| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel David Jenkins[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-02-17)17 February 1987 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Napier, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2007 | Napier City Rovers | 57 | (34) |
| 2004–2008 | Hawke's Bay United | 61 | (10) |
| 2008 | →Western Suburbs FC | 7 | (9) |
| 2008–2009 | Team Wellington- | 15 | (0) |
| 2010 | Miramar Rangers | 24 | (17) |
| 2011 | Central United | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–2007 | New Zealand U20 | 11 | (7) |
| 2008 | New Zealand U23 | 10 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 April 2008 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2008 | |||
Samuel David Jenkins (born 17 February 1987) is a New Zealand formerfootballer.
Jenkins started off his club career for Napier City Rovers in the year 2001. He progressed through the Junior ranks to the 1st team where he made 67 appearances scoring 34 goals from Midfield.
In 2004 aged 17 whilst still at School he signed for Napier in the inaugural 2004–05New Zealand Football Championship. He has since made over 60 appearances for Hawkes Bay in the NZFC scoring 10 goals.
In 2007, he looked at attending college in theUnited States while playing for anNCAA team as a student-athlete. He took visits toRutgers University and theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara.[2] He ultimately committed to enroll at UC Santa Barbara and play soccer for theUC Santa Barbara Gauchos alongsideMichael Boxall, hisNew Zealand national under-20 football team teammate for the2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[3][4][5] He would ultimately renege on his commitment and in 2008 while based in Wellington training for theOlympics, he signed forWestern Suburbs FC where he made 7 appearances scoring 9 goals.
Jenkins has represented New Zealand at under-20 and under-23. His first cap for the NZ Under 20s was against Australia in Sydney in May 2006 where he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 win for New Zealand. He then scored a double two days later to help New Zealand to a 3–1 win over Australia and their first ever series win. He was third top goal scorer (4) at Oceania World Cup Qualifying tournament in January 2007 in Auckland where he helped New Zealand qualify for the 2007 FIA Under-20 World Cup in Canada. He started all three matches in Canada against Portugal (0–2), The Gambia (0–1) and Mexico (1–2) and was one of New Zealand's stand out players.
In 2008, he was called into the New Zealand under 23 Olympic team for matches against Chile in Wellington which saw New Zealand gain their first ever win (1-0) against South American opposition on home soil. He was included in theNew Zealand squad for thefootball tournament at theSummer Olympics inBeijing becoming New Zealand Olympian 1050.[6] He played in New Zealand's three group matches against China (1–1), Brazil (0–5) and Belgium (0–1).
Grew up in Napier, New Zealand with his family, Mum (Jude), his late father (Dave) and his younger sister Chloe. He attended Porrit Primary School, Tamatea Intermediate and Napier Boys High School where he excelled at both cricket (represented both Hawkes Bay and Central Districts while at School) and soccer.
