Jamaican Touch

News Posts

Keep up to date and informed of all the going-ons

Overseeing Bodies and Competitions

Federation of International Touch

As previously mentioned the first governing body was the Australian Touch Football Association founded in 1976. This was later replaced by Touch Football Australia where there are currently over 400,000 registered Touch players, 500,000 school children, and up to 100,000 casual players playing the sport
Other nations would slowly follow suit, until the Federation of International Touch came along in 1985. FIT now has established Regional Development Sub Committees in Asia, the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East / South Asia ad Oceania
A simple Google search would bring up some of the many International Touch organisations that now exist, or click on the image on the left to go to the FIT site
Or you could search for some of the bigger clubs that operate either in a national or international forum – the biggest of these would be Galaxy, founded in New Zealand, but now with branches World wide

World Cup

The inaugural Touch World Cup was held on the Gold Coast, Australia in 1988. Since then, the event has been hosted in Auckland, New Zealand (1991), Waikiki Beach, Hawaii (1995), Sydney, Australia (1999), Kamagaya, Japan (2003), Stellenbosch, South Africa (2007), Edinburgh, Scotland (2011) and Coffs Harbour, Australia (2015). The 2019 Touch World Cup will be held in Malaysia
The last in event in Australia saw teams competing in 9 different categories – Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Mixed Open, Women’s Over 27s, Senior Mixed, Men’s Over 30s, Men’s Over 35s, Mens Over 40s and Mens Over 50s
Of the 52 finals that have been played Australia have featured in every single one, winning an impressive 44 titles. New Zealand are the only other country to have lifted a winning trophy in any category and have also featured in 45 of the finals so it is definitely time for changes at the top!!

USA Nationals

Each year USA Touch combine their national trials with an international, high quality competition. As well as club sides from around the States there are also top quality referees and representative teams from Jamaica, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Chile and the Cayman Islands to name a few
Last year the tournament was again held at the ESPN Sports Grounds in the fabulous surroundings of Disney World, Orlando. This venue has been secured to host the tournament for the next few years as well
2015 saw a competitive debut for Jamaican Touch and with our 6 player squad, dedication and commitment to keep going without any subs certainly turned a few heads!

The Euros

Another FIT run tournament with it’s regional sub committee of the EFT this is now a biannual event that started in 2010
The first tournament was held in Bristol, England. 2012 it was in Treviso, Italy, 2014 in Swansea, Wales and 2016 in Jersey

Trans Tasman Tests

Australia and New Zealand regularly compete each other for more than just bragging rights in this series
First run in 1976 i took until the 6th series in 1993 for NZ to get their first taste of victory
Although things have been a little more balanced in modern times the Ozzies still have very much the upper hand

May 14, 2016 / Comments Off

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Cayman Island Trip

The place might not be cheap, but it sure was fun!!

We were very fortunate to find a lovely spot on AirBnB to rest our heads so for less than the price of a single room in the Holiday Inn we found ourselves in a lovely 4 bedroom villa with far more room than we needed.

Villa Patio View to Pool and Sea

Friday evening we took a ‘stroll’ up to Royal Palms for the tourney kick off party and meet up with a few familiar faces. But with the early start scheduled for the next morning we were grateful of the Public Bus service to get us most of the way home!

Saturday morning showed just how different our Caribbean neighbours are with the tournament starting promptly on schedule at 8am and ending right on time some 11 and a half hours later! The morning session saw the running of the Men’s and Women’s division with the Twins playing with the New York girls, Nephew joining up with Houston and Tonka mainly on refereeing duties. 8 rounds later we took a couple of hours off for lunch with the girls happy in their victory!

New York Ladies with the Jamaican Boost!

The afternoon saw another 7 rounds of more ref’ing the 4 of us teaming up with our friends from Houston for a bit of fun and valuable experience. Thankfully the mixed final was a much easier game to officiate than the Men’s final with New York completing the clean sweep with a tense and exciting victory over Cayman 2-1. A few post tournament beers, a birthday toast to OJ, some pleasant trips down memory lane then home for pizza was about all we could manage after a long, hot and thoroughly enjoyable day. After refereeing in 12 matches and playing 4 rounds the warm jacuzzi at the villa complex was an extremely welcome place to enjoy some late night rum!!

Houston & Jamaica Squad

Sunday allowed us to enjoy a much easier pace, but also saw Nephew continue to move out of his comfort zone and enjoy new experiences! His first flight might have failed to get us off the rock, as we made a quick stop in Mo-Bay before he finally got to walk on foreign soils. With the boat trip and swimming with sting rays soon to be ticked off the bucket list the day started with a challenge that he sadly was not up to – declining the full Irish breakfast and the delight that is black pudding!

