TEAM SELECTIONS

Team Selections take place every year in February, and provide players with the opportunity to be selected for CTFC’s competitive teams for the upcoming winter season.

Each grade is allocated a series of open training sessions where players can attend to be assessed by our team of qualified coaches. Some sessions are open to all players, while in certain grades the second session will be invite-only. Full details - including session dates and times per grade and whether the session is open or invite-only - will be clearly outlined in the Team Selection Information PDF, which will be uploaded to this page on January 19th, 2026.

Teams' Allocated via Team Selections 2026

Team Selections are open to all players hoping to be selected for the following teams for the Winter 2026 season:

• Grades 10 & 11: Our three competitive teams - Gold (Mixed), Blue (Mixed) & Green (Mixed).

These teams are coached by volunteer coaches and do not incur any additional fees beyond the standard Winter Registration fee. These coaches have been identified as excellent junior coaches and are supported by CTFC to gain formal junior football qualifications.

• Grade 12:
• Grade 13:
• Grade 14:
• Grade 15:
• Grade 16:
• Grade 17:

Registration Requirements

• All players attending Team Selections must complete the Team Selection registration form. This form will open on January 19th 2026.
• Players do not need to be registered with CTFC to attend Team Selections - we welcome all players from all Clubs to attend
• If a player is selected for a team, they must complete the U17 Winter Registration process before their place in the offered team is confirmed.
• Selected players will have a two-week deadline (from the date of the selection email) to complete registration via our Registration form found here.

Please note: If the players season registration is not completed within this timeframe, the spot will be offered to the next registered player on the selection list.

This process allows teams to be finalised and training to begin ahead of the season. All players attending Team Selections should be committed to football for the 2026 season and interested in playing in competitive teams.

Key Information

• Location: Whittington Avenue Park
• Sessions: Typically 2–3 sessions per grade, with a mix of open-invite and invite-only sessions. Held in the afternoon
• Registration: All players must register via the Team Selection form, which opens on January 19th, 2026
• Spectators: Parents' are welcome to remain on site during Team Selections sessions if they feel it is in their players best interest/allows them to trial to their fullest potential, however we reuqest spectators remain behind the allocated spectator area.

The Selection Process

CTFC uses a comprehensive player analysis system that combines a wide range of both subjective and objective data to assess each player’s current ability, fitness, attitude, and recent development. This analysis includes, but is not limited to:

• End-of-season feedback requested by CTFC from each coach, covering a player’s ability, attitude, and progress over that season

Observations and feedback on a player’s attitude and performance during:

• Skill Centre
• Fantails
• Fun Camps
• Previous team selections
• Tournaments
• Previous training sessions and matches
• Scoring assessments and observations from at least five different coaches during the Team Selection sessions

Due to the large number of players that attend Team Selections throughout February, we are unable to provide detailed feedback for each player.

Team Announcements

Teams will be announced on this webpage via a document with team lists per grade, with all teams released by (TBC). Players who successfully achieve a spot in one of the selected teams will receive an email confirming:

• Their allocated team for the season
• Coaching details - if the teams Management team/Head Coach has been confirmed
• Training information - organised by Head Coach once confirmed
• Season fixture information

And for our High Performance teams as indicated above:

• A detailed breakdown of the teams' programme for 2026 which may include: Nutriton Workshops, Strength & Conditioning training, player analysis via VEO, information on included tournament fees. 
• Any related additional fees and payment deadlines (for High Performance teams as indicated above only).
  

Teams can expect to begin training by mid-April, or once a suitable coach has been appointed if not already in place.

If Your Player Is Not Selected

Players who do not secure a spot in a selected team will not be allocated to a team through the Team Selection process. These players must register via the CTFC Winter Registration form as normal - they will then be allocated to a team during the Club-wide team allocation process throughout March and April and will receive training, coaching, and season information by mid-April 2026.

Academy Team Trials – Important Information

Please note that Academy team trials for:

• 13th Grade Academy (Mixed)
• 15th Grade Academy (Mixed)
• 17th Grade Academy (Mixed)

Take place in November each year. These teams have been selected and released for the 2026 season.

The Academy pathway is highly competitive, with a large majority of players retaining their place as they progress through the age grades. CTFC welcomes players from all clubs to attend Academy Trials. Information can be found here, with details for the 2026 Academy Team Trials being updated in early October 2026.

For questions regarding Team Selections, please email the Club on enquiries@ctfc.co.nz.