Sunshine Coast touch football welcomes return of Secondary All Schools Championships

About 1500 school students will face off on Sunshine Coast touch football fields as a popular carnival makes its return.

Scarlet Ware from Bribie Island State High runs the ball during the 2018 Secondary All Schools Championships.

Organisers of a popular touch football event for the Sunshine Coast schools say it’ll be phenomenal to welcome back students and strong rivalries after missing out last year.

The Secondary All Schools Championships will return on Sunday at the Glasshouse Mountains Sports Club after the Covid-19 pandemic ruined plans for the event in 2020.

The 11th edition will involve 90 teams across seven divisions, 44 schools, 1500 players, 100 referees, 12 fields and 263 games.

Sunshine Coast Touch regional manager Natalie De Rossi said while the carnival was down a few teams this year she expected competition to be just as fierce.

“For one day it’s a huge event,” she said.

“It’s phenomenal, it’s one of the things we really pushed and worked hard to put back on the calendar.

“It’s definitely a pinnacle event for the schools to be a part of and something great for the Sunshine Coast area.”

St Columbans player Cooper Clarke at the 2018 Secondary All Schools Championships

Schools from across the state will compete, with students from Hervey Bay, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Gayndah and the South Burnett joining Coast players.

“There’s a fair few schools running touch football excellence programs so this is probably an exciting event for them to see where they all range,” De Rossi said.

While individual division honours are up for grabs, the Gary Madders Champion School title is particularly hotly-contested by schools.

“It’s always a bit of a rivalry,” De Rossi said.

The title was dominated by Chancellor State College and St Columbans for four years before St Patrick’s College in Gympie took the honour in 2019.

“There’s a lot of competition and obviously the Gold Coast schools are going to bring some strength into the event,” De Rossi said.

“But, locally, Chancellor, Matthew Flinders normally do well and have good touch programs as well as Unity College.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast touch football welcomes return of Secondary All Schools Championships