Domestic Pathways & NZ Representation
In the last 5 years, Olé has partnered with clubs locally and nationally to provide players the opportunity to play at the highest levels in the country.
Locally, Olé partners with Western Suburbs FC to run the Men’s First Team. In the last 8 years, Western Suburbs FC has won Central League titles in 2017 and 2019, and has not finished lower than second in the league in the last 4 years. The First Team has gained the most points of any Central League team. Olé has now partnered with Wainuiomata AFC, to run a second Central League side, providing the opportunity for more young players to get meaningful games.
Nationally, Olé has run the Team Wellington Youth side in the National Youth League for three years, and has partnered with Eastern Suburbs AFC, Auckland City FC and Team Wellington to facilitate pathways for players into the New Zealand National League.
In the 2018-19 season, Olé sent 10 players to Eastern Suburbs FC, who then went on to win the ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership title that year. In the recent 2020-21 National League season, Olé placed 15 players at National League environments around New Zealand.
Callum McCowatt’s Olé Story
Originally from Auckland, Callum McCowatt came to pursue his football development with Olé at the age of 15 and lived on-site in the residential facility. Callum trained full-time at the academy, going straight into the First Team training and playing environment.
Callum played in the National Youth League for Team Wellington Youth, then went on to play in the National League for Auckland City, along with Olé players Dominic Wooldridge and Owen-Parker-Price.
Callum was identified for the U17 National Team and was part of the 2015 U17 World Cup in Chile.
One of 10 players involved in the 2018-19 Eastern Suburbs AFC team who won the ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership and qualified for OFC Champions League. Callum was the Golden Boot for the league, with a total of 21 goals in 16 appearance. He was also the Steve Sumner trophy winner, for Premiership Grand Final MVP, after scoring a hat trick against Team Wellington in their title winning game.
Callum then went on to be named in the New Zealand 2019 U20 World Cup side, where he started every game in the tournament. Following the World Cup, Callum spent time on trials with clubs in Europe, before heading home to New Zealand, signing with the Wellington Phoenix FC. Callum spent one season with the Phoenix, and has now gone on to sign with Danish First Division club FC Helsingør, with fellow Olé graduates Elijah Just and Dalton Wilkins.
Callum made his debut for the All Whites, scoring against Ireland in a 3-1 loss.
Olé players who have represented their country:
- Callum McCowatt (U17, U20, All Whites)
- Elijah Just (U17, U20, All Whites)
- Nando Pijnaker, (U17, U20, All Whites)
- Ryan Thomas (U20, All Whites)
- Noah Billingsley (U20, All Whites)
- Elliot Collier (All Whites)
- Jesse Edge (U17, U20)
- Dalton Wilkins (U20)
- Dominic Wooldridge (U20)
- Owen Parker-Price (U17)
- Liam Jones (U17)
- Josh Rogerson (U17)
- Ahmad Wali (U17)
- Otto Ingham (U17)
- Robi Sabo (U17)
- Sean Bright (U17)
- Marko Stamenic (U17)
- Matt Garbett (U17)
- Maya Hahn (U17)
Callum McCowatt Returns to Olé
