Monday, March 04, 2013
There was plenty of coverage of Touch Football in the month of February, with many articles about the 2013 Super Trans Tasman Series as well as the 2013 New South Wales Junior State Cup and local competitions across the country.
To view the stories, please click on the links below.
Chance Game Led To Touching Result
At just 13, Ashleigh Quinlan got in touch with her inner self.
Which may be a horrible pun, but it’s as good a way as any of describing what the 18 year old has done with her young life.
http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/story/1324389/chance-game-led-to-touching-result/?cs=12
Port Pair Back With Shiny New Medals
Australian touch football just keeps getting stronger, with Port Macquarie star Simone Smith once again playing a major part in a green and gold jersey.
Playing in New Zealand, Smith joined the rest of the women’s under-21s youth Trans-Tasman touch team, who triumphed over the Kiwis in the three-game series at the Trusts Arena in Auckland.
http://www.portnews.com.au/story/1302317/port-pair-back-with-shiny-new-medals/?cs=12
The Untouchables
Sunday Mail, The (Brisbane), 24.02.2013
For a touch of class, you can't go past the Australian Open Women's touch football team.
Having only lost two games in 28 years, the women's open team is arguably Australia's most successful sporting side.
They have won all seven World Cup titles and never lost a World Cup game since playing their first Test - against New Zealand - in 1986.
“We talk about the aura of the Australian women's team . . . and when you talk to some of the spectators, they enjoy the game more than the men's because they're enthralled women can play a footy-type game as well as the men or better,'' coach Peter Bell said.
But unlike the Opals basketball team or the Diamonds netball team, the touch girls have no moniker by which to identify.
Mr Bell said touch football was gaining in popularity.
At the recent Queensland All Schools Touch Football Tournament - the biggest junior touch footy event in the world - more than half the players were female, he said.
Mr Bell said the secret to the team's success - which the Kiwis were now copying - was an emphasis on coaching young players from school age.
Talents like 17-year-old Brisbane high school graduate Charlotte Caslick are regularly handed the baton.
Charlotte was too young to partake in a celebratory drink after the team recently claimed the 2013 Super Trans-Tasman Series but she can expect to enjoy many match-winning tipples in the future.
The uni student could have been a track athlete but gave it up to pursue her love of football.
“My dad is such a big rugby person and I've grown up around rugby and football. Touch football was the closest I could get to playing,'' said Charlotte, who is studying a Bachelor of Arts.
ON THE BALL
* The Australian Open Women's touch football team played its first Test against New Zealand in 1986
* The women have won all seven World Cup titles (from 1988 to 2011). The next World Cup is in 2015 in Australia
* The team has never lost a World Cup game
* It has only lost two Tests since 1986 - both against New Zealand
* The team won the 2013 Super Trans-Tasman series 3-0 against New Zealand
Touch Players Take On New Zealand
Three Port Macquarie touch football players will represent Australia this week, as they take on New Zealand in the Super Trans Tasman Touch Series.
Paddy Coehlo, Simone Smith and Warren Lorger will don the green and gold.
http://www.nbnnews.com.au/index.php/2013/02/03/touch-players-take-on-new-zealand/
Port Kids Gearing Up For Junior State Cup Touch Footy
Big Weekend Of Action
This weekend Port Macquarie is home to the biggest touch football competition in the world.
It is the first year the seaside town will host the event after securing the rights to the competition until 2015
http://www.portnews.com.au/story/1302315/big-weekend-of-action/
Coach Thrilled With Girls Effort
Port Macquarie’s girls under-14s were one of the few local teams to make a dent in the tournament, making the final 16 of their age group.
Coach Deb Maloney was buzzing with pride after her side crashed out in the quarter finals, saying the team did extremely well.
http://www.portnews.com.au/story/1306912/coach-thrilled-with-girls-effort/
Game On: Seamark Chases International Dream
Townsville Bulletin, 22.02.2013
Once her older brother's ball girl, Rylie Seamark has staked her own claim to international sporting fame in touch football.
Seamark, the younger sister of Wales rugby league representative and Queensland Cup player Matt, was one of four Townsville young guns to secure Trans Tasman bragging rights when they defeated New Zealand in Auckland recently.
The talented middle helped Australia's under-20s women's team to victory.
Meanwhile Jason Norford and Lachlan Pierce did the same for the Aussie under-18s boys and Cohan Guerra for the under-20s men's.
Seamark started playing touch as a seven-year-old but said she could barely remember a time when she didn't have a football in her hands.
“(Matt) would place a kick over the house and I would be in the back yard catching it, running back out the front to give it to him,'' she said.
“It was never a chore, I loved it. We were playing loungeroom footy on our knees when I was about three and ever since then, we'd always be out the back yard playing. He would always help me practise passing both ways and stuff like that.''
While Matt is now based in Wynnum as he attempts to help the Seagulls to a third straight premiership, Seamark's drive is unrelenting.
After a taste of playing touch internationally, the 19-year-old has her sights fixed on representing the Australian open women's team.
“As long as I keep training hard and keep my mind to it, it's definitely something that I would like to go ahead to,'' Seamark said.
“It's obviously a lot of hard work, but I'm prepared to do it.''
Guerra also has sibling links that he credits for his rise, with older brothers Aidan a National Rugby League player with the Sydney Roosters and Gian, who also represented Australia in touch.
The 20-year-old rated victory in Auckland as one of his career highlights.
“In years gone past we've been flogged and this is the first time we've won all four (junior) divisions, which is really good,'' he said.
Townsville's other Australia representatives, Stephen Prince (mixed masters), Kristian Congoo (open mixed) and Michael Law (open men's) weren't able to replicate the success of their junior counterparts, going down 2-1 in their respective series.
