Page 92 - Southwell School Year Book 2021

TOUCH
Southwell Speedy and Southwell Swifts, our Year 1 and 2 touch teams, hit the Term 1 summer sun with an eagerness to learn this awesome sport of Touch. Coaches, Mr Potter and Mrs Hay, were kept on their toes guiding the teams to learning the rules, developing teamwork and having lots of fun!
Touch legend, Mrs Deane, had the important job of coaching the Year 3 and 4 Hot Steppers in the local competition. Players were introduced into positions and plays as they further developed their touch skills and speed of play. Some classy tries were scored and solid defence built as this team looked sharp throughout the Term 1 season.
Year 5 and 6 touch teams, Mercury and Mars, had some silky smooth skills being coached by Mr Mills and Miss Rudduck. Teams trained hard in a well-organised environment full of
responsible risk-taking and more free-flowing independence on the field. Players solidified core attack and defence skills to minimise errors and ensure they crossed the try line many times during the competition.
Four teams represented Southwell in the Year 7 and 8 touch competition in Term 1. We had three mixed teams, coached by Mr Newlands, Mr McKay and Mr Tiffany, alongside a girls' team coached by Mrs Rudduck. At this level, players focused on fitness, physicality and, as always, a little bit of fun. Oppositions were highly skilled, but our players were up for the challenge and certainly turned some heads with their dominance in nail-biting games. Monday afternoons were always a highlight as the players got to test out their moves and game management skills learnt on Tuesday and Thursday practices.
The best of the best Year 7 and 8 players were lucky enough to represent Southwell in special fixture touch teams against Saint Kentigern College and King's Prep School. Both fixtures were yet another step up in speed and skill, but the boys and girls on show for Southwell put in huge performances. Southwell were eventual victors against persistent Saint Kentigern sides, but struggled against experienced King's players who found the tryline more times than Southwell.
Sadly, Covid-19 terminated the Term 4 competition, but trainings and games at Southwell still went ahead as coaches aimed to keep developing players for the 2022 season, whether it be at high school or for returning Southwell touch players.
Elliot Tiffany
1st VI Touch Coach
Suns
Stars
Neptune
Josh Cashin Phoebe Clark
Tilly Darke Jessica Hayward Tobias Martynoga Ruby McMahon Mack Millar
Troy Poole Willem Smit Jade Woodward
Jupiter
Suns - Mr E. Tiffany
Stars - Mr G. McKay
Neptune - Mrs D. Rudduck
Rian Atkinson Phoebe Buckley Matthew Dons Tiarna Hill
Klaudia Horsfall Poppy McKay Mandla Mudzamiri Reagan Piso Cooper Smith Phoenyx Tiffany Reeve Whitcher Lola Williams
Alexi Buchanan Grace Buckley Grace Cridge Isabella Heathcote Sophie Jones
Ruby Labuschagne Breanna Mattock Tiarna Milo
Kyla Purdie Saedee Rogers Sasha Stephens
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