The Queensland All Schools Touch Football Championship kicked off in Brisbane today.
The competition is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and promises to showcase some remarkable talent.
Tahnee Duncan reports.
TRANSCRIPT
There’ll be big numbers involved with the four day event.
Four thousand students representing over three hundred schools and nearly one thousand games of touch.
All with one thing in common their love of the game.
Eden Yandall, Benowa State High School: “It’s a chance to compete against schools that you wouldn’t normally compete at local competitions.“
Amy Perickets, Rochedale State High School: “It’s just a fun competition to be in and I love playing touch so it’s a great opportunity to improve.”
Girls, boys and mixed teams will battle it out on the field, in what organisers say is the highlight of the touch year.
Peter Bell, All Schools Covenor: “They get to play teams from outside their district and you know playing a team from another state and another area in Queensland is all very enjoyable and that’s what attracts the kids.”
Since it began in 1983 the All Schools competition has produced many sporting icons.
Darren Lockyer, Scott Prince, Matthew Bowen and Australian Captain Sharyn Williams.
This year there’s also international teams from New Zealand and Singapore.
Vicky Patterson, Tanglin Trust Coach: “For us it is a really good experience that we wouldn’t get at home, especially to this level to see so many teams and to actually see both girls and boys competing.”
And just ask any of the students, they’re all here to win.
Tahnee Duncan, QUT News.