Grace Haskins – Touch Football and Oztag

Congratulations to Year 9 student, Grace Haskins, who recently competed in the Oztag and Touch Football State Cups, with her team winning the Touch Football State Cup in Wagga Wagga.

How long have you been playing Oztag and Touch Football and who/what inspired you to play?

I’ve been playing Touch Football for 4 years and Oztag for 3 years. I first got into Oztag in Year 7 when I joined a competition in Kingsgrove with some friends. As for Touch Football, it was my dad who encouraged me to give it a try, and I ended up loving it.

What is involved in competing at a state championship, what is the process to get to that level?

Competing at a state championship involves playing in your local competition and then attending tryouts for the representative team. During the tryouts, coaches assess the players’ skills, fitness, and overall performance to pick those they believe are the best fit for the team.

Congratulations on your win at the Touch Football state cup in Wagga. Can you please give a brief recount of your experience?

At the Touch Football State Cup in Wagga, my team went undefeated throughout the tournament. Before each game we warmed up and practiced ball work before each 25 minute game. In the quarterfinals, we beat Bankstown 10-5, then won 11-4 against Balmain in the semi finals. On the day of the finals, the first try was worth three points, and each subsequent try was worth two points. In this game, we faced the defending champions, Cronulla Sharks.  It was a tight game, but we scored the first try and won 5-4, taking home the championship!