Bristol Paints Volunteer of the Month: Alicia Hodges

At a young age, Alicia Hodges imagined her brand-new ASIC Tigers would give her superpowers on the field, however the real superpowers came from Alicia herself, with her generosity, dedication, and support to others leaving a lasting impression on those she met. Alicia’s love for teaching the games fundamentals has given many people the tools and know-how to be involved in Touch Football and share her love of the game.

As our Bristol Volunteer of the Month, we speak to Alicia about her passion for Touch Footy, her own personal journey, and the remarkable role she has and continues to perform in her local community.

Can you tell us how you became involved in Touch Football?

I became involved in Touch Football through my parents during the 90’s in Cairns, Far North Queensland. At the time, my parents were involved as players, coaches and committee members and they used to bring me along to competition nights. At the age of 6 or 7 I used to beg my parents to let me play and that inspired them to begin a junior competition which gave me the opportunity to participate.

Since then, my family moved to Canberra, and I have continued my involvement as a player and also through helping with the ACT All-Abilities program with my brother Reggie. The All-Abilities program were advertising for volunteers to help them run skills clinics to teach the fundamentals of the game and hopefully allow them to take a team to the Inferno National Touch League (NTL) which I was happy to help with. It was a 5-6 week project aimed at increasing the skills of the participants and ensuring we had enough volunteers to help. Everyone in the All-Abilities program worked really hard to make it happen and I am proud to have been a part of it.

What do you enjoy/love the most about Touch Football?

I love how all aspects of the game take the commitment of a large number of people to make your team and the sport successful. On the field, it takes every player to contribute through strong communication skills and a willingness to play your role in order to make the game flow and for everyone to be on the same page. Every position is unique but really important to contributing to the team’s success.

Off the field – I realised at a young age through observing my parents – it takes a community of volunteers to coordinate and run the games. Tasks like organising scorecards, referees and cones don’t magically happen, it takes the coordination and dedication of a lot of people to make the sport possible. I love when everyone comes together with the common goal of making Touch Football possible and to see that come to life is amazing. 

You wear many hats? What element do you enjoy the most?

I love sharing the fundamentals of the game with other people. It is about getting the basics of the game right in order for the team to succeed. Through my involvement with the All-Abilities program, I was able to assist a number of individuals with understanding and developing the essentials of the game. I also realised the importance of communication and the All-Abilities program challenged me to invent news ways to effectively coach and mentor other players.

I also love the team camaraderie that comes with Touch Football. It is a game of skill, but it also requires the support and trust of your teammates. You must be able to trust your teammate to make the touch or right pass. The connection with your team is just as important as the skills of the game. 

It’s also the enjoyment and fun that comes with playing the sport that I love. Whilst it’s important to be competitive and strive to be your best, you must always remember to enjoy the game and to keep that in mind whenever you’re playing. 

What is your favourite memory or moment in the game?

A recent memory is being able to play with my brother Reggie in the All-Abilities NTL team earlier this year. It’s always been my goal to play the sport with him and whilst we’ve been able to play together socially, it was great to play in a different setting. I also bought Reggie a Touch Football referee’s shirt for Christmas as he loves refereeing and I remember the smile on his face when he opened the present. It’s been great to see how the sport has impacted his life.

Looking further back, another one of my favourite moments was getting my first pair ofTouch Football boots. I got a pair of ASIC Tigers which were a big hit at the time and I remember watching the adults wearing the Tigers and thinking how quick and skilful they were and how much they would help me to play well…. I later found out it’s not just about the boots! The boots made me feel invincible, I even used to sleep in them! It’s those memories that stick with you forever.

What have been the biggest advancements in the sport in your opinion?

I think the growth of the junior competitions has been enormous for the game. It has been a big driver to get kids hooked and open pathways for them in the future. The DoorDashNational Youth Championships (NYC) is a great competition to allow kids to play with their friends and challenge themselves against skilful opposition. The partnership between Touch Football and the National Rugby League is another advancement that has been great for the game.

In terms of the game itself, the rule changes have increased the pace of the game and allowed for a more free-flowing contest. The speed of the game has increased so much and it makes for a very exciting game for both players and spectators.

Finally, if you were to be named Bristol Volunteer of the Year and $5,000 towards a paint project, what projects come to mind?

If I was awarded the Bristol Volunteer of the Year I would gift the paint project to a local community club in Canberra. It as it would be great to give back and grow the sport here in the ACT.

As our volunteer of the Month, Alicia is now eligible for the Bristol Paint TFA Volunteer of the Year (VOY) Award. The TFA VOY will receive paint to the value of $5,000 for a project of their choice, thanks to our friends at Bristol Paint.

DON’T FORGET – All Touch Footy participants are entitled to 15-20% OFF Bristol Paint products.  Download your exclusive discount card on our website, here.