Update from May 2026 - teams have been formed and the season is underway.

Players in Grade 5 registrations are still open.  Players in Grade 6 to 8 please sign up and register your interest in joing a team.  You will be placed on a waitlst and be contacted once a team spot has become available.

2026 Skechers NSU First Kicks winter season!

Season details

• Season dates: 1 May to 3 September 2026
• No Games or Trainings:   29/30 May Kings Birthday  & 10/11 July Matariki Celebrations
• Location: All training and matches are held at Allen Hill Stadium 27A Lake Road, Devonport.

Training (Fridays during the season):

• Grades 5 & 6: 3:45pm – 4:30pm
• Grades 7 & 8: 4:30pm – 5:15pm

Saturday matches:

• Grades 5 & 6: 8:00am – 9:00am
• Grades 7 & 8: 9:00am – 10:00am

There will be scheduled breaks during the season for King’s Birthday weekend and Matariki weekend.

Extra Training Day Thursdays at Bayswater Park see below link to register.

What grade is my child in?

First Kicks grades are based on the age your child is turning during the calendar year (2026):

• Grade 5: Turning 5 in 2026 (born 2021)
• Grade 6: Turning 6 in 2026 (born 2020)
• Grade 7: Turning 7 in 2026 (born 2019)
• Grade 8: Turning 8 in 2026 (born 2018)

Age eligibility note:
NRF age eligibility is determined by a player’s age as at 31 December of the playing year. First Kicks is a development‑focused programme and we do have some flexibility, so if you have any questions about which grade is most suitable for your child, please email the team and we’re happy to help.

Teams & friend requests

Grade 6–8 conveners will be meeting early/mid‑April to put teams together (note that Grade 5 does not have teams). To give conveners the best chance of considering friend requests, we encourage families to register as early as possible.

Please also feel free to spread the word to friends and whānau who may be interested in First Kicks this year — early registrations really help with planning.

Join the convener team

We’re always on the lookout for great people to help make First Kicks an awesome experience for our kids. In particular, with Grade 5 welcoming lots of new families, we’d love to hear from anyone keen to help out this season. Conveners are already in place for the other grades, but extra support is always welcome.

If you’re interested or would like to know what’s involved, please get in touch with the team:  firstkicks@nsu.org.nz