Opening January 2024, Christchurch United Football Club & Tovo Academy are seeking Oceania's best and brightest high school aged footballers for an all year boarding programme at United Sports Centre
How To Apply
Go to cufc.co.nz/residential and fill in the expression of interest form
What will we offer?
A typical week in the residency will include a combination of football development, academics, culture experiences and life skills training.
There are between 7-10 ‘developmental contacts’ for our residency players, which can include individual, small-group, position-specific trainings, and physical development trainings, as well as team trainings. Player feedback is consistent and includes video analysis. The goal is to increase both the quantity and quality of development time for the ambitious young player.
How To Apply
Go to cufc.co.nz/residential and fill in the expression of interest form
What will we offer?
A typical week in the residency will include a combination of football development, academics, culture experiences and life skills training.
There are between 7-10 ‘developmental contacts’ for our residency players, which can include individual, small-group, position-specific trainings, and physical development trainings, as well as team trainings. Player feedback is consistent and includes video analysis. The goal is to increase both the quantity and quality of development time for the ambitious young player.
Our Educational Partners
Our residency has partnered with various outstanding Christchurch educational organisations that understand the nature and schedule of the ambitious student-athlete.
St. Thomas of Canterbury is one of the most outstanding schools in the region with a vibrant academic culture that actively supports and celebrates the great value that athletics play in a young person’s life.
Our residency players can receive the high- quality academic education of St. Thomas of Canterbury, while also taking part in a coordinated football development program. With flexibility of scheduling, our residents have the opportunity for specialized morning trainings with our technical staff before being transported to St. Thomas only a few minutes away. Our partnership also allows residents the opportunity to represent St. Thomas teams throughout the year, while also receiving the consistent high levels of our academy trainings, Mainland league matches and competitive tournament play.
Our residency has partnered with various outstanding Christchurch educational organisations that understand the nature and schedule of the ambitious student-athlete.
St. Thomas of Canterbury is one of the most outstanding schools in the region with a vibrant academic culture that actively supports and celebrates the great value that athletics play in a young person’s life.
Our residency players can receive the high- quality academic education of St. Thomas of Canterbury, while also taking part in a coordinated football development program. With flexibility of scheduling, our residents have the opportunity for specialized morning trainings with our technical staff before being transported to St. Thomas only a few minutes away. Our partnership also allows residents the opportunity to represent St. Thomas teams throughout the year, while also receiving the consistent high levels of our academy trainings, Mainland league matches and competitive tournament play.
Exceptional Player Development - A Proactive Process with our partner TOVO Academy Barcelona
Learning is achieved through ambition, dedication, and resilience. Our learning model presents dynamic challenges that are explored with commitment and expertise. Our players learn proactively and reflect respectfully. We understand that learning is a process riddled with error and peppered with perseverance. We are educators first and our task is to nurture people of great cognition, competence, and character.
Holistic Development - Honing football skills hand in hand with honing life skills
Through interactive workshops, our academy players and residents acquire essential life and leadership skills such as effective communication and time management. These practical life lessons empower the young person to thrive both on the field and in their personal lives, embodying the academy’s commitment to holistic growth.
Our residency players are also encouraged to take time to enjoy life outside the many hours of academics and football they take part in. Special ‘excursion days’ are planned each Term so the young residents can explore the Canterbury region or to learn about other areas of interest, be it business, arts, education, adventure and more!
Improved pathway opportunities supporting the young players’ dreams towards the next levels
Our residency players are ambitious with aspirations to play football beyond their academy years. Our Technical Staff has extensive experiences from around the globe, both playing and coaching, and are well-connected and versed in helping young players reach those next levels, be it youth national teams, US Colleges, Christchurch United First Team, or other professional opportunities abroad. Our alumni have gone on to play for Blackburn Rovers, QPR, Tottenham Hotspur (UK), Esbjerg FB (Denmark), UNA (Netherlands), Chamartín Vergara and UE Cornella FC (Spain), along with many US Colleges at various levels.
Learning is achieved through ambition, dedication, and resilience. Our learning model presents dynamic challenges that are explored with commitment and expertise. Our players learn proactively and reflect respectfully. We understand that learning is a process riddled with error and peppered with perseverance. We are educators first and our task is to nurture people of great cognition, competence, and character.
Holistic Development - Honing football skills hand in hand with honing life skills
Through interactive workshops, our academy players and residents acquire essential life and leadership skills such as effective communication and time management. These practical life lessons empower the young person to thrive both on the field and in their personal lives, embodying the academy’s commitment to holistic growth.
Our residency players are also encouraged to take time to enjoy life outside the many hours of academics and football they take part in. Special ‘excursion days’ are planned each Term so the young residents can explore the Canterbury region or to learn about other areas of interest, be it business, arts, education, adventure and more!
Improved pathway opportunities supporting the young players’ dreams towards the next levels
Our residency players are ambitious with aspirations to play football beyond their academy years. Our Technical Staff has extensive experiences from around the globe, both playing and coaching, and are well-connected and versed in helping young players reach those next levels, be it youth national teams, US Colleges, Christchurch United First Team, or other professional opportunities abroad. Our alumni have gone on to play for Blackburn Rovers, QPR, Tottenham Hotspur (UK), Esbjerg FB (Denmark), UNA (Netherlands), Chamartín Vergara and UE Cornella FC (Spain), along with many US Colleges at various levels.
What does Accomodation look like?
With boarding on-site and only a 5 minute walk to the fields there is a 6 bedroom house + extra 2 boarding houses nestled into United Sports Centres grounds. All boarding house dwellings have an on-site 24 hour manager supervising the players, making sure that player wellbeing and education is the top priority.
With boarding on-site and only a 5 minute walk to the fields there is a 6 bedroom house + extra 2 boarding houses nestled into United Sports Centres grounds. All boarding house dwellings have an on-site 24 hour manager supervising the players, making sure that player wellbeing and education is the top priority.
How To Apply
Go to cufc.co.nz/residential and fill in the expression of interest form
Go to cufc.co.nz/residential and fill in the expression of interest form
