Tessa Nicol has become the first woman in Oceania to complete the OFC/NZF Goalkeeper B Licence.

The OFC/NZF Goalkeeper B Licence is designed for coaches working with senior and older youth goalkeepers and is currently the highest coaching qualification for goalkeepers in Oceania. 

Nicol is a familiar face in Kiwi football, being a former New Zealand U-17 and U-20 Women’s Goalkeeper Coach and currently the Assistant Coach of Otago University AFC Women’s team.

The OFC/NZF Goalkeeper B Licence course aims to challenge and support aspiring goalkeeper coaches with the tools and knowledge needed to better support their players.

Nicol says the course has equipped her with new coaching tools.

“The Goalkeeper B Licence has been an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience that's helped me grow as a coach and gain an even better understanding of what a goalkeeper is in the modern game.

“While I’m the first woman to take part and complete this course, over the coming years I’d love to see more women to come through the advanced goalkeeping development pathway and strengthen New Zealand’s footballing community, academies, professional clubs, and national pathways.

“Football in New Zealand is on an upwards trajectory and there’s increasing opportunities to get more women involved in goalkeeper coaching. The goalkeeping pathway for women in New Zealand has untapped potential and opportunities, it’s exciting to be part of its foundations.

“In particular, I’d encourage women transitioning out of playing or who want to give back to the community, the opportunity to coach keepers. They’re the ones who have the knowledge and experience that can help shape the country’s next generation of footballers. It is never too early or too late to start coaching!”

At the heart of the GK B Licence is the Professional Coaches Model (PCM). Coaches are challenged to deepen their knowledge and skills across five key areas: Football Knowledge, Football Training, Match Requirements, Knowing Yourself as a Coach, and Vision and Philosophy. New Zealand Football’s Coaching Process and Game Training Methodology continue to serve as the foundations for developing meaningful GK-specific sessions that support all four corners of player development.

The in-person component of the course is delivered in two parts, each lasting five days. Between these blocks, GK coaches complete a series of distance learning tasks, designed to develop and challenge their skills across the PCM framework. These tasks are completed in the coach’s own environment over the course of a ‘season,’ with mentor support.

The OFC/NZF GK B Licence is awarded by demonstrating competency in the tasks and through a final post-course assessment — planning, conducting, and evaluating a session within your own coaching context.

Find out more about coaching pathways here: https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/community/coaching-2

Article added: Tuesday 19 May 2026