Frogs Win Proves Their Point
Townsville Bulletin, 26.02.2013
Frogs A-grade men's side proved they will be a force this year, beating Redskins in the opening round of the Townsville Castle Hill Touch football season.
Frogs put on a spectacular display of touch football to convincingly beat last year's premiers 7-4, and also get some payback for their grand final loss.
Former coach Leigh O'Brien who filled in for new Frogs coach Rhys Bevan said the team picked up from where they left off in 2012.
“The grand final match last year (against Redskins) was so close.
“We went down 7-6 and the boys really wanted to come out and prove themselves on Sunday,” O'Brien said.
“They've been training extremely hard and this match certainly showed that.”
Frogs trailed 2-1 at the half but O'Brien said the team wasn't prepared to let the scoreline deflate them.
“There were a few drop balls in the first half as you would expect in the first game of the season but the enthusiasm was always there,'' he said.
“`The boys knew they had plenty left in the tank at half-time and really hit the ground running in the second.
“It really was just a matter of completing a few sets.”
In the other men's match Sharks defeated Brothers 10-8, while in the women's A-grade competition Brothers smashed Sharks 14-1, Crocs defeated Rum Runners 7-5 and 2012 premiers Frogs beat Redskins 7-1.
Extra Time Win Is Gold For Pirates
Mercury, The (Hobart), 22.02.2013,
Pirates clinched a place in the Southern Touch Football Premier League Competition men's final with a thrilling extra-time win over Phantoms.
Pirate Jack Rust took a pass from Scott Schnitzerling and charged home from halfway to secure the major semi-final in the drop-off after scores were tied at 7-7.
Rust starred throughout the game while Patrick Fisher weaved his magic for the Phantoms.
The second match in the men's division saw the Tigers upset Condors 5-4, in one of the stand-out matches for the season.
The watertight defence of both teams shone through in the second half, with neither team conceding in the final 10 minutes.
The Tiger charge was led by experienced custodians Ben Langford, whose brilliant passing range was on display, and Marc Thompson, who had three touchdowns by half-time.
Condors Jason Haines and Sam Williams were a constant threat, but it was Tigers who marched into the upcoming preliminary final.
In the minor semi-final of the women's competition it was Pirates who prevailed against an understrength Tigers outfit, 7-2. Pirates came home with a wet sail in the second half, piling on several scores in the final minutes.
Pirate Natalie Curtis was a clear best on field, setting up countless opportunities for teammates and scoring two touchdowns.
Although Tigers' Emily Price and Catherine Oliver battled hard for their team, Pirates advance to the preliminary final to face Phantoms.
The major semi-final in the women's division allowed Condors to tighten their stranglehold on a potential fifth consecutive premiership, winning 3-1.
Phantoms will hope to regain their winning touch when they face Pirates in the preliminary final.
Lang Sweeps Kiwis To Take Aussie Victory
Former Mudgee boy Simon Lang played an integral role in Australia’s 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand in the under 20s boys division of the Super Trans-Tasman Touch Football Series in Auckland.
Lang, who is the nephew of Elwyn Lang, plays touch football for Manly.
Please click on the attachment below to read the whole article.
Touch Reps To Combat Physical Kiwi Style
Wallsend Touch Footballer Amy Smith said combating New Zealand's physical presence would be the key for Australia in the Super Touch Trans Tasman Series this weekend.
The series started on Tuesday at Trusts Stadium in Auckland for the under 18s and under 21s.
The over-30 divisions and opens tap off today and tomorrow.
Amy and her sister Holly are members of the Australian over-30 women's side, along with Nelson Bay debutante Nicole Mitchell.
Wallsend are well represented in the under 18s with the debuts of Brea Singman, Caitlin Moran and Tanisha Stanton.
Newcastle City's Yasmin Meakes will be vice captain in the under-18s women.
Joshua Sparke will represent Wallsend in the senior mixed squad and Karley Banks is Australian assistant coach.
Moran knocked back an opportunity to play rugby league in the NRL All Stars match in the women's Aboriginal side to represent Australia in touch.
The super series will be decided by which country wins the most age groups, ranging from under 18s to over 50s.
The Smith sisters were part of Australia's 3-0 victory in the women's over 30s at the 2010 Trans Tasman campaign in Townsville.
The Australian squads began preparations back in July at Narrabeen where they focused on shoring up their defence close to their line.
"Traditionally Australians like a more expansive play," Amy Smith said.
"The Kiwis are very physical and will try and push you off the ball.
"They're very much like the Kiwi rugby league team where they try to put a few hits on you early and rattle you.
"They are very good also from that static play and diving in close to the line."
A Local Touch Of Brilliance
The Gold Coast Bulletin, 12.02.2013
A number of local players have featured for Australia in the Trans-Tasman Touch Series that wound up in Auckland on Sunday.
It was a good result for Gold Coast Touch Association star Marikki Watego, who was in the open women's side that swept the three-match series against the Kiwis. Watego's side included GCTA member Rachel Stephenson.
However it was not the same for the men's or mixed rep units.
The open mixed team lost their series two matches to one, the same fate suffered by the open men, giving New Zealand the overall series two divisions to one.
Peter Norman was emulating his father Greg by playing open for Australia. His team lost in extra time in the first game, again by one in the second, but they saved their best for last, winning the third clash 9-5.
Norman was one of only two Queenslanders selected for Australia despite the Maroons beating NSW in the three-game State of Origin series.
If you see a story from your local area that you’d like to see on the Touch Football Australia website, please email media@austouch.com.au.
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