HISTORY

Kaponga Soccer Club has enjoyed a long history and has been part of the Kaponga community and the Taranaki soccer scene for over 100 years.

Although the Club has changed in size over the years, our philosophy of emphasising player development has ensured our teams have performed well on the field in terms of both skill and results.

Read this story from Club life member, Jim Henderson, about his experience at Kaponga Soccer Club:

I had lived in Kaponga with my family for about two years, when my 7-year-old son Mark came home from school one day and told his Mum and Dad that there was a man named Mr Garrett who came to school and asked him if he would like to play soccer. We duly took Mark to “roll-up” day. While there, we met Chris Garrett, who (being the salesman he is) was recruiting parents for his senior teams. I needed to meet people, needed the exercise and needed to get off the farm occasionally – so why not!

I had no idea about the game of soccer. I had played rugby for 10 years previously, so I reckoned I knew how to tie my bootlaces, but that was about where it ended. I still remember the day I rolled up to my first soccer practice at age 36 without a clue on the game with a round ball. You could easily have talked me out of entering a new ear of my life. I needn’t have worried. I could never have met a better bunch of guys and girls. They were (and still are) a happy family and gave me much encouragement and advice. They told me not to buy square-toed boots (I still don’t understand why, after all look how Don Clarke could kick?)

They taught me soccer phrases like “If in doubt, kick it out” – I still use that one often! They introduced me to the Kaponga Tavern – our clubrooms in the early days. They told me that not many years before, they had been playing in black singlets. The mentioned the toil involved in developing Alamein Park and siting a Skyline garage as clubrooms, complete with gas-fired water heating (as no electricity was available). They talked of the input from local engineer, Jack Stevens and of the enthusiasm of the Sharpe family. In those early days, Kaponga juniors were strong – and they still are. “Mr” Garrett and Jack Stevens can take the credit for fostering Kaponga Soccer Club and one of their prodigies, Mark Bellve, is now the Club President and Main Man.

Over the years, our teams have consisted of a wide variety of ages and this year is a good example, with two players over 50 and several under 16. There have been four father and son partnerships in the team, and referee Tony Bennett – our star player for many years – is still active in the Club.We have had many characters in the Club – too many to mention but definitely a highlight of mine, and many other was the Chatham Cup trip to Naenae. A day in soccer I will always remember. Imagine that, an old “has been” rugby player, close to 50 years old, donning his boots to play for the Chatham Cup in Wellington. We didn’t win the game, but it was a winner for me.

Thank you Kaponga Soccer Club.