OUR COACHES

Samba Futsal has a team of very experienced coaches who deliver futsal training, primarily concentrating on the development of a player's skills. The aim is to improve individual confidence and playing ability so that they can gain more enjoyment from their sport. During each session we like to raise player awareness of various futsal laws of the game. The two guiding principles of the Academy are player safety and their enjoyment.

Enrico Meirelles
Enrico is  the Academy's  CEO and Head Coach. He holds a Degree in Sports Exercise & Physical Education and a Post Graduate Diploma in Field and Court Sports [Football/Futsal]. He has been working as a Football/Futsal Coach since 2003.
Enrico played Futsal from ages 5 to 14 for Tio Sam Futsal Club in Brazil. He also played football for Fluminense and Vasco in his younger days.
Enrico has a lot of knowledge and experience having completed NZ/FIFA Futsal coaching certificates level 1, 2 and 3.  Enrico also spent time in 2017 with a professional club in Brazil (Magnus Sorocaba) and also did an advanced coaching course while in Brazil.
Before coming to New Zealand in 2009 he worked for 5 years at a professional football club in Brazil (C.R. Vasco da Gama) as a Strength & Conditioning coach.  He worked with a number of players who have gone on to play for the Brazilian Football National team, and others to European clubs (such as Philippe Coutinho who plays for Barcelona, Robert Kenedy who plays for Chelsea and Jorge Marco who plays for Monaco).
 In 2016 Enrico was the Head coach for the New Zeland University National team in  Brazil to play the University World Cup after winning the New Zealand University Nationals with Victoria University of Wellington.
He also became the assistant coach for the New Zealand National Futsal Team (Futsal Whites) in 2017. He has been a Capital Futsal Senior player in the NZ National League since 2009 and coaches the Capital Futsal Youth Teams.

Conrado Meirelles
Conrado is originally from Brazil and has grown up playing futsal, as well as coaching.  
Conrado has been a member of the Samba Futsal team since 2018 and specialises in training our goal keepers.  

Dylan Walker
Dylan has been a part of Samba Futsal for a long time - as a player, and then moving to a Junior Coaching position in 2023.