Christchurch Football Club eNewsletter

It was awesome to be out at St Leonard’s Park in Sumner on a beautiful Monday afternoon to see both Premier Men’s Teams line up and have The Last Post & Reveille played. It was quite a somber moment when one looked up into the Port Hills terrain and thought about what the ANZAC troops had to overcome to win the Gallipoli Campaign by coming ashore at ANZAC Cove and fighting two key battles at Cape Helles and Chunuk Bair where overcoming the terrain was a battle in itself!

Not to compare in any way to what our troops went through & those that never came home however the game of rugby is about winning the battle (big or small), winning the moment through better technique & better tactical decision making, to think on our feet when the game plan is not working & to challenge your teammate to complete the next job better than his opponent so as victory is achieved after 80 mins!

Well done to the Crocs, our awesome Premier Development team, who played a great style off footy to comprehensively see off their Sumner counterparts in emphatic style by winning the key battles & moments 😊

Our Premier Men’s team will have completed a tough review session after their loss to Sumner and will now look forward to a mighty battle against Linwood at Linfield Park on Saturday whereby we will be leaving the “Crying Towel” with Linwood and coming home with the Tom George Cup!! I encourage as many of you to get to the game and watch the lads bounce back with a win and make a statement to the competition that we are coming!

This week will see our Premier Women’s team play UC at home; our Premier Colts team start their campaign at home against Burnside and the Choppers playing the Halswell Wigram Battlers at Knights Stream Park on No.1

I appreciate the support & enthusiasm that everybody wants to give to our teams however we must understand the sideline rules that must be adhered to i.e., the reserves bench & management area is a designated area for reserves and management only & all other parties not involved with the game day team must stand behind the line as defined by the rope. There is also a Health & Safety aspect to this area as we don’t want any injuries sustained due to younger or older players/supporters being in the designated area where they don’t belong.

Junior season is about to get under way, as well as our colts and under aged women teams.

By now these teams will or should have coaches appointed. If you are one of those coaches your parents can be your best advocates or your harshest critic. You need to get them all on board with what you are trying to achieve as a coach nice and early

May I suggest some things that have worked for me in the past and they are really simple

#1. Set up a group chat for your parents

#2. Send out a communication around your expectations. This may include training times and what to expect on game day.

#3. What you value is important so get it out and make it clear to your parent group.

#4. A group BBQ can work too. It gives your parents a chance to meet, from their sharing of transport duties do became easier for them all.

#5. Rotate the halftime oranges/gum snake’s duty. It makes it easier for everyone.

#6. Introduce your parents to the Junior Section committee. They can help with stuff like hardship/financials when it comes to subs.

There you go. I know with the experience of the number of coaches and managers we have around the club there will be a great deal more wonderful ideas to bring family and teams together.

Don’t forget the annual Parents/Coaches vs Kids paintball competition.

#Coaching tip for the week when teaching Run Catch Pass.

There are 4 things a coach should teach when dealing with the RCP.

Early catch:

As a coach we want our players to have the ball in their hands early so they can make a decision and control the situation. We want our players to extend their hands to the ball to shorten the distance the ball flies.

Depart Square:

Have our outside foot up when receiving the ball so we run straight. It means we can fix a defender by running at their inside shoulder creating space on the outside.

Sneak peek:

Before receiving the ball and while the ball is in the air try to keep an eye on what is in front of you.

Is there a defender in front, is there space.

It makes it easier to make a decision if you know what is in front.

Catch in motion:

Being in motion as the ball is in your hands then you can choose to attack the ball to bend the line or slow your feet to fix a defender.

There we go, 4 simple things to focus on at a training. You can do them all or just work on the one thing at a session.

I’m available to help with plenty of warning the week before.

Have a good week on the Grass.

Budgie

Junior Rugby — Season Kick-Off

We are thrilled to announce that our Junior Rugby season is officially underway! This weekend marks a fantastic milestone as our players take to the field for our much-anticipated annual preseason match against Sumner. Games kick off from 9:30am at Christchurch Park, running throughout the morning — so come down, soak up the atmosphere, and cheer on our young players as they shake off the off-season rust.

