History

The game of Touch had very humble beginings indeed. Used as a training technique for Rugby League teams during the 1950s and 60s it was never seen as a sport in its own right. Eventually more and more people turned to touch for a safe social game to play and it soon became inevitable that an official competition would be held.

The first official game of touch was held in the traditionally strong rugby league area of South Sydney. The South Sydney Touch football association was founded in 1968 and ran a competition in that year. The matches were held at the aptly named Pioneer Park. Very soon after this other associations were formed and interdistrict competition began in 1978.

: The 1985 Australian Men's Open team.

In 1979 the Queensland Touch association was formed, with the four initial districts of North Queensland, Central Queensland, South East Queensland and Wide Bay. The game soon blossomed in New South Wales as well and in 1980 the inaugral National Championships were held. Only three divisions were contested in that year, being the men's and women's open, and the men's over 35s. By 2005 the National Touch League (NTL) catered for Open, Under 20's and Senior Divisions.

: The 1988 Australian Men's Open team.

There are currently 250,000 registered Touch players with approximately 500,000 school children playing the sport. The game has also expanded over seas with International events attracting teams from New Zealand, South Africa, England, Wales, Scotland, USA, Japan, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Lebanon and Papua New Guinea amongst others.

Awards

AUSTRALIAN SPORTS MEDAL RECIPIENTS - 2000

The following personnel were awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

ADAMS

Craig

AMIS

Stuart

ANDREWS

Julie Alison

APPO

Harold Marshall

APPO

Isobel

BARR

Reg

BEGNELL

Judy

BEGNELL

Bruce

BELL

Catherine

BELL

Peter

BLACKETT

Garry

BOLAND

Mark

BORG

Rick

BOSTON

Craig Kenyan

BRINDELL

Robert

BROADHEAD

John

BUCKLAND

Peter David

BUTLER

Paul

CASEY

Peter

CLARK

Michael

CLARKE

David

CLARKE

Garry

COE

David

COFFEY

Dennis

COLLINS

Adam

CRAMP

Norman

CROFT

Gary

DE LA CRUZ

DEL MONTE

Peter

DICK

Patricia Anne

DISNEY

Kerry

DIXON

John Leslie

DONSELAAR

Annette

DORSET

Karamea

EDDLESTON

Michael Robert

EDWARDS

Neville

EGGERS

Paul Cudmore

EGGINS

Greg Don

ELLIS

Peter

ETHERDEN

Ronald

EVANS

Phillip John

FAIRBURN

Richard

FARLOW

Colin

FELDMAN

Kevin

FISHER

Steve

FRANCIS

Garvin

FREEBODY

Tim

FRENCH

Noel John

GOETSCH

Neil Leslie

GOLDEN

Kenneth Allan

GOYMOUR

Robert Charles

GRAY

Cathy

GRIEVES

Dennis Stephen

HANSON

Fran

HARLING

Kay

HARRIS

Peter

HARRIS-WALKER

Keith

HART

Reginald

HATFIELD

Terry

HINKS

Kayla Maree

HODGES

Gabrielle

HOLLAND

Bronwyn

HOLLAND

Donald

HOOPER

Darren

HOWARD

Tony

HOWARD

John

HUCKETT

John

JOHNSTON

Terry

JONES

Karen

KAVNEY

Tamara Maree

KEENAHAN

Barrie

KER

William

KIDD

Valerie

KIDD

Brian Peter

LAIRD

Marc

LANNAN

Dean

LAWLESS

Garry

LESNIEWSKI

Henry

LEWICKI

Kerrie-Anne

LUFF

Bryson

MARSTEN

Steve

MATTHEW

Ian

MCDONALD

Michael

MCKINLESS

Brendan Richard

MCNEVEN

Peter

MORRISON

Vince

MOWLES

Russell

NERI

Denis

NEWMAN

Greg

NORMAN

Gregory Mark

NORMAN

Kerry Michelle

NOTLEY

Scott

O'BRIEN

Kathy

PATERSON

Linda

PERRY

Michelle

PIPER

Ian

POBAR

Francis Joseph

RANDALL

Narelle

RICHARDS

Trevor

RIDGEWELL

Peter John

RIDGEWELL

Paige Elizabeth

ROBINSON

Shane Michael

ROONEY

Brian

RUSSELL

Dean

RUSSO

Nathan Paul

RYAN

Stephen Gregory

RYAN

Gerard John

SHELLEY

Darren

SMITH

Karen

SMYTH

Laurie

SOORD

Charlie

SPARKS

Michael

STANLEY

Ian

STEDMAN

Bruce

STIRAAT

Kendall

SUNLEY

Julie

TAYLOR

Gai Louise

THOMPSON

Cary

TOMKINS

Louis

TOOHEY

Katrina

TRAD

Tony

VERRALL

Phillip

WAKEFIELD

Gary

WALL

Ron

WEBB

Paul

WILKINSON

Lynette

WISE

Rodney Michael

WOOLDRIDGE

Glenn

YABSLEY

Robin

YEO

James

YIANGOU

Andrew

YOUNG

Peter Edward

ZANTIOTIS

Cos