Boat soon come…

After an hour’s delay for technical issues and the boat only taking in Sting Ray City (and not Rum Point), the boat trip could have been better, and the greasy kebab would have been much better if the mozzies had not have been eating us a quickly as we ate the food! But that aside the company was amazing and the craic mighty! In spite of the ridiculously early start Monday morning (and a slight run in with the Jamaican taxi driver) we were back on the Rock ready to start the next chapter of the awesome journey that is Jamaican Touch!!!

Check out a couple of videos at the links below

On the Pitch

Boat Trip

April 25, 2016 / Comments Off

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We’re getting official!

We are one step further along our path to being a proper Association as the Companies docs are finally in (Thanks Captain for all your hard work!)

Onward and upward to the next level as Malaysia 2019 is calling!!

April 5, 2016 / Comments Off

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Nearly there Cayman!

We’re still waiting fingers crossed on the Visa Office, but here’s hoping we get the good news soon!

If all goes to plan we are going to be teaming up with our buddies from Houston and doing our bit for Caribbean Touch and Jamaica!!!

April 5, 2016 / Comments Off

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Fort Lauderdale Trip and Tourney

We’d like to put a big shout out to the Lads and Lasses at Fort Lauderdale for looking after us and putting on a good tournament.

Tonka got to Ref and add some much needed experience. Laura got to play on one of the FL teams and bag a few tries along the way 🙂

An entertaining tournament saw a combined Washington and New York team beat FL in an exciting final. After the games were finished we headed over to watch the USA Eagles comfortably beat Chile after an enjoyable tailgate session.

Later in the week we got to join in their practise sessions on both Tuesday and Thursday and it was great to train on some nice, real grass! As with all forms of Rugby it is never complete without the beers after, so thanks for the Taco Tuesday and the welcome Guinness at Stouts.

So here’s to meeting up again in Cayman next month and building further on the partnerships that we are forging with both Fort Lauderdale and USA Touch!

March 9, 2016 / Comments Off

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St Catherine 7’s Tournament

Tournament on at Red Stripe this Saturday, as per the flyer!

There’s also going to be a few exhibition matches, including a FIT rules Touch match, probably around 3pm.

Cheap entry and cheap beer, lots of Rugby – what more could you ask for!

So come along for the 7’s, the Touch, the sun, the Beer or just for the Craic 🙂

January 8, 2016 / Comments Off

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Let’s get back out on the Paddock!!

After far too long a break since the USA Trip we are now going to do a slow resumption of training and games to close the year out and then go all out from early 2016 once we get confirmation on a couple more things!

We have one new training venue confirmed, a second almost ready and third that will depend on where I can find to live 🙂 We have several new people interested in joining up and also have another tournament to get ready for, so the time is now!

Whether you are new to the game altogether, keep meaning to come out or are a veteran of FIT then all are welcome. We will split the sessions so that we start with skills, drills and lessons and can now start playing more games and enjoying the extra space. The more we get to the sessions the more fun and action we can have so it doesn’t matter if your intentions are to play for Jamaica and travel the world with us, work on your ball handling and fitness or just run around for a little while before enjoying a nice cold beer it really is a case of the more the merrier!!

Below is an outline of what the full training schedule will look like next year, details of the venues and upcoming tournaments. For now we are starting back with Wednesday evenings at Cling Cling, starting at 7:30pm and going on for a couple of hours so just get down when you can! Please pass this on to anyone that might be interested in coming and please get in contact with any form of interest – spread the word far and wide!

Full Schedule proposal:

Monday: TBC – Evening sessions at Vauxhall Junior High School
Tuesday: Usual Old Crocs sessions at JDF. Good for fitness and bad habits as they have reverted to old 2 handed rules, but fun none the less
Wednesday: Evening sessions at corner of Olympic Way and Cling Cling Avenue
Thursday: TBC – Evening sessions either at Vauxhall Junior High School or out at Caymanas Estates
Friday: Work on your drinking skills!
Saturday: Pick up games to be announced later
Sunday: Skills sessions in the morning at Vauxhall, then free for all pick up games at Cling Cling in the evening

Venues:

Cling Cling: On the corner of Olympic Way and Cling Cling Avenue (near to the Hagley Park / Spanish Town road junction) this venue offers grass, floodlights and space! Already available and with a bar across the street it is ideal to get going. No pitch costs and low cost beer what more could you ask for! Parking available on the street and as this is Crisdan’s hood safety is assured 🙂 Check link below for a map and see you there this and every Wednesday from 7:30pm
Cling Cling Map
Vauxhall: Windward Road, directly opposite Bellvue Hospital. We are in advanced talks with Nephew and the Principle to secure use of the schools facilities, more details to follow in the new year
Vauxhall Map
JDF: Every Tuesday from 5 pm until dark this long standing run out is still going strong
JDF Map

Upcoming Competitions:

Red Stripe: Details still tbc but St Catherine Thundercats are holding a rugby tourney on Jan 16th and want us to showcase Touch so we’ll be looking for some players to put on a good show!

