Veteran goalkeeper Kyle Baxter opens up on his love for Napier City Rovers and goalkeeping.
Video / Neil Reid
Kyle Baxter has lived and breathed Napier City Rovers for most of his 20 years in New Zealand. He talked to Neil Reid about the love the football club has given him.
Napier City Rovers top-team newcomers don’t have to look too far for stalwarts who can tell them about the club’s legacy and the impact it can have on your life.
But the club means much more to Baxter than just on-field success.
As the Bill Robertson-coached team continues its late push to secure a National League spot – having this weekend off ahead of hosting North Wellington at Bluewater Stadium on August 25 – Baxter opened up his special bond to the club which goes well beyond the football pitch.
“To me, it’s all about family,” Baxter said. “I’ve got a real draw to the club through my wife [Andrea].
“Then my wife’s dad played for the club. I think his last year might have been 1985, the year I was born.
“And then I met Andrea in the clubrooms. She used to come and watch games. We’ve been together for 17 years and married for 10.”
Kyle Baxter was born in Scotland, played age-grade international ice hockey for his birth country but home is very much now Hawke's Bay. Photo / Neil Reid
As well as being the proud owner of Central League and Chatham Cup-winners medals, Baxter has also won multiple titles with Napier City Rovers’ second team.
He’s also no stranger to getting on the scoresheet by taking penalty kicks.
Being part of the squad that won the dramatic 2019 Chatham Cup final is something he remembers as “pretty special”.
Four years earlier, Baxter was part of the team that lost the 2015 Chatham Cup final in extra time.
It was a season where he said many opponents “feared” Napier City Rovers. The side won the Central League after scoring a whopping 80 goals and also claimed the O’Brien Shield; a trophy put up for grabs by the holders for each of their home games.
Napier City Rovers’ No 1 goalkeeper’s jersey is very much Tonning’s in 2024.
By the time the referee’s whistle blows on game day, he would have been put through his paces by Baxter during multiple night-time training sessions during the week, as well as a sharp skills warm-up starting around an hour before kick-off.
Kyle Baxter has built up a strong bond with William Tonning, diving for the ball. Photo / Neil Reid
Baxter said the pair – and fellow reserve goalie 17-year-old Ben Graney - had a good combination going.
The group’s goalkeeper-specific training was tailored to mimic under-pressure match scenarios as much as possible.
“I’m putting them in certain uncomfortable positions to try and get the best out of them,” Baxter said.
“Whether it be making a save down low . . . it’s game-specific. So, when you see it happen [a save from a scenario they had worked on] in a game, you kind of go, ‘We worked on that’. It gives you a sense of achievement which is cool.
“On game days, we go through our separate team warm-up. Everything is structured the way Tonners wants it, because he’s the main focus. He’s the goalie.”
Kyle Baxter with Napier City Rovers' No 1 goalkeeper William Tonning at a mid-week training session. Photo / Neil Reid
As well as being available for selection if needed, Baxter said it was a positive for him to be able to give back to the club’s younger goalkeepers.
Napier City Rovers is also backing his move to secure his Oceania Football Confederation/New Zealand Football goalkeeping coaching licence.
Baxter’s off-pitch role isn’t restricted to backing up Tonning, as well as coaching the Dane, Graney and the club’s other young goalies.
He also drives one of the two mini-vans the team travels to Wellington in for their nine away matches in the Central League.
The vehicle Baxter drives is the rowdier of the two on the return leg, with Baxter laughing “the banter flows” as his passengers in the back enjoy a well-deserved drink post-match.
Kyle Baxter says being a part of the Napier City Rovers first-team set-up is something he will never take for granted. Photo / Neil Reid
Overnight stays in Wellington on the eve of the match was an initiative Robertson introduced last season to improve his side’s preparations on the road.
In previous seasons, players would leave as early as 6am on a bus for Wellington on game day; arriving near lunchtime to prepare for mid-afternoon kickoffs. Post-match, they’d then face a six-hour bus ride home.
The overnight stays meant players felt fresh on game day and had led to consistently positive results on the road in 2023 and 2024.
Unfortunately, winning ways deserted them last weekend when they lost a crunch Central League clash to Petone FC on Saturday; leaving them in a tight battle with Miramar Rangers for a National League spot with two rounds to go.
“We used to leave at 6am, get down there a couple of hours before the game and straight into warm-up,” Baxter said.
Napier City Rovers players (left to right) Adam Hewson, William Tonning, Harry Mason, Liam Schofield, Kyle Baxter, Cameron Emerson and Jim Hoyle listen in to coach Bill Robertson's message in the lead-up to their 5-1 Central League win over Island Bay in Wellington on July 20. Photo / Neil Reid
“You were really jaded when you got to down there. You were very lethargic.”
Napier City Rovers has a record of players who have also excelled at other sports; including players proud of their Scottish roots.
That list is headed by mid-1980s recruit Gary Parker.
Napier City Rovers goalkeeper William Tonning and his deputy and club goalkeeping coach Kyle Baxter pre-match at the club's Bluewater Stadium home ground. Photo / Neil Reid
Baxter has also worn Scottish colours, representing his birth country in age-grade national ice hockey teams.
He made his professional ice hockey debut at age 16, winning the man-of-the-match award.
“That was pretty cool, but I couldn’t take the keg of beer because I was too young,” he laughed.
“So, I just had my photo taken with a crate of 24 beer bottles as man of the match.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.
