People of TFWA: Barry Nicholls

This month we met with our Touch Football Western Australia (TFWA) Sport Trainer, Barry Nicolls. We spoke to Barry or Baz (as most of us know him) about his involvement in our Sport and Rugby League.

Baz started his Touch Football career in 1978 where he started playing Touch Football for Brown Jug Hotel in Fairfield Heights, New South Wales. In his first year playing for Brown Jug Hotel, he was awarded the leading Tri Scorer.

In 1987, Baz joined the Balmain Tigers as a Sports Trainer and volunteered for them from 1988 to 1989.

After, 1989 Baz moved to Coffs Harbour, NSW to work on the railway's.

Joined by his son and two other friends in 1991, Baz started up McLean Street Touch Football in Coffs Harbour. 

Two years later, after he spent a year with Sawtell Touch Football, Baz was asked if he was interested in becoming the referees Sports Trainer for New South Wales Touch Football. However, due to work commitments Barry had to decline the offer. At, the same time his friend Ron was offered a Sports Trainer job with the Hunter Western Hornets. Because, Baz was not able to travel and Ron was. Baz accepted the job with the Hunter Western Hornets and Ron with New South Wales Touch Football. From then on Baz was the Sports Trainer for Hunter Western Hornets for 20 years.

In 2016, after moving to Western Australia, Baz was looking after the Sydney referees for a National Rugby League (NRL) game at HBF Stadium, while walking up and down the sideline he met our current State Manger, Warren Smiles who he had met once before when Warren was working for the Newcastle Knights.

A day or two after the NRL game, Warren went to Baz's house to ask if he would like to become a Sports Trainer for TFWA. 8 years later, Baz has been to multiple events and tours with us. Baz's last tour ever was The Championships 2024 presented by Inferno where he travelled with Hunter Western Hornets.

Baz ended our conversation by saying every time he attends an event or is involved in Touch Football it is a great memory and the highlight of his life is being luckily enough to be respected and included as a Sports Trainer for Touch Football.