Significant change to the structure of the Junior State Cup will see 439 teams participate in the 2019 version. The NSW Touch Football Junior State Cup has had outstanding growth since inception in 1996 and now with the evolution from one event to two Conferences has created another significant growth spurt.
Throughout time, this significant growth has seen the event outgrow any venue in which it could be held. As such in 2017, NSW Touch Football advised that the 2018 Junior State Cup in Port Macquarie would be the last of it’s format and a new structure introduced to allow greater participation and access to all junior players across the State. The new structure would include two Conferences; a north held in Port Macquarie and a South held in Wagga Wagga. Both locations improving the accessibility of the State’s Junior players, particularly the South which had been impacted due to travel, cost and limited accommodation opportunities. This would also be followed by a State Final to be held in Wollongong in April, where the top 8 in each division would qualify and be able to decide who is the State Champion.
The expansion to two Conferences has also seen the inclusion of the 8’s Boys and Girl’s divisions for the first time. The 8’s divisions will not progress beyond the Conference play for 2019 and also the structure change has allowed the reintroduction of Affiliates to also enter development teams in all divisions.
The change has also seen the emergence of several Affiliates into the Junior representative space for either the first time or returned after a long absence. In 2019 we welcome Coolamon, Goulburn, Griffith. Kyogle, Milton Ulladulla, Temora and Yass back to the Junior representative fold.
Sport Manager of NSW Touch Football Daniel Rushworth is pleased with the outcomes “The growth of 82 teams in a single year is an exciting result and to have both events so well supported is phenomenal and something we can not thank our hard working Affiliates enough for” He added “For the inaugural year of this structure, we will have the Northern Conference contested by 236 teams and the Southern Conference with 203 teams which is above expectations”.
The 2019 Junior State Cup schedule is as follows;
-Northern Conference – Friday 15th February to Sunday 17th February 2019, Port Macquarie Regional Stadium & Tuffins Lane Playing Fields, Port Macquarie NSW (Home of Port Macquarie Touch Association)
- -Southern Conference – Friday 22nd February to Sunday 24th February 2019, Jubilee Park & Conolly Park, Wagga Wagga NSW (Home of Wagga Wagga Touch Association)
-State Final – Saturday 27th April to Sunday 28th April 2019, Thomas Dalton Park. Fairy Meadow NSW (Home of Wollongong Touch Association)
Key Dates Northern & Southern Conference;
Wednesday 16th January, 2019
- Referee Online Registration closed
- Player Pool Nominations closed
Wednesday 23rd January, 2019
- Player Pool Draft held
Friday 25th January, 2019
- Field Map sent to Team Coordinators
- Draft Draw released on the Event Website
- Representative Player Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct Forms submitted to Affliliate Coordinators
Wednesday 30th January, 2019
- Affiliate Coordinator & Team Management Briefing released
- Online Player and Team Management Registration closing date
Friday 1st February, 2019
- Affiliate Coordinators submit Parent Code of Conduct Compliance Form to NSWTA
Friday 8th February, 2019
- Final Draw on Website
Thursday 14th February, 2019
- Northern Conference – Late Player Registration (2pm-8pm)
Friday 15th February, 2019
- Day One of the Northern Conference Competition
Saturday 16th February, 2019
- Day Two of the Northern Conference Competition
Sunday 17th February, 2019
- Day Three of the Northern Conference Competition & Final Series
Thursday 21st February, 2019
- Southern Conference – Late Player Registration (2pm-8pm)
Friday 22nd February, 2019
- Day One of the Southern Conference Competition
Saturday 23rd February, 2019
- Day Two of the Southern Conference Competition
Sunday 24th February, 2019
- Day Three of the Southern Conference Competition & Final Series
For More Information
For any information in relation to the 2019 Junior State Cup event series please contact Event Coordinator Keith Lee via keith.lee@nswtouch.com.au or Event Officer Rebecca Dennis via rebecca.dennis@nswtouch.com.au
Keep up to date with all of the latest news and information from the 2019 New South Wales Junior State Cup:
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