Townsville Touch Football teaches Townsville kids to excel on the field

TOUCH football runs deep in Kerrod Hall’s blood, picking up his first footy when he was old enough to run.

The Townsville Junior Touch Football president said he joined the club in 2007 to continue his family’s sporting legacy.

“Touch has been in my family for forever and my mum and dad played well before I was born and well after I was born,” he said.

“I was lucky enough that I played in a team with my mum, dad and both sisters when I was 16.”

Mr Hall said playing touch was not his strength but refereeing was his forte and was the referee’s co-ordinator for seven years at the club before he took on the role of president.

Mr Hall said he loved refereeing because it gave him an inside perspective on each team.

“Every game is a little bit different you always get to see a different side of people because every player is different when they step on the field,” he said.

Mr Hall said he had travelled the world referring touch football and had learnt a lot from his time on the sidelines.

“I went to the youth world cup last year in August in Malaysia and it was hot and humid for the most part and I referred the Australian teams as they played the international teams,” he said.

“But I had a couple of games with international teams that spoke languages I knew nothing about and trying to communicate with teams from Hong Kong and China was challenging,” he said.

Mr Hall said playing a sport was beneficial for children to set themselves up in their future professional careers.

“It gives you grounding for later life, if people are able to play in team because you go to work in an office space and building site you have to play as part of team too,” he said.

Mr Hall said the club achieved a milestone this year in the community.

“Hit a record number of 186 teams this year in Townsville which is amazing so we want to grow that and sustain it and help the superstars of the future go through the system,” he said.