Upgrading match-day setups to match modern game development needs
Over recent years, Cashmere Technical Football Club has continued to adapt its facilities to align with changes in the game and evolving player development structures introduced by New Zealand Football.
Phil, General Manager of Cashmere Technical Football Club, said recent adjustments to game formats, including reduced team sizes to increase player involvement, played a key role in driving new investment in match-day infrastructure.
“Changes were made by New Zealand Football in regards to the game format, where the number of players per team was reduced… meaning more football actions, which studies have shown is better for player development long term,” Phil said.
As these changes flowed through into revised pitch sizes across different age groups, the club identified a need for additional goal sets to suit the new configurations. Alongside this, there was a broader shift within the club to improve efficiency and move away from traditional in-ground steel goals, which had become difficult to manage across multi-use fields.
The club identified a need for a more practical solution that could be used across both junior and senior spaces without compromising on quality or durability. Phil said, “we were wanting to move away from the traditional in-ground steel goals, which can be a bit of a nightmare when moving them in and out for cricket season and so on.”
This led to investment in additional 4 x 2 junior Velocity Goals for 5 v 5 pitches, along with senior portable goal systems for key training and match fields. The focus was on creating a flexible setup that could move easily between spaces while maintaining a high standard of performance.
The portability of the system has made a noticeable difference operationally, allowing staff to quickly move goals between pitches and adjust setups depending on training or match requirements.
Durability has been a key factor in the club’s long-term use of Perennial goals. Phil said, “some of them we’ve had for 6–8 years plus and they’re still in really good condition.”
From a match-day perspective, the introduction of portable goals has helped improve efficiency by reducing setup time and creating a more consistent presentation across fields. It has also enhanced the overall experience for players and coaches arriving on game day. Phil added, “footballers like shiny things… turning up and having a nice set of goals adds to the match day experience.”
The combination of product quality and ongoing support has been central to the club’s long-standing relationship with Perennial. Phil said, “the build quality in our experience is superior… just overall really good quality, well built and sturdy,” and added that ongoing support has been equally important, with maintenance requests always handled quickly and without issue.
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