Napier Marist Football Club

It was the pioneering work of Bill Dick, who founded the first Marist School football team amongst the rugby dominated Catholic schools of the era who laid the groundwork for Napier Marist football of today.

No sooner had the chalk dust settled from Neeskens’ WM74 spot kick than the boys were off to St John’s Hastings where coaches such as Fr. Bernard Ryan, Dermot Kelly, Alan Walmsley and Jurek Wypych led the boys on many years of adventures in Hawke’s Bay adult and schools leagues.

After a few years playing for Hibernian, most of the lads tired of travelling to Hastings for their footy and the Marist club was born.

Skip forward to ’87 and the club got off to a great start in its inaugural season, winning the Hawke’s Bay Knockout Cup wearing the famous green and white hoops inherited from Glasgow Celtic.

Success continued throughout the nineties and into the twentieth century.

Kevin’s introduction to Napier Marist FC was when he was asked to help organise the 2004 NZ Marist Football Tournament. This was after running the North Island Marist Spillane Tournament for Rugby. Through that process a great group of friends mainly ex St Johns College started planning the formation of a Marist Junior Football Club to compliment the Senior Club.

Over that year the Napier Marist Football Club was formed creating a legal entity for the first time, incorporating the Senior Club and newly formed juniors. Kevin was appointed Secretary in 2005 and continued in that position for 15 years. Along the way he coached Junior teams from 2005 to 2009 and was a key driver for securing funding and sponsorship for the benefit of the club to grow.

Through this period the club teams grew to 5 senior teams and over 250 Juniors. The club established itself as part of the Multisport Clubrooms at Marist – instead of operating out of a Hotel – which had been done previous to 2005 as it was only senior teams.

The club also established its own training ground and floodlights.

Kevin has over 20 years' experience in the events industry, currently Event Manager for Napier City he has been involved in various Hawkes Bay events over the years managed HB Blues Brews & BBQ festival for 12 years. Previous roles have included being Commercial Manager for Sport Hawke's Bay and has had a strong relationship with Hawke's Bay Tourism over the years.

We are grateful for that day in 2004 when Kevin decided to branch out into The Beautiful Game.

Chris has been involved in football for many years, playing for St Johns College with highlights making the New Zealand Secondary Schools - Tournament Team in 1976 and captaining the college team in 1977. He played for Havelock North Wanderers First Team 1979 before travelling across the bridge to play for Napier City Rovers Central League team in 1980

His love of football took him to the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where NZ did themselves proud.

Chris utilised his knowledge to coach the 1997-98 Hibernian Football Club First Team gaining promotion to the HB Premier League.

Chris began his association with NMFC from 2000 when he began playing for club’s Division 3 team. He then joined the committee in 2001, where he remained until 2015.

He added to his roles as the Junior Coaching Coordinator overseeing the Junior teams, Kiwi Kick and WYNRS programmes in the early years of the formation of the junior club. When the club joined the Celtic worldwide association, which involved coaches from Celtic travelling to Napier to coach our juniors/youth, Chris assisted in the co-ordination of the clinics.

He coached the clubs U15’s leading the to the double and he had the proud moment commentating on the clubs Federation games in which his son Luis was playing.

We thank Chris for his passion, enthusiasm and loyal service to the club.