With the proper season commencing next weekend, excitement is building across the club. It is wonderful to see so many junior rugby players eager to get back out on the field and enjoy the sport we all love. We encourage families, friends, and supporters to come along and show their support — the energy and enthusiasm from our juniors is truly something special.

We are also delighted to share some exciting news: CFC will be fielding its first-ever Girls team in the Monday night competition this season. This is a significant and proud moment for our club, and we cannot wait to see the team in action. If your daughter is interested in being part of this first, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us — all enquiries are warmly welcome.

Behind the scenes, an enormous amount of hard work has gone into getting this season off the ground. Our Junior Committee deserves a huge round of applause for their tireless efforts in forming teams and managing registrations across both Rugby Xplorer and Heja. We are proud to announce that we are currently sitting at 27 registered teams — including four Year 1 teams.

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend of rugby and enters the new season with the same enthusiasm and pride that makes CFC such a fantastic club. Here's to another great year of CFC rugby — let's make it one to remember!

Regards

Tim & Lana

ARE YOU A CFC CENTURION?
AXEMEN TO HONOUR ALL CLUB CENTURIONS.
The CFC Axemen are excited to announce the establishment and recognition the Axemen Centurions.

“ This is a project the Axemen have been working on for some time. We felt it was time to formally recognise and reward those former and present members who have made an enduring contribution to the Christchurch Football Club”, said Axemens Club Chairman Bob Eastgate.

Since 1863, Christchurch Football Club has been built on more than results. It has been built on commitment — season after season, generation after generation.

The Axemen name has always stood for resilience, loyalty, and the willingness to keep turning up when it matters most. It represents those who put the club first, who carried the jersey with pride, and who helped pass the CFC culture from one era to the next.

What Is an Axemen Centurion?

An Axemen Centurion is a player, coach, or manager who has reached 100 Senior Grade games of service, from Under 19’s, Women’s to Senior/Premiers, with the Christchurch Football Club.

One hundred games is not a moment — it is a journey.
It reflects seasons of preparation, sacrifice, resilience, and commitment to others.

Centurions are recognised not for individual accolades, but for service sustained over time — the very quality that has allowed the Christchurch Football Club to endure for more than 160 years.

Eligibility

You may be recognised as an Axemen Centurion if you have achieved 100 or more Senior Grade games with the Christchurch Football Club in one or more of the following roles:

Player
Coach
Manager/Physio

Service may be accumulated across seasons and teams and reflects genuine contribution in the red and black colours.

The Axemen Centurion Register

All recognised Centurions will be recorded in the Axemen Centurion Register, plus they will receive a souvenir as a living record that honours those whose commitment has contributed to the club across generations.

The Register exists to:

Preserve Axemen Centurion history
Recognise loyalty and longevity
Connect past, present, and future club members
Reinforce the values that define the Christchurch Football Club and the Axemens Club

Eligible individuals — or those wishing to nominate a past player, coach or manager — are invited to register for inclusion in the Axemen Centurion Register.

Where formal records are incomplete, the club acknowledges that our history is often carried through memory and shared experience, and these will be respected as part of the verification process.

To Register or Nominate:

Please register by following the link here:
Registrations will be reviewed by the Club and the Axemens Club to ensure the integrity of the Centurion Register.

A Living Legacy

Each registered Centurion will be recognised and inducted at special function(s) throughout the year.

Becoming an Axemen Centurion is not an endpoint. It is recognition that your service forms part of the foundation on which future club members will stand.

“ From Latimer Square in 1863 to the present day, the strength of Christchurch Football Club has always come from those who stayed. It is time to recognise those who have reached or surpassed the 100 game milestone. The Axemen are truly honoured to organise and operate this scheme on behalf of the Club” Bob Eastgate.

Give em the Axe!