The town of Wagga is celebrating an historic first after being crowned Club champions for the first time in the 12 year history of the annual New South Wales Touch Association Junior State Cup that was played at the Thomas Dalton Reserve, Wollongong over the weekend.
A record 286 Teams, 300 referees, and over 5000 spectators descended on the picturesque Illawarra region to participate in the nation's largest Touch football tournament.
Teams from 49 different affiliates competed in age groups from Under 10 - Under 18 in Boys and Girls divisions in a non-stop weekend of fast and furious action featuring the brightest and best of New South Wales junior Touch football talent.
For the first time in recent memory the weather Gods answered the prayers of the New South Wales touch community and turned on perfect weather for the showcase event.
Wagga capped a stellar 12 months of junior development with six appearances in the ten contested Junior State Cup divisional finals.
The Country affiliate claimed three divisional wins in the Vassallo Cup (12 Years Girls), The Zabielo Cup (12 Years Boys), and the Wall Cup (16 years boys) and finished runner-up in the Taylor Cup (14 Years Girls) the Toohey Cup, (16 Years Girls), and the Rose Cup (18 Years Girls).
Wagga has had a record number of junior registrations in 2006 and their industrious grassroot level and representative team development structures have been rewarded with success on the Junior State Cup stage in 2007 with stunning results across the board.
Traditional junior touch powerhouse Penrith also consolidated their impressive Junior State Cup record, snaffling three divisional titles in 2007.
The "foot of the mountains" affiliate collected the Mc Call Cup (10 Years Boys), the Yiangou Cup, (14 Years Boys), and the Galea Cup (18 Years Boys) in a prosperous weekend for the area.
Winning finals is one measure of success, but when affiliates such as Bankstown increase their team nominations from one year to the next from 4 to 10 for the annual event, and this is the norm, rather than the exception, it represents a greater victory for the game in terms of expansion across the board.
New South Wales Touch Association Operations Manager Mr. Rob Summers was thrilled with all aspects of the tournament and heaped praise on Woolongong Touch Association and the competing affiliates.
“It’s just a great tournament. The growth of this event reflects the strength of the sport in junior registrations and junior development in each competing affiliate. The tournament itself went off without a hitch, and the Woolongong Touch Association has to take a lot of credit for that. They work tirelessly and cohesively with the NSW staff to make the event the great success that it is.” Mr. Summers said.
Members of Australia’s victorious World Cup teams proudly paraded the Federation of International Touch World Cup Trophy on the weekend and posed for photographs and signed memorabilia for budding young players keen to one day follow in the footsteps of their touch football heroes.
For now though, the future superstars of our game will take their 2007 Junior State Cup XII experience (and maybe a touch of sunburn) with them and file it away until next year when affiliates, players, coaches, referees, tournament staff, and spectators do it all again at Australia’s biggest and most successful Touch tournament.
The thirteenth New South Wales Junior State Cup will be hosted by the Wollongong Touch Association on the 16-17 February 2008.
2007 New South Wales Junior State Cup Results:
McCall Cup-10 Years Boys Penrith def Parramatta
Tirado Cup-10 Years Girls Newcastle City def Manly
Zabielo Cup-12 Years Boys Wagga def Peakhurst
12 Years Boys (Plate) Eastern Suburbs def Peninsula
Vassallo Cup-12 Years Girls Wagga def Newcastle City
12 Years Girls (Plate) Port Macquarie def Parramatta
Yiangou Cup-14 Years Boys Penrith def Wollongong
14 Years Boys (Plate) Bowral def Balmain
Taylor Cup-14 Years Girls Parkes def Wagga
14 Years Girls (Plate) Milton Ulladulla def Wollongong
Wall Cup –16 Years Boys Wagga def Manly Warringah
16 Years Boys (Plate) Wollongong def Peninsula
Toohey Cup-16 Years Girls Wollongong def Wagga
16 Years Girls (Plate) Taree def Newcastle City
Galea Cup-18 Years Boys Penrith def Western Suburbs
18 Years Boys (Plate) Parramatta def Dubbo
Rose Cup-18 Years Girls Central Coast def Wagga
18 Years Girls (Plate) Griffith def Cronulla Sutherland
For all information about the event including results and fixtures, please view the link at 2007 NSW Junior State Cup Website
