By Max Fletcher
The Waikato football community will get together for a second fundraising event to help two footballers facing adversity.
Four matches and off-the-pitch entertainment will help support Johnny Konings, who was paralysed from the waist down in a surfing accident in 2024, and Rachel Weatherly, who has a rare, debilitating condition, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
Both require ongoing medical support.
Members of Waikato clubs came together in September 2024 to fundraise for Konings, a former Northern League player, and their efforts raised $51,000 from a weekend of football.
READ MORE: Waikato football community raises $51,000 to show support for Johnny Konings >>>>
Main photo: The specially marked pitch used for the 2024 fundraiser for footballer Johnny Konings.
The organisers of the 2024 event have decided to turn their efforts into an annual event, called Goals for Good, with this year’s recipients being Johnny Konings and Rachel Weatherly.
The event will be held at Hamilton’s Porrit Stadium on Saturday September 27, 2025, starting at 11am.
Four matches will be held:
Masters (11am)
Over 30s (1pm)
Women (3pm)
All Stars (5pm)
Off the pitch, the day will feature a variety of activities, including barbecues and other food options.
An inflatable football pitch will be available for youngsters.
Hamilton Wanderers will staff their clubroom bar all day, with a share of profits going to Johnny and Rachel.
After the matches, attendees can look forward to a raffle and auctions, with all proceeds going to the cause.
Teams will be named ahead of the event and organisers say at least one marquee player has volunteered to participate.
The day will conclude with speeches, trophy presentations, the auction, and the raffle draw.
How you can help
Organisers see prizes for the auctions. Donations can range from small items and vouchers for silent auctions to larger items for live auctions.
Interested donors can contact Rod de Lisle on 027 954 6544.
For more information about the Goals for Good event, contact organiser Ricky Broderson on 029 201 3845.
Follow the event through the Goals for Good Facebook page.
Johnny Konings (left) … needs ongoing support.
Johnny Konings’ story
On June 18, 2024, Johnny Konings’ life changed in an instant.
He was in a surfing accident at his favourite Gold Coast surf break, D Bar. On his first wave of the day, he didn’t quite make the drop and hit a sand bank, fracturing his spine at T10 and dislocating his T11, which bent his spinal cord. He also sustained broken ribs and a slightly collapsed lung.
He was rescued by a group of surfers, bodyboarders and lifeguards. He was treated by a team of paramedics and airlifted by Westpac rescue helicopter to Brisbane to have surgery.
Charlotte Gordon, Johnny Konings’ fiancée, says: “Navigating limited access to funding alongside all of the other challenges that come with a spinal cord injury have undeniably been the most challenging time of their lives, and there is no amount of thanks that can express their gratitude for the emotional and financial support people have shown and continue to provide.”
Rachel Weatherly … needs life-saving surgery.
Rachel Weatherly’s story
For more than 15 years, football has been at the heart of Rachel Weatherly’s life.
She grew up on the pitch with Whakatane Town, where she proudly wore the club’s colours for 12 seasons. Her talent took her to the United States, where she played two seasons with South Georgia State College.
She’s also played for Bay of Plenty clubs Otumoetai, and most recently, Tauranga Moana.
She lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare connective tissue disorder that has led to multiple serious co-morbidities. These complications have dramatically reduced her quality of life and, heartbreakingly, forced her to step away from the football pitch.
Within Te Whatu Ora, there is currently very little support or recognition for rare diseases like EDS. As a result, Rachel has had to rely on multiple private specialists across different fields to access the tests, investigations, and treatments she needs.
Not all of the necessary treatments are available in New Zealand, which means Rachel and her family are now self-funding life-saving surgery overseas.
She suffers from multiple abdominal vascular compressions that have left her largely confined to bed and dependent on tube feeding almost around the clock. Initially, the only surgical options were in Germany or Spain at a cost of $150,000–$200,000.
Fortunately, a surgeon in Australia has been able to offer a path forward at a reduced cost of around $60,000.
Because of the complexity of EDS and the lifelong co-morbidities it causes, Rachel will need to remain under the ongoing care of private specialists. In addition, her doctors have advised that she may require another overseas surgery relating to her digestive system, though she is still pursuing every possible option in New Zealand first.
Funds raised will go directly towards helping Rachel access this life-saving surgery, continue receiving essential specialist care, and maintain treatment that will allow her the best chance of improving her quality of life.
Max Fletcher
Waikato-based Max Fletcher is a writer for Friends of Football, and is a match analyst for Northern United.
This story was first published on September 8, 2025.