2016 is shaping up as a big year for KCU. After winning the Kāpiti Horowhenua and Wellington Sports Awards Club of the Year and also the Wellington Airport Regional Community Kāpiti region Club of the Year and Supreme award, we are looking to make it a winning season on the pitch also.
KCU have retained the coaching services of Sean and Jarrod Kelly along with Mark Hunt and we have added the highly experienced ex NZ representative Kim Nye-Picknell to the senior women’s coaching team. Kim represented the NZ team from 1989-1995 including playing in the world cup in China where she scored the first goal for a NZer in a world cup. Kim has player coached at many Wellington clubs including Karori, Petone and Upper Hutt. Kim’s experience will be a great addition to the women’s coaching staff and the club is looking forward to having her experience and drive to succeed at the highest level.
KCU has also appointed Alan Gregg as the coach of its men’s Reserve team this year. Alan returns to the Coast having played for Raumati Hearts in his youth prior to leaving to pursue an IT career in Wellington and Australia. In recent years Alan has coached at Brooklyn Northern United at a competitive level.
KCU are delighted to also announce the First team coaching appointment for the next 3 years. Coming onboard in this role as player coach is Brazilian Magno Vieira. Vieira is a current member of Team Wellington in the Summer League and has recently been playing for Wairarapa United in the Central League. Magno has 14 years of playing professionally for for Wigan Athletic, Fleetwood Town and Forest Green Rovers in England
Vieira will player/coach the first team and work hard with other coaches on the development of our U17 and U19 players as well as putting a large focus on the football in schools program with the junior club to help drive youth development on the Coast. Magno will also coach the Under 19 team for this season’s annual National tournament in Napier.
Club Captain Chris Blackford says “While we have taken some time to get the right coaches we feel we have the right mix of experienced and enthusiastic people to take our men’s and women’s senior teams to the next level on the pitch.”
The club is still looking to fill an assistant coach and manager positions so if you’re interested contact [email protected].
The club has junior, men’s and women’s trials and pre-season training all coming up so watch the paper, website or Facebook for times and dates and come on down to KCU for what promises to be another big season of football.
