It's Got That Magic Touch
Perhaps, swimming, netball and gymnastics are a bit passé but a daughter hanging around the house spending hours on a digital device is not part of our vogue either. In a search for alternatives that might turn on tweens and teenagers to something engrossing we stumbled on Touch Football for girls.
Ok, it’s not new, but Touch Football for girls has not been around in Singapore for that long. And since it began, it has been attracting girls in droves. Over a short few years this previously niche sport has gone from being a small discipline available only at male-dominated rugby clubs to featuring at many international schools who are now offering Touch as an extra curricula activity.
Despite being called Touch Football, the game is definitely a rugby cousin and not related to soccer. But while rugby is all about getting down and dirty, tackling and rucking, Touch is all about teamwork, skill and fitness, which makes it perfect for young girls. Girls as young as 6 can get involved, and most find it highly addictive because as well as being a positive adrenalin rush, it has a profound effect on promoting friendships and inclusiveness.
For girls with a competitive spirit, the sport is going from strength to strength. Not only is registration at various clubs at an all time high, but there are a number of players that have been selected to represent Singapore. The National Team recently beat Japan on Singapore turf and are now gearing up to play in the Touch World Cup next year in Australia.
Image from Centaurs Rugby Club
But for those that are in it for the fun of it, look no further than how this minimal contact sport is gaining popularity with families. The ‘accessible to all’ appeal of Touch now sees a gain in mixed teams comprised of fathers and daughters, mothers and sons all playing on the same pitch!
Here’s where to get started:
Tanglin Rugby Club (TRC)
The Touch Football section of TRC was established by a group of rugby dads to occupy their daughters while their sons played contact rugby.
Age: Open to girls aged 8 to 18 years in U10, U12, U14 and U18 sections.
Training: Every Sunday, 10-11.30am at the TRC Grounds at Turf City.
Price: There is a one-off joining fee of $150 plus with varying costs for playing per season or all year.
www.tanglinrugbyclub.com, e. [email protected]
Image from Centaurs Rugby Club
Centaurs Rugby
This club offers many lots of Touch options for girls and provides professional coaching too.
Age: Open to girls from 6 to 18 years in sections ranging from the U10s to U19s.
Training: Saturday mornings,11am-12.30 at Centaurs Sports Park, Turf City.
Price: There is a one off joining fee of $115, plus $25 administration fee and term fees.
www.centaursgroup.com, e. [email protected]
Singapore Cricket Club
The Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) has a long-established rugby academy open to members and non-members of the club. Within this, there is now a flourishing Touch section for girls.
Age: U10, 12, 14 and 16 categories, and the U18 team currently competes in the Women’s B Division.
Training: Saturday mornings on the SCC fields at 70 Loewen Gardens, Dempsey Hill.
Fees: There is a one-time registration fee of $120/$100 for SCC members, including uniform kit. Term costs are $330 twice a year.
www.sccrugby.com
Image from Centaurs Rugby Club
Titans Rugby Club
This established rugby club set up a Touch section in January and is currently offering two Touch teams for girls.
Age: U12s (8-11 years) and U16s (12-16 years). Once numbers increase additional teams will be added.
Training: Sundays, 10am-11.30am at UWCSEA Dover Campus, (lower AYE Field)
Cost: Full year membership is $400 including kit, admin and three playing semesters per year
www.pitchero.com/clubs/titansrugbyfootballclub/