Take the Lead
Either if you are by yourself, or you want to lead a bunch of friends to start playing Touch Football, here are simple steps for you to follow.
1) Finding a Team
To meet some teammates and enjoy playing Touch Football with new people, you simply need to communicate with the nearest affiliated competition. Start by finding where to play by checking our Club Locator. Contact them directly with the contact information provided. If you already know which competition you want to play in, you can contact them directly and ask them to find a team for you. In most locations, you can choose which day of the week you want to play.
The important things to take into consideration are:
* Playing in the right division; you simply need to explain to the Competition Coordinator if you are a beginner or an experienced player, and what your skill level is.
* Register and pay your player fees; your Competition Coordinator can explain you how to do that.
* Communicate with the person responsible for the team you enter about the time of the next game, team uniform, rules and policies and other information. When you register, your Competition Coordinator will give you your team leader contact details.
* Be in the right place at the right time and enjoy Touch Football!
You can find additional information in the ‘PLAY NOW’ section of the TFA website www.austouch.com.au
2) Starting A Team
As a team sport, inevitably there is someone who takes responsibility for managing and organising the team to play. The team leader is the person responsible for the management and the logistics involved in playing Touch Football. As the main contact between the Competition Coordinator (local affiliate) and all team members, team leaders are the voice of their team; they play a key role in ensuring everyone enjoys the experience. There are several steps to follow when you want to start a Touch Football team:
A) Putting A Team Together
Recruiting players is an important first step and you need to ensure you have enough players in your team. Up to 20 individuals are allowed to be registered in the same team, but only 14 can participate in each game. With an unlimited interchange and six players on the field at any one time, the number of players sometimes depends on the standard of the competition and the fitness level of your players. Ideally, between nine and 12 players per game is a good starting point.
B) Playing In The Right Division
Once you have identified your potential players, you need to choose the level of competition you want to play in, from the top competitive division to the most social one. This choice simply depends on how social/competitive your team wants to play; but also needs to be in accordance with the level of the competition you enter.
Your Competition Coordinator will help you in this choice and reserves the right to regrade your team after a grading period, if necessary. More information on divisions and grading can be found in the Conditions of Entry of your local competition.
C) Registering Your Team
Touch Football Australia (TFA) affiliated competitions provide a formal registration process, with the majority of competitions offering online registration with convenient and safe online payment methods. This must be completed by your team and each individual, so that all players are covered for basic sport insurance while participating.
Make sure the competition you enter is an affiliate of Touch Football Australia so you access the best services the sport can offer. Touch Football Australia is the only recognised body for the sport of Touch Football, supported by the Australian Sport Commission and the Australian Government.
D) Collecting Payments
Your Competition Coordinator will request payment of your team fees, often up front at the point of registration. Therefore, you need to communicate and collect this from the players you have recruited prior to the competition starting. Online transfers are usually the easiest and most secure way to manage everyone’s payment. If you find it hard to get some of your teammate’s payments on time, you can ask your Competition Coordinator to assist you by requesting individual’s payments for insurance compliance.
E) Uniforms
Before the competition starts, every team needs to choose and coordinate its uniform, as all players will need to wear the same team shirt, with a number on the back (numbers need to be 16 cm height).
TFA can assist with suppliers whom understand the sport and the requirements of our rules. Our merchandise retailers provide a range of services, from a professional design through to simple cotton shirts that can match your budget. Beyond Limits Known (formerly KooGa) and HyperActive have sponsored the sport for several years and you can look at their product rangers by visiting their respective websites BLK or HyperActive.
Before you order your uniforms, we advise you to make sure the colour you have chosen is acceptable by your local competition. Be aware that white is not recommended, as official referees usually wear white shirts.
F) Information And Communication To Your Team Mates
In any group of people, communication is key. To pass on information across all team members, the team leader needs to set up an easy and efficient communication system between all players.
There is plenty of information that players need to know around injuries and insurance, expected behaviour, player eligibility and game procedures. It is the responsibility of every player to be aware of the Conditions of Entry, Code of Conduct and other policies implemented by TFA and your affiliate. You can find these documents on the TFA website – www.austouch.com.au in our Rules and Policies section, or on your state or affiliate website. Make sure you are playing in an affiliated competition, so you are covered by the National Insurance Scheme. Information claim procedures and form requests can be found on the TFA website, in the insurance section.
Information to be shared with your teammates also includes when and where the next game will be played, social events and wet/hot weather cancellation. Ensuring there is enough players turning up for each game is also important to avoid forfeits or tough games without substitutions.
G) Team Spirit
Last, but not least, good team leaders try to build an identity owned by the team and a feeling of belonging, shared between all team members. That can be done on the field through good communication and commitment, while also off the field in providing extra communication, entertaining match reports and extra social team activities.
H) Refereeing
Referees are a key component of the sport. Most of our affiliates have implemented systems to recruit new referees and to provide education courses to all individuals interested in refereeing. In many associations there are requirements to provide ‘duty referees’ for a few games each season; this is for maintaining a sustainable sporting community so everyone enjoys their experience.
Refereeing is a challenging and exciting role and can provide an additional income flow. Contact your local affiliate to learn more about how to get involved.
For more information about playing Touch Football, you can have a look at several documents in the ‘PLAY NOW’ section of the TFA website www.austouch.com.au.