Touch Football delivers a 300 percent increase to Sporting Schools

28 Jun 2016 by Lauren Pritchard

Touch Football, one of the 32 National Sporting Organisation (NSO) sports partnering with Sporting Schools, is proving to be a popular choice for South Australian schools with their program progressing from three in Term One to running 12 programs in Term Two.

Touch Football South Australia’s (TFSA) Sport Operations Coordinator, Mat Swan says they have been on the front foot establishing a well-trained NSO-endorsed Field Officer workforce, recruiting and training a quality group of coaches, many of whom have represented South Australia at state and national level.

“This has ensured that TFSA has been able to provide high quality programs to schools,” Mat said.

“One of our Field Officers who is studying Education at university, so impressed the school at which she was delivering the Sporting Schools program, she was encouraged to pursue relief teaching once qualified, because her rapport with students shone through.

“We have been extremely pleased with our achievements with Sporting Schools this term. To see the program grow 300 percent in such a short space of time has been fantastic.

“In a small city such as Adelaide, word of mouth is so important, so together with our marketing material and a well-trained, quality coach workforce we are in a strong position to continue to grow into the future.

Off the back of their successful program delivery, TFSA has introduced a Junior Competition into their pathway, paving the way for students involved in the Sporting Schools programs to continue on their Touch Football journey. This pathway helps students to flow from the Sporting Schools program into the next level of competition or program and it’s an important outcome for TFSA.

“Establishing a Junior Competition is the key to give the students an opportunity to continue playing Touch Football after their Sporting Schools program is finished and hopefully put them on a journey to be involved in Touch Football for life,” Mat said.

Sporting Schools is a $100 million Australian Government initiative to get more children playing more sport, before, during and after school. Want to run a Touch Football program at your school? Please click here.

Thanks to Sporting Schools for providing the article content.