LAKES FOOTBALL CLUB 2026 GIRLS’ & WOMEN’S PROGRAMME

2026 offers a bigger, brighter pathway for every player!

Lakes Football Club is excited to announce a significant expansion of our Girls’ and Women’s Programme for 2026. As our club continues to grow, we’re proud to offer more opportunities than ever for girls and women to develop, compete and belong.

After an incredibly successful 2025 season across our senior women’s squads and youth pathway, we are now ready to build on that momentum. The 2026 programme strengthens our pathway from junior football right through to senior women’s competition — ensuring every player has a place to grow and thrive.

SENIOR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

After winning the WaiBOP W-League in 2026, Lakes FC is looking forward to another successful season. This year, we will once again field both a W-League team and a Bay Women’s team. Pre-season is now underway, and we warmly welcome both new and returning players of all abilities to attend.

Women’s Pre-season Training

Sundays: 4.00pm at Linton Park, starting 1 February
Tuesdays: 6.00pm at Linton Park, starting 3 February
** Check the Lakes FC Facebook page ahead of each session for venue changes or updates**

All players — new and experienced — are welcome.

Player Eligibility

To play senior women’s football, players must be born in 2010 or earlier.

Players born in 2011 may apply for dispensation to play once they turn 15 years of age.

YOUTH GIRLS FOOTBALL (Players born 2012 - 2007)

In 2026 Lakes FC youth girls will play in the Bay Wide Youth Competition.  This is split into two age groups.

Bay-wide Youth Senior Girls (including girls born up to 2007)

Bay-wide Youth Junior (High School) Girls - Years 9/10 Only

These new age groupings are aligned with School years ensuring the right fit for every player.

2026 GIRLS YOUTH TEAMS

SENIOR GIRLS’ PERFORMANCE TEAM

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Age: (U19s) Girls born up to and including 2007

A selected team playing in Division 1 of the Bay Wide Youth Senior Girls competition.

The team will be selected through a trial process.  If you are unable to attend the trials, but would like to considered for the team, please register and contact us ahead of the trial dates.

Senior Girls Performance Team trials

February 24th and 26th
Puarenga Park
4.30pm

Please register for the trial here https://forms.gle/BUFY1jJBcoNVBNjR6

A separate trial will be held later in the year to select the team to attend the National U19s tournament in October. 
If you have any questions about the performance team or trials please contact lakesfcgirls@gmail.com

SENIOR GIRLS’ DEVELOPMENT TEAM/S

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Age: (U19s) Girls born up to and including 2007

There is no selection process for this team (or teams).

The team/s will play in the division of best fit in the Bay Wide Youth Senior Girls competition.

JUNIOR GIRLS’ (HIGH SCHOOL) DEVELOPMENT TEAM/S

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Age: Girls in Year 9 and 10 of High School

There is no selection process for these teams

The team/s will play in the division of best fit in the Bay Wide Youth Junior Girls (Year 9 & 10) competition.

YOUTH GIRLS’ DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Additional development, competition and opportunities will be available to girls in the youth development teams that are looking for extra challenges.  Further information regarding these opportunities will be available closer to the start of the season as details are confirmed.

U13 GIRLS

U13s is a new age group combining 12th and 13th grade girls to align more closely with intermediate school years. U13 Girls play in the Western BOP U13 Girls competition.  Home games are played locally at Puarenga Park and away games are played around the Western BOP.  We have multiple teams at this age.  Transport is organised by car-pooling within the teams.

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Age: Girls born 2013 & 2014 
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There is no selection process for these teams

The team/s will play in the Division of best fit in the Bay Wide Youth Senior Girls competition.

U13 GIRLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Lakes FC is excited to launch a new U13 Development programme for 2026.  The programme will give girls looking for extra challenges and competition a chance to take part in additional training and development days.

12 weeks of Goal Academy skill sessions

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Multi-Game Development Day
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A chance to train and play with like-minded players

2026 JUNIOR GIRLS GRADE INFORMATION AND COMPETITION FORMATS

5th - 7th GRADE GIRLS (Born 2019 & 2021)

Game locations - Puarenga Park, Rotorua

We will aim to have a girls team in each of these grades. The girls teams at this age play in the local mixed competition as there is no dedicated girls competition. When girls and girls teams are playing in a mixed competition they can choose to play at their age or down one grade ensuring each player finds the right challenge point.

U9 GIRLS - (Born 2017/18) 5v5

U11 GIRLS - (Born 2015/2016) 7v7

Game locations - Puarenga Park, Rotorua

U9s and U11s have their own girls' competition right here in Rotorua.  A dedicated all-girls competition provides more opportunities for our young female players. The grades are played as dual age bands i.e 8th/9th grade combined and 10th/11th grade combined.