NT competing in National Touch Football Championships for first time in three years

Youth touch footballers from all across the Territory competed in the national Combined Touch Championships.

The junior National Touch Football Championships are being held in Darwin, and for the first time in over three years, the Territory is sending a team to compete.

Darwin has not played host to the competition pitting state teams aged 12 and under against one another since 2013.

And there was plenty of top-tier touch talent for the NT to face, with teams from the ACT, NSW, Queensland, SA, WA, and Victoria all in town.

Chris McEvoy, coach of the Northern Territory's under-12 boys team, expressed delight at the team's return to competition for the first time since 2019.

He was especially pleased with how his team and the other Territory squads battled on despite setbacks.

Everything has gone swimmingly so far, he remarked; every team has either won or tied and accomplished what it set out to do.

Even though we've lost some huge games and had some tough matchups, the boys have stuck with the work at hand and kept trying their best.

We've missed school sports for the past few years, so it's fantastic to see this tournament return and get kids moving again.

Lawson Fletcher's highlight of the tournament was scoring a try against South Australia after selling a dummy to create space.

He remarked, "It's been fun; we haven't been particularly successful in a few games, but we have put up a good fight."

Everyone on our squad gets along well and contributes equally because we exchange the ball frequently.

The try I scored in a match versus South Africa was the peak of my career. I simply dummied the ball and sprinted straight through for a touchdown.

Lara Cooper, a native of East Arnhem Land, was excited to compete in the competition to experience touch football alongside girls from all over Australia.

Cooper stated, "It is great fun to play touch up here while representing the NT."

Playing against competitors from all throughout Australia has been an exciting and interesting experience.

It was challenging to join the team and not have regular practice together, but I've enjoyed playing with females from the Territory and getting to know them.

On Friday, the tournament will come to a close.