Even early morning fog couldn't impede the NFL players' visibility.
“We recognised early on that to have more successful international players in the NFL in the future, we needed to get kids started in the sport earlier,” NFL Australia and New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said.
“Bringing players onto the team at a young age allows us to develop them in a special way and hone the specific skills needed for each position because it's a very skill-based sport.”
The day is split into two sessions, one for over 16s and one for under 16s.
On a chilly morning in the middle of the school holidays, the 40 members of the senior class came from a range of backgrounds — some played at local football clubs, others had never even touched an oval, strapped-on leather ball — but experience didn't matter.
“It's not a prerequisite that they've played American football before. Most of these kids have never been exposed to American football and that's not an issue,” Offord continued.
“I think what we're looking for are general motor skills and general hand-eye coordination skills that can be taught to get into a specific position.”
There was a tense atmosphere in the registration line, but it was quickly dissipated as applicants were asked to take photos for their player profiles: one straight-faced, one smiling, one showing off his muscles.
Next, measurements are taken – height, weight, hand size, arm length, wingspan – followed by a warm-up before drills begin.
It's like the NFL Combine, but with the rigor of Indianapolis swapped for the prestige of South Oakland.
A DJ was on hand to keep the players pumped, with Ralph Tresvant providing smooth Afrobeat transitions. sensitivity To the Blues All Rise This is the best dish.
There are long jumps, 40-yard dashes and football events to test change of direction, reactions and flexibility, allowing coaches to gauge the athletes' athletic abilities.
But Will Brice, Asia-Pacific director for the NFL Academy, said intangible qualities are just as important as on-field attributes.
“Are leaders emerging within the group? Are they speaking up more? Are they leading by example? Are they encouraging each other? Is there energy and good camaraderie?”
“Or are they a little more reserved and quiet? Do they take their time warming up? To get to know them as a person, not just as an athlete.”
“They don't even know each other, so it's great to see them come together as a team like this.”
But the reality is that not everyone can be accepted into the academy and Auckland will be the third camp on the Asia-Pacific recruitment route after Gold Coast and Sydney.
“We're expanding the program to 55 players over the next five years, but our initial intake will probably be eight to 12 players,” Offord said.
“The reason for that is we want this to be a very one-on-one, skills-based, performance academy. But over the next year or so, that number will grow to 25, 35 and even more.”
Don't doubt the early success of the NFL Academies: The first academy, based at Loughborough College in the UK, was established in 2019 and is home to a number of student-athletes from Europe and Africa.
The academy's first student, offensive tackle Travis Clayton, was selected with the top pick of the seventh round of this year's NFL Draft through the International Player Pathways Program, an initiative that provides elite athletes from around the world the opportunity to try out for the league.
This success has also extended to the American collegiate system, with the Academy helping over 40 players earn scholarships to American universities, with 19 graduates now preparing for the upcoming NCAA Division I season.
The growing interest in Australasia is due to the success of Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, a former rugby league player who, like many of the youngsters at Bruce Pullman Park, knew little about American football before putting on the pads.
Mailata was a seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft through the IPP program and has established himself as one of the best tackles in the NFL.
Bryce was involved in the Australian's development and pointed out that he was the best example of someone switching from rugby to American football.
“He's probably the most successful player of all time. It's because of players like Jordan that these events happen, and it's the reason the NFL is able to set up academies and invest in them, because they want to see more players like Jordan.”
As the skies began to clear, several former New Zealand rugby players also made a casual appearance on the sidelines with their families cheering on the youngsters.
Among those in attendance were former All Blacks Pita Alatini and Kevin Mehram, along with former Black Ferns player Fiao Faamausili, who has supported the initiative.
“For us, it's just nice to see kids get opportunities, no matter what sport it is, because even in our generation, I can't tell you how many guys I played with growing up, they're really talented and sometimes you miss out on an opportunity because there's not enough space on the team.”
“So if we can expand that and give opportunities to young people, why not do that?”
After the first session, participants are informed that they will be contacted within the next 1-2 weeks to discuss their academics before a final selection is made.
Brice says there is untapped potential in New Zealand but stresses the importance of classroom lessons if the path to the NFL doesn't work out.
“If we can find young players and give them more time to develop, add education to it and have a backup plan that is just as important, if not more important, than the sport.”
“That way, if they're lucky like Jordan was, it will be an easier transition than Jordan had when he came to the NFL. But he'll be the first to say he wants to make it easier for those who come after him.”
Given that the second NFL Academy is located across the Tasman Sea, it presents an additional obstacle for those based in New Zealand.
“We fly them out to the Gold Coast so they can get a feel for the school, the suburb, the city, so it puts them at ease and for the parents their son is going away from home so there are a lot of factors involved,” Mr Bryce said.
“It's a case-by-case basis and we'll work with the families, the schools and the NFL to go through that process and come up with an appropriate plan.”
Offord is interested in unearthing even more talent on the islands.
“Apart from New Zealand next year we will also be looking at Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
“There's a hub of talent in the Asia-Pacific region. We're not tapping into it, we're not utilizing it, we're not creating pathways for these kids right now. So let's do that.”
Elijah Fa'afiu is a multimedia journalist for Newstalk ZB and The New Zealand Herald. He enjoys watching a wide range of sports including rugby union, league, martial arts and American sports, particularly the NBA and NFL.
