New Zealand Football is pleased to announce their Player Welfare Team, which is a further development from the formerly known Injury Prevention team. 

In 2016, New Zealand Football created an Injury Prevention Specialist team to work on the guiding principle of enhancing performance through prevention.  The Fit4Football programme was then launched in 2017 and the team moved throughout the country and their Federations delivering 11+ and 11+ Kids programmes, with an excellent response and uptake from the football communities.

The Fit4football programme has now expanded into a Player Welfare and prevention programme for the masses.  It is a community-based programme for players, coaches, clubs, parents, officials, schools and anyone involved in football from junior to social to anywhere in between.  Fit4Football is still the overarching programme for player welfare and prevention and is based upon ACC SportSmart’s nine key principles; player profiling, physical conditioning, injuries, target population groups, skill and technique, psychology, athlete environment, nutrition and player wear and gear.

“Our programme and our team have evolved and developed, providing a much more holistic approach to wellbeing and prevention in football,” said Megan Crockett, the National Player Welfare Manager. “We have specialist knowledge and experience within our Player Welfare team that has enabled our programme to grow to this extent.  It was only logical to rename the team to fit the programme.

“The aim of the Fit4Football programme and Player Welfare team is centred around player welfare, wellbeing and prevention with a comprehensive programme that supports the game development of players in football in every aspect.”

The Player Welfare team is focused on enhancing player enjoyment, development and performances at each level - grassroots beginners to elite to social players, coaches, referees and parents, within the community game.

The team is geared to educate and activate the New Zealand Football community and provide guidance and understanding towards the welfare and wellbeing of players in areas such physical preparation, nutrition, injury prevention, rehabilitation and return to play, athlete environment and more.

“Player welfare is important to enhance the development and performances of players and coaches working with players,” said Crockett.  “It is a critical element in sport provision.”  

The Player Welfare Team will now consist of a Player Welfare Officer based in each Federation while Crockett is the National Player Welfare Manager.

The Fit4Football Player Welfare and Prevention Programme is made up of nine Key Principles; Injuries, Target Populations, Skill and Technique, Psychology, Athlete Environment, Nutrition, Player Wear and Gear, Player Profiling and Physical Conditioning.

This season, on top of the work around the 11+, 11+ Kids, Smart Start AED’s in Clubs, Concussion and Injuries, the team will focus on Nutrition, Player Wear and Gear, Player Profiling, Physical Conditioning, Athlete Environment including the Child Protection Policy, some Target Population Groups and further work in injury prevention and rehabilitation all specific to football in NZ.

Throughout 2018 there will be a large amount of development in the Athlete Environment area, with work being undertake on developing a side-line behaviour and a football first aid component along with Health, Safety and Wellness.  The psychology and mental wellness aspect will be a longitudinal piece of work for now.

The Player Welfare Team has hit the ground running in 2018. They are currently heading out around New Zealand on the Player Welfare roadshows focused at our youth players, coaches, parents and clubs.

For more information visit; http://fit4football.co.nz/