All ages, all abilities and all welcome to play the game is very much the culture at Caboolture Touch Association.
After two full and well-played seasons, teams gathered at the association’s ground on Petersen Road, Morayfield, on 9 November to tap off for the year and celebrate their achievements.
Caboolture Touch Association operations manager Declan Higgins is the lucky man behind the scenes who decides the competition draw and ensures everything runs smoothly on and off the fields. It’s a big job that has to factor in outside influences, including weather, public holidays and other big community events.
“It can be a bit on the overwhelming side trying to bring it all together effectively,” Declan said.
“We play about 70 games a week for 34 weeks of the year, so about 2380 games, which is a lot when you say it out loud!
“But our grand final weekend is for our members and players – it’s our way of saying thank you as best we can for their contribution throughout the season.”
It’s been a good year for the association with the 14-year-old boys defending their championship title at the junior state cup.
“We won the 14 boys and 14 girls, which was a great achievement,” Declan said. “Our under-10 girls went undefeated for the whole comp. Under 10 doesn’t have a finals but our girls were the only team that went undefeated for their age division, which we think is pretty awesome.”
A Family-Oriented Approach to Touch Football
Caboolture Touch Association has been in operation since 1980. Competition initially started with 10 teams featuring local names, such as Wilco or Forestry, with the idea to get together a team of mates and enjoy playing a game, a philosophy that hasn’t altered much over the years. The association is well-known in the community, running two seasons each year, as well as a Junior Academy, Women in Touch program, All Abilities and a Rising Stars program.
“Being an association means everything is played at our grounds, so every week you’re always at the same spot, which makes it easier for a lot of our families,” Declan said. “We have players as young as five in our Small Snakes program and that teaches them the rules of the game, how to run with the ball, how to pass and stand in the line.
“Our oldest player at the club is 79 and I told him recently that he was our oldest player – not so sure he still wants to be my friend after that! It is a milder sport than rugby league, so it’s great for those a little bit older wanting to play.”
With more than 1200 members, touch is a great sport for every member of the family.
“We’re pretty much one of the only sports where mum, dad, little ones and grandma can all play on the same team and arguably be competitive,” Declan said. “We’re very much a family-orientated association and love that we can be the one base for a family sport.”
Season one for 2025 will start in mid-February with registrations open in December.
For further information, follow Caboolture Touch on Facebook or email Declan via operations@caboolturetouch.com
Read more stories from The Caboolture Guide print magazine here:
- Creating a Space for Everyone: Centenary Lakes is Transforming
- P Weet-Bix Slice
- Sneak Peek Inside Dakabin’s $35M Hotel
- E4TS Christmas Party Welcomes Everyone
- Bust The Holiday Boredom
- Enjoy an Easy-Going Cycling Adventure on the Wamuran Rail Trail
- All Smiles and Positive Vibes for New Paediatrics Team
- Caboolture Connect
