Central Futsal is excited to announce the Café Cuba Central Futsal National Women’s League Team & Coaching Staff for 2018. The team will compete in a two day tournament down in Wellington at the ASB Stadium over 23^rd – 25^th February.

Trials were held across the Federation in December with a very strong turn-out of women’s players all vying for a place in the 2018 squad.

The team is made up of very experienced players that have competed in this competition before in the Central Futsal Hawke’s Bay & Manawatu teams with the exception of Mackenzie Barry & Jenna Barry. This year sees them all combined together to form a powerhouse that will be able to give the other Federations a good run for their money. Half of the current 2018 squad were part of the Central Futsal Manawatu team that lifted the title back in 2016 after it went to a penalty shoot-out against AFF Futsal.

Four of our players, Mikaela Boxall, Ella James, Tilly James & Torijan Lyne-Lewis, made the Futsal Ferns in 2017 with Tilly James also making the U18 Women’s Team in 2017.

Mark Cozens is the Head Coach fresh off coaching the Central Futsal Hawke’s Bay Men’s National League team for 2017. He’s an experienced futsal coach that has taken on the challenge of coaching women for the first time.

Aleesha Heywood is the Assistant Coach. She is the Women’s Development Officer & Futsal Development Office for Hawke’s Bay. She has plenty of experience under her belt with developing young talent in the women’s space & has worked with most of the players over the past few years so she knows their potential.

Darlene Woodhead is the Manager. With this being her third year managing a Women’s National League team, she knows what she’s doing and she managed most of these girls from the Futsal Youth Nationals in July 2017.

The ladies started their campaign off with a two day camp at Fielding High School. With everyone coming from across the Federation, it was a great opportunity to set the scene leading up to the National Competition. Head Coach Mark Cozens was excited with how the girls are looking so far. The girls trained five times over the two days in sweltering conditions over the two day camp involving set plays, rotations, pressing and shooting.

Women's National League Futsal Squad 2018

Aimee Atkins - HB

Jenna Barry - TKI

Mackenzie Barry - TKI

Mikaela Boxall (GK) - MTU

Larissa Cable – MTU

Hannah Fitzgerald - MTU

Aleesha Heywood (Assistant Coach) - HB

Ella James - TKI

Tilly James - TKI

Torijan Lyne-Lewis - MTU

Courtney Norman (GK) – MTU

Casey Ralph - HB

Molly Woodhead – MTU

Mark Cozens – Head Coach

Darlene Woodhead – Manager

Final words from Aleesha Heywood;

‘We are excited at the coming together of the Café Cuba Central Futsal Women’s National Squad for the very first time. With four Futsal Ferns I think the squad should do well. With the Central Federation being one of the most spread out federations in New Zealand, the two day camp in Fielding held last weekend was a great way to bring everyone together & solidify as a team.’