The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Rugby League today announced new partnerships with Surf Life Saving in Queensland and New South Wales to bring Touch Footy to the beach this summer.
In conjunction with Touch Football Australia, a new series of beach touch footy events will be held at Surf Life Saving Surf Sports carnivals throughout December, kicking off on the sands of Mooloolaba, Maroubra, Coolangatta and The Entrance.
Beach Touch Footy will give surf life saving participants the chance to compete and show off their skills, with competitions running in the 13-17 and open (18+) age groups. The best teams at each event will win a dream trip to the NRL’s Magic Round in 2023, where they will represent their state in the national finals.
The events will also cater to younger Surf Life Savers, with those aged five to 12 years taking part in one-hour ‘League Stars’ skills-based sessions.
Peter V’landys AM, Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, said, “I’m very excited about this initiative which brings together two Australian traditions, footy and the beach. Now you can enjoy both at the same time. It also encourages kids to be active in the best possible environment.
“These events are just the beginning for our partnerships with Surf Life Saving in Queensland and New South Wales. As community partners moving forward, we believe there is great potential to increase the reach of both sports on the coast and in regional areas of Australia.”
SLSQ General Manager for Sport, Brand and Enterprise, Kurt Wilson, said the organisation was looking forward to expanding the Surf Sports competition offering for members in the state.
“There is no doubt surfl life saving and rugby league are both quintessential to Queensland culture, so this partnership is a natural fit for our organisations.
“SLSQ aims to provide a variety of competitive activities for our members and adding touch football to our Beach Series in December this year is an exciting new way to engage with our membership.”
SLSNSW President, George Shales OAM, said, “Partnering with other community and sporting organisations is a key component of our participation and growth strategy for our sport moving forward.
“There is no doubt that working with the NRL will grow and develop our sports offering, and there are significant opportunities to explore how this partnership can help us achieve our mission of saving lives, creating great Australians and building better communities.”
Details of the upcoming events include:
- 3 December – Mooloolaba, QLD
- 10 December – Maroubra, NSW
- 17 December – Coolangatta, QLD
- 17 December – The Entrance, NSW
