Australian Rugby League Commissioner the Hon Kate Jones has been appointed to the board of Touch Football Australia.
Ms Jones will become the first ARL Commissioner to join the board of TFA.
“The Commission wants to create the largest sporting community in the Pacific, and touch is a key component of that strategy as one of the largest participation sports in Australia,” Ms Jones said.
“The links between rugby league and touch football allows us to further unlock the potential of our partnership.
“Touch footy is a great sport. It is also an accessible entry point for rugby league more generally, and expanding opportunities in touch, tag and tackle is a key focus of the Australian Rugby League Commission.”
Touch Football Australia Chair Erin Taylor added: “Our sport has long been a strong advocate for female participation; it is part of our DNA and having a woman of Kate’s background, skill and experience will help us further unlock participation and pathway opportunities for young girls.
“We have strong plans for growth over the next five to 10 years and Kate can play a critical role in us delivering on those. We want more people playing both our games, not just touch. Her expertise and advice will be hugely beneficial.”
Touch Football is one of Australia’s largest social sports with 551,000 participants. Touch is in the top 10 most participated sports in Australia (AusPlay data), and is also a nursery for elite sporting talent.
The majority of NRLW athletes including Dally M medallist Tamika Upton and male stars Ryan Papenhuyzen, Kalyn Ponga and Shaun Johnson have come through Touch Football pathways.
