The beautiful game is going from strength to strength at West Auckland AFC. Based at Brains Park in Kelston, membership in the football club has grown in recent years. And each week, around 350 players take to the pitch.
West Auckland Football Club is a family-friendly club. You’ll often see several generations of the same family kicking the ball around. ‘We welcome players of all ages and abilities,’ says chairperson Debbie McLarin. Players are aged from 4 to over 60. And there’s a team to suit any skill level.
‘We are dedicated to involving as many people as possible, young or older, in the club and are proud of our multi-cultural football family,’ declares Debbie.
The main football season runs during the winter months. However, budding footballers have plenty of opportunities to get their fix all year round. Futsal and summer football leagues keep everyone on their toes during the off-season.
Debbie says West Auckland AFC is particularly proud of its record in women’s and girls’ football. She advises that the club has one of The West’s largest and most successful female sections. Currently, there are three senior women’s teams and three sides in the junior girls.
As a community organisation, the club’s primary source of income is membership fees and fundraising. Often there's little left in the kitty for the non-football extras.
Debbie said the club’s administrators relied on an old computer long past its prime. ‘We had the same computer for about ten years,’ she advises. However, thanks to the Your West Support Fund, West Auckland AFC now has a modern computer and printer. ‘It’s brought us out of the dark ages,’ quips Debbie.
The new computer and colour printer have made all the difference to the volunteers who run the club. And even more so since the club was recently connected to high-speed fibre internet.
After years of struggling with a dial-up connection and an old computer, the club is now in the best position to get even more locals involved in football.
Check out West Auckland AFC’s website for all the details.
