With less than two months to the start of the 2018 National Women’s League, Northern Football Federation are delighted to announce a team of highly experienced coaching staff to lead Northern for the 2018 campaign.

Heading up the coaching staff is Gemma Lewis, who led Auckland Football to the title last season. Lewis, also assistant coach to both the New Zealand U-17 and U-20 women’s teams, is looking forward to working with the players from Northern and is excited to get the campaign underway.

"I’m really excited, it’s going to be a new challenge for me. I know there is some really good talent this side of the bridge and I’m really excited to work with the girls and get underway," she says.

“Obviously we want to go as far as we can this year, I have always thought that Northern have the potential to win the league each year. The standard of players we have is of a great calibre. I think we would be selling ourselves short if I said we didn’t want to be up there and be pushing to win the league.

Joining Lewis is former Football Ferns strength and conditioning coach Harriet Steele, former Canterbury United Pride assistant coach Shane Verma and goalkeeping coach Kaitlyn Savage.

"We have a very talented and experienced coaching staff. They will bring a lot to the table and I think it will be a good group to work together with the players," Lewis says.

With the changes in the league format for 2018, Lewis believes the quality of the league will only get better and will be closer than ever.

"Going to two rounds and playing everyone twice is going to really open up the league. Last year was really close in terms of the competition and with the changes this year, I think we can get really excited about the league."

The National Women's League kicks off on the weekend of September 15-16 and the draw will be released shortly.
 

Northern Football National Women's League coaching staff

Head coach: Gemma Lewis
Assistant coaches: Harriet Steele, Shane Verma
Goalkeeping coach: Kaitlyn Savage
Manager: Kim Hallford
Media: Mike Hadnett

Article added: Friday 27 July 2018