My Perfect Weekend: Football and Mexican food are part of Matthew Calvert’s ideal Saturday

Matthew Calvert's ideal weekend involves playing and coaching a game of football for Whanganui Athletic. Photo / Karen Hughs

Each week we speak to a member of the Whanganui community to ask what their perfect weekend in the region would look like. This week Eva de Jong talked to Community Development Officer at Central Football Matthew Calvert.

My ideal weekend is spending Saturday down at Wembley Park for football. I work at Central football so I spend my majority of Saturday mornings running the junior football, I co-ordinate all the different age groups, we have under-6s all the way up to under-17s.

I’ve grown up with football being my Saturday priority since I was about 8 years old, so it’s a bit of a ritual for me.

I go down and open everything up and make sure all the games are running smoothly. I’m head coach for Whanganui Athletic and we have our games on the main pitch in the afternoon, which I also play in.

My ideal Saturday is football and then normally my Sunday ends up being at Wembley Park once again, but if I’m not working, then I’m looking to get out on the golf course at Castlecliff golf club.

I’m trying to get my dodgy swing a little bit better.

A few of my mates have started taking up golf, which has been quite cool because I’ve been playing with them and doing some interclub pennants.

My go-to places on a Saturday night would probably be, well, those who know me know I absolutely love Gracias Tex-Mex so I’m gutted that they’re shutting down. If not there, I’d probably go to The Castle for some tasty Indian.

You always have a good night when you go to Porridge Watson so I can’t say no to that spot, and my friends and I have had some half-decent darts nights at St John’s Club. It’s more who you go out with in Whanganui than where you go.