John Kerkhof Park

John Kerkhof Park is a venue for football (soccer) matches in Cambridge, New Zealand. It is the all-year home[1] of Cambridge FC who compete in the Waikato Bay Of Plenty Football Federation Premiership.[2]

In summer, it is the training base and home ground [3] for WaiBOP United who play in New Zealand’s highest level domestic competition, the ASB Premiership.

Cambridge is one of six bases for national league football in New Zealand. Others are Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

The grounds in Vogel Street, Cambridge, are owned by the Waipa District Council which leases them to Cambridge FC on a long-term basis.

They consist of a premium pitch used for Waikato Bay Of Plenty Football Federation matches and ASB Premiership fixtures, and 25 pitches used for senior and junior games.

For national league fixtures, volunteer workers erect a mini-stadium using temporary grandstands and seating, providing a ground capacity for up to about 1,200 spectators, with seating for about 600.

Venue history

Cambridge FC was founded in 1948 and has played at John Kerkhof Park since 1967.[1]

It was named after John Kerkhof, a Dutch immigrant who settled in Cambridge and who with other members of the Kerkhof family built the ground’s club and changing room facilities still used today.[1]

In 2008, a tornado caused severe damage to the clubrooms, requiring repairs to the roof, windows and walls.[4]

In 2010, the Cambridge Sevens tournaments for men and women were held for the first time, drawing seven-a-side football teams from around the North Island of New Zealand. The events have since been held annually in February.[5]

In 2012, Cambridge FC announced that John Kerkhof Park would also become the home base for Cambridge Baseball Club. This was discontinued in 2014 when the baseball club became inactive.[6]

In 2013, Cambridge FC and the neighbouring Cambridge Harriers and Athletics Club began a partnership, enabling the football club to play some games at the adjacent athletics track while it developed John Kerkhof Park.

In 2013, John Kerkhof Park was used to host a series of regionally significant football events including the Soccer Shop Waikato Cup and Plate Finals,[7] an All Stars game between Waikato and Bay of Plenty[8] and an All Stars game for top women’s players in the region.[9] This led to the appointment of the venue as the home of national league football for five ASB Premiership fixtures.[3]

In 2014, Cambridge FC announced it would construct an additional building at a cost of $200,000 to provide six more changing rooms for use at the venue.[10] It also announced that John Kerkhof Park would also host games for the local lacrosse club.[6]

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 , History of Cambridge Football Club
  2. ↑ , New coaching team aims high
  3. 1 2 , WaiBOP United move to John Kerkhof Park
  4. ↑ , Cambridge tornado cuts path of destruction
  5. ↑ [http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2508&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=77162b6773], Cambridge Sevens
  6. 1 2 , Club agrees to host lacrosse
  7. ↑ [http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[pointer]=30&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2354&tx_ttnews[backPid]=43&cHash=80aae3f1ad], Soccer Shop Waikato Cup and Plate Finals
  8. ↑ [http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[pointer]=17&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2419&tx_ttnews[backPid]=43&cHash=a266a1c463], Waikato, Bay of Plenty All Stars game
  9. ↑ [http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[pointer]=19&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2411&tx_ttnews[backPid]=43&cHash=b156b8f7ba], Line-ups named for WaiBOP Women’s All Stars game
  10. ↑ , Cambridge FC to get new facilities
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