Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When does the season start?
A: The 2008 season is a split start with some grades on Saturday 5 April and the rest on Saturday 12 April. The season will end on Saturday 30 August.

Q: Do we play in the school holidays?
A: There are usually games scheduled for the first and last weekends of school holidays but not for the middle weekend.  Please advise your team manager and coach if you will be away on holiday.

Q: How do I join the Club?
A: Online enrolments (and payment by credit card) is made via a link from this website - see enrolments.

Q: What grade will I be in?
A: The qualifying birth date for each grade is the 1st of January; so for example a child who turns 10 this year will play in Grade 10. Children turning 5 or 6 are eligible for our beginning football program in Nursery Grade. Note that girls (if desired) have the option of playing down a year (that is, in the grade one year below their correct grade based on age). If in doubt check with our grade calculator.

Q: What is Nursery grade?
A: Nursery grade is our beginning football program for children who are turning 5 or 6 years old. This takes place on Sunday mornings at Raroa Normal Intermediate school.

Q: What team will I be in?
A: Teams at grade 7 and 8 are initially based on school groupings, so children will (where possible) be placed in a team with children from the same school. Note that sometime this may not be possible if teams are already full. In older grades, returning players will be kept together if that is possible. Older grades will also have trials for places in our streamed teams so there will be opportunities to play at a more competitive level.

Q: Can I play with my friends?
A: When you fill out the enrolment form you can indicate the names of any friends you would like to play with. Grade coordinators will try to take this into account if possible (a team may already be full, or your friend may be in a different grade).

Q: Where will my team practice?
A: This will generally be at a local school or park. The Club's main practice ground is at Nairnville Park (2 football pitches including one with floodlights) however teams also practice on school fields such as Chartwell School and Cashmere Avenue school. Practice venue and time will be organised by the team manager and coach.

Q: Who will be my coach?
A: Your coach is normally a parent. The Club is a voluntary organisation and we rely on parents taking an active part in the life of the club. We encourage our new coaches to take one of the introductory coaching courses offered by Capital Soccer. See coaching for further information.

Q: Where will my games be played?
A: Our home grounds are Nairnville Park, Raroa and local school grounds like Cashmere Avenue. You will have away games as far north as Whitby and as far south as Seatoun and Wakefield Park.

Q: What will I need to play?
A: See uniform. You will need football boots, socks, shinguards, and shorts. The Club provides a shirt (and other team equipment such as practice balls, goalie gloves etc). The Club uniform is red shorts and red socks with green tops. Shirts are either red, green or a red/green stripe. The socks and shorts are available from Champs Sports in Cuba Street. You may want to consider a mouth guard.

Q: Who can I talk to if I have a question?
A: You can either send us an email or talk to one of the grade coordinators - contact details are here.

Q: How can I help?
A: The Club relies on parental involvement in the running of the Club, whether it be as President, grade coordinator, team coach or a helper in the kitchen at our annual Club Day. We currently have vacancies for several positions and would like to hear from you. We particularly encourage parents (with little or no football knowledge) to help as team managers - this is an administrative role with only a small amount of work needed during the season.

Q: What happens after I have enrolled?
A: Once enrolments have closed our grade coordinators use the information provided to make up the teams. Initially teams are based on school groupings and where possible we try to take into account any requests for children to be placed with named friends (though sometimes this is not possible). Returning players will usually go back into a team based around the previous year's players. Once the team has been formed, the details will be passed on to the team manager and coach who will then be responsible for advising you which team you are in and setting up practice times etc.

Q: Football or soccer?
A: The name "soccer" is commonly used in New Zealand to refer to the game which is known as football in the rest of the world. While we are legally the Onslow Junior Soccer Club, we will be operating under the name Onslow Junior Football Club.

Q: How do I know where I will be playing?
A: The draw is published on the Capital Football website and in the Thursday Dominion Post newspaper.

Q: How do I find out if my game is cancelled?
A: Cancellations are broadcast on Newstalk ZB on 1035AM on the half-hour from 7:00 onwards. Listen carefully for Wellington Junior Soccer it can sometimes be confusing. Games are generally cancelled when the Wellington City Council close the grounds to protect the playing surface from further damage. If games are cancelled prior to Saturday morning we will try and let you know in advance (by an email broadcast). During extreme weather conditions it would pay to check your email on Friday evening and perhaps have a look at the Capital Soccer website. Some team managers may even send you a group text message.

Q: What should I do if I can't play?
A: Let your team manager or coach know. If you are going to be away on holiday, make sure you let your team manager and coach know as soon as possible.

Q: What is Club Day?
A: One Sunday during the season (weather permitting!) we hold a Club Day where the club community gets together at Nairnville Park. Each team plays one of the other club teams and this is followed up with a "bring a plate" after match function. Younger grades start in the morning and the day finishes with a President's 11 game against a suitable opponent. In previous years we have also used the Club Day to take team photographs. The committee has decided not to hold a Club day for the 2008 season.

Q: What happens at the end of the season?
A: You should return any Club gear that you have (shirt, jacket, goalie gloves etc) to your team manager/coach after your last game. The Club also holds a prize-giving at the end of the season.

Q: What other Junior Clubs are there in Wellington?
A: The Capital Soccer website has a comprehensive list of football clubs in the Wellington area.

Q: Who can I call to see if the grounds are open?
A: The Wellington City Council maintains a recorded message on 801-4134.

Q: How do I receive emails from the Club?
A: Use this link to join the mailing list.

Q: How do I stop getting emails from the Club?
A: Use this link to leave the mailing list.

Q: I've enrolled but have decided not to play. What do I do?
A: If you've already received notification that you are in a team, you need to let the team manager and grade coordinator know immediately that you are pulling out. Also you will need to send an email to the registration secretary advising that you are withdrawing.

Q: How do I get a refund?
A: Enrolled players that withdraw before the start of the football season will receive a refund less a $10 administration fee. For withdrawals after the start of the season, a partial refund may be payable at the discretion of the club. Withdrawals are to be advised by email to our registration secretary and any refund payment will be by check. Please note that it may take 1 to 2 months for any refund to be posted to you.

Q: I don't get any emails from the club
A: Assuming that you have joined the mailing list, the emails may be being flagged as SPAM by your ISP. If you are an Xtra customer the following link may be helpful Yahoo Xtra help otherwise contact your ISP