On 29th November 2018 President of the NSW Sports High Schools Association (SHSA) Roger Davis and NSW Touch Football Sport Manager Daniel Rushworth, launched the new partnership at Narrabeen Sports High School.
The elite player pathway for Touch players in NSW has received a boost today with the announcement of the joint venture between the NSW Sports High Schools Association and NSW Touch Football. The partnership will assist Touch Football players in their high school years to receive a great education while developing their playing ability, fitness and skills within a school system that is focused on the holistic development of its student athletes.
Roger Davis spoke on behalf of the SHSA at the launch:
“Over the past twelve months, the NSW Sports High Schools Association has been working with the state sporting bodies to develop joint partnerships. NSW Touch Football saw the vision to fast track our partnership, so I would certainly like to take this opportunity to thank Daniel Rushworth & his team at NSW Touch Football for their hard work in bringing today’s launch to fruition.”
“The NSW SHSA have already produced Touch players to the calibre of Hannah Dyball (Australian Women’s Open Player) and at least 9 others who have gone through our NSW Sports High Schools, who have gone on to represent Australia in Touch Football.”
“We certainly look forward to consolidating our partnership with NSW Touch Football and have no doubt that this combination will continue to provide world-class touch players well in to the future.”
NSW Touch Football Sport Manager Daniel Rushworth thanked The SHSA for the opportunity to join forces with our organisation, saying it was an easy decision. “We were hopeful that it would occur at some point in time, and to be able to fast track it as well as we were able to do is extremely fortunate and something that we’re very excited about.”
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the students we have here today enjoy their experience and years in to the future. We are looking not only to build great athletes, but great students & great people through this partnership” Daniel said.
The students who attended the launch were lucky enough to be able to hear from Australian Women’s Open player, Hannah Dyball, about her experience going through one of the SHSA Schools and development as a Touch player.
Hannah said she was lucky enough to get the opportunity to join the Narrabeen Sports Touch Football program when I was in Year 5 through my local primary school. “I continued in the program when I moved to Narrabeen Sports High School in Year 7 and followed that through until Year 12.”
“It was a really incredible opportunity for me to be able to represent both NSW and Australia in Touch Football while I was still in school. I could not have been able to do it without the support of my school (Narrabeen Sports High School), they were supportive of me both in my academics & supporting ambitions.”
The students from the NSW Sports High Schools were able to participate in skill based clinics run by NSW Touch Football Game Development Officers & Sports High Schools Coaches. This is just the start of the opportunities they will receive for their player development.
View the Official Launch Media Release HERE.
