreading the message is always a great start, and something that we are actively fostering.

Field Setting Up/Packing Down:

For home games at Metro Park, those teams that are playing at 9am are expected to arrive early enough to set up the field they are playing on (goal nets, corner flags, side line cones and retreating line disks)

The teams that are last to play on each field that day, are expected to pack down this equipment and put it in the allocated storage.

It’s suggested that teams arrive for their game a minimum of 30 minutes early to warm up.

For more information, head over to the right hand side of this page and download the information sheet.