Cayman: Date confirmed as April 16th, but full details still being worked out. They are having Men’s and a Mixed divisions to start with, so room for all and will be a good indication of our potential to host a tourney as well. Currently they are planning to hold all the matches on the Saturday with a boat party on Sunday so start saving the dollars and looking at Visa applications as it will be an awesome weekend!

Orlando: For those that missed out on this years trip, fear not it will soon be October again so start thinking ahead!

Jamaica: We are still thinking about hosting an event ourselves, so watch this space. If we do then we will need lots of assistance!!

December 15, 2015 / Comments Off

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Quick DocuVid

Sadly we didn’t have spare bodies to take pictures or videos when we were playing – not surprising as we didn’t have subs to play either 🙂

Here’s a few comments and clips of how things were going in the camp

October 20, 2015 / Comments Off

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We’ve Moved!!

Those guys at Kerribean have been working hard again to get us a better URL and make the transition as seamless as possible!

All the old links should redirect automatically and the content should be the fantastic same!

The new address is both easier to use and shorter so happy days. Also moves away from the name Rugby, but doubt that will help our cause with the US Visa department 🙂

Please let me know if you experience any issues with the site
Thanks

You can check out more Kerribean work by clicking here 🙂

October 19, 2015 / Comments Off

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Too Old to Change!!

“I’m too old to play or to learn a new game”

If you’re reading this article then I can be fairly safe in the assumption that you are over the age of consent so I’ll say it straight out – Bullshit!!

I started playing Touch at 39 and 7 years later feel like I still have one heck of a lot left to give and even more to learn. Here I want to outline 3 stories that I know a little about and have used poetic license to pad out, I believe the gist of the stories are true and their meaning certainly is.

1, The Marley Park Tipsters

MPT

Much like the original founders of FIT, a bunch of ageing rugby players, from a Union background, find that their bodies are taking too long to recover from the physical aspects of full contact matches, but don’t want to stop playing. So they get together for run outs in the park playing Tip twice a week. Discovering that they are not alone in the world they take the bold step of adapting their familiar game by introducing FIT rules and pretty much become the Grandfathers of Touch in Ireland

I’m sure it wasn’t an easy transition and they may well have lost some stalwarts along the way, but they stuck at it and went on to win a Gold medal in the Mens 40s at the Euros in Bristol in 2010, followed up by a pair of Bronze medals in 2012 and 2014. They also formed the spine of the Mens 50s that travelled to the World Cup this year and bagged another Bronze for the collection

The lads are out in the Irish weather twice a week come rain, shine, hail or snow and are only ever stopped by groundsmen when the pitches can’t last as well as they do! I thought I was fairly fit when I started playing with them, but soon learned that I had some adapting to do as I could barely walk the stairs after my second training session. But everyone finds their own level. At 72 Kevin is not going to make many length of the field intercepts or last a full match without subs, but his pace over 3 yards and speed of thought has left me, and many younger people, embarrassed wondering how that score happened

Playing in the snow!

The early years!

Super Kev!

2, Pete Walters

“Mr Touch”

A lot has been documented on this legend of Touch and I’ll admit that I do not know him personally to provide any new insight. What I will say is that at the age of 55 he is still a joy to watch. A veteran of all 8 World Cups, having made his NZ debut in 1986, he is a true ambassador and role model for what can be achieved. I have had the pleasure of watching the videos, streams and seeing him play in person – usually surrounded by younger people wishing to feed off his knowledge and composure. Watching the Mixed Open final this weekend in Orlando was the latest example of his stature. Down to 3 a side in the drop off (where it’s sudden death extra time) he has the knowledge, skill and stamina to create the overlap and had the winger held on to an easy pass he would have been lifting another trophy

The way he took the Irish team aside a couple of years ago to give them a full training session after having handed their asses to them on the pitch shortly before was a true reflection of his dignity and generosity, as well as his love of the game

3, Gra

Ireland v Spain, for Gra

But don’t think Touch is just about the men. In my opinion it is the best mixed sport where all people get to play on an even playing field (although it would be nice to have a field like that here in Jamaica!). Anyone involved in Touch in Ireland, and I’m sure most in Europe, will have come across ‘Our Gra’ at some stage or another and you can not help but be infected by her enthusiasm, even when she is bossing you about! in spite of losing an arm in an accident some years ago she still togs out and trains with us nearly every week and is always there to keep us organised and topped up with Gummi Bears and Jaffa Cakes at Tournaments

Thanks to the Delgado twins i will never forget the minutes silence for Grainne’s mother before our match in the Euros, undoubtedly the most emotional moment in Sport I have ever experienced.

So when I hear people say they are too old I try to simply scoff and ignore it, but can’t help feeling that their ignorance is making them miss out. There are countless quotes from other like minded thinkers that I could use to back this up but I guess my favourite one is already quoted on this site and is also the motto of MPT:

You don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing

October 16, 2015 / 2

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