Football: Boost for Northland football development

Originally from England, Johnston came to New Zealand three years ago after working as a coach for NOGA Soccer in New York. Photo / Thinkstock

Football in the Far North is set to grow, with its first ever football development officer based there.

Dan Johnston has been charged with putting football back on the map in the Far North by the Northern Football Federation, hoping to draw some players away from the other codes that dominate sport in the region.

"My aim is to help grow football in the Far North, an area that has traditionally been dominated by other codes," Johnston said of his fulltime position.

"With football being a massive part of my life, I'm really looking forward to being part of a team at Northern Football that is passionate about football."

Originally from England, Johnston came to New Zealand three years ago after working as a coach for NOGA Soccer in New York.

He started working with Whangarei-based NFF development officer Dave Alabaster, who at the time was covering the entire Northland region. Three years later, Johnston's hard work has paid off.

Northern Football chief executive officer Cam Mitchell is pleased to have someone of Johnston's calibre working in the region.

"With a designated development officer in the Far North we can create a more personal relationship with clubs resulting in more qualified junior and youth coaches and more opportunities for quality experiences for kids, which is essential for the sport to grow," he said.

Johnston started with NFF this month and is already well under way with skills centre sessions, girls-only summer leagues, and hosting meetings for local clubs. There are also plans for a club fun day in the Bay of Islands on March 8 for all junior players under 12.