Premier WOMen

Cashmere Technical FC is delighted to confirm the Women’s First Team coaching and management group for the 2026 season, with a highly experienced and well-rounded leadership team in place as the Club continues to build toward future success.

Coaching Appointments

Shane Verma has re-signed as Head Coach for the 2026 season and will once again be joined by Duncan Reed, who returns as Assistant Coach and Goalkeeping Coach following his recognition as the 2025 Mainland Football Women’s Coach of the Year.

Speaking on his return, Shane Verma said:

“I’m excited to be rejoining the coaching staff for the 2026 season and working with such an experienced group of coaches. Our Women’s First Team has been on a great trajectory for the past four seasons, and we’ll continue to build on that across 2026. It’s shaping up to be an exciting season, and we can’t wait to bring everyone on the journey with us.”

After multiple highly successful seasons with the Women’s First Team in previous years, Cashmere Technical FC is thrilled to welcome Shane and Duncan back for the upcoming campaign. Their leadership has been instrumental in the team’s achievements to date, and the Club is excited to see what the next chapter holds.

With their return, the focus is not only on building on recent league and cup success, but also on pushing further toward securing a place in the 2027 Women’s National League. Head Coach Shane Verma and Assistant Coach Duncan Reed will be joined by an outstanding group of staff, further strengthening the Women’s First Team programme.

Annalie Longo – Assistant Coach

CTFC alumni Annalie Longo returns to the Club following an exceptional playing career, having recently retired as captain of both the Football Ferns and Wellington Phoenix. A four-time Olympian, Annalie earned 144 international caps and scored 14 goals for New Zealand, and is widely respected for her leadership, professionalism, and football intelligence.

Annalie holds an OFC B Licence and is currently the Women’s Development Manager for New Zealand Football. She has previously coached within the Canterbury United Pride Development Programme for Mainland Football, and her experience at the highest levels of the game will bring invaluable insight and high-performance standards to the programme.

Antonio Luxton – Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Antonio Luxton joins the Women’s First Team as Head Strength & Conditioning Coach. He holds a Bachelor of Sport Coaching and Strength & Conditioning, as well as a Master of Sports Science from the University of Canterbury. Antonio is currently the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Canterbury United Pride and previously served as CTFC’s Men’s First Team S&C Coach in 2025. He also works as a Sports Tutor at the New Zealand Institute of Sport.

Antonio’s expertise in sport and exercise science will play a key role in supporting player performance, durability, and long-term athletic development across the squad.

Katie Harris – Team Manager

Completing the management group is Katie Harris, who joins as Team Manager for the 2026 season while rehabilitating from a long-term injury. Katie brings valuable experience to the role, having served as Team Manager for Canterbury United Pride in 2025. Her organisational skills and understanding of the high-performance environment will be a significant asset to the team.

Cashmere Technical FC enters the 2026 season with confidence, as this experienced and passionate leadership group continues to strengthen the Club’s girls’ and women’s high-performance pathway and drive the programme forward.