Alita DeBrincat has been a stalwart at Whitsunday Touch, with over 30 years of dedication to the sport. As President of the club, her impact has extended far beyond leadership - she has pioneered pathways for the next generation, from grassroots to representative levels. Throughout the years, Alita has championed inclusion through All Abilities programs, providing opportunities for everyone to experience and embrace the game.
Behind the scenes, she tirelessly ensures the club continues to thrive, from field maintenance to event coordination, displaying her selfless commitment that allows others to enjoy our sport. Her passion and drive have not only shaped a growing club but fostered a culture of involvement and support among its community. As our TFA Volunteer of the Month for June, we spoke to Alita about her journey in the sport, her various roles and what she loves most about Touch Footy.
Congratulations Alita, can you begin by sharing how you got involved with Touch Football?
Thank you, it’s very humbling to be recognised. It all tapped off playing on the sandy fields of Coolum Beach when I was a teenager. My family have always been active participants of local sports so I started getting involved from a young age. I helped in a number of ways from collecting gate fees to helping in the canteen, groundskeeping, refereeing/umpiring, and, of course, playing. My first involvement in rep footy came through the Coolum Blue Fins where I first went away with the mixed team and since then I’ve continued playing for a number of years. My off-field involvement has continued, and I am now the President at Whitsunday Touch. I’ve loved my time as President, and I like to think as a committee we’ve been able to make a lot of positive change at the club.
What do you enjoy/love the most about Touch Football?
There is so much to love about the sport - it is such an adaptable game that can bring enjoyment to all levels of fitness, skills, and abilities. The opportunities are endless! I think the best part for me is that it allows Mums and Dads to play alongside their kids rather than just cheering on from the sideline. A few years ago, my Husband and I started a team with a bunch of young kids (ours included). We played with them for a few seasons to help them develop their touch skills and knowledge. With the kids being 12-13 years old, the first few years were quite tough in a win-loss sense, and we really didn’t win a game. To the kids’ credit though, they kept persisting and improving over the years to the point where we started winning finals. Once the kids reached about 16 years old, they broke off from us parents and formed their own team. They’ve created great friendships and strengthened our club by introducing other friends to the sport.
My husband and I have since gone back to playing with another young bunch of kids, so the cycle has continued! What I have learnt though is to tell all parents to take the opportunity while the kids love playing by your side because eventually, they'll want to shake off the parents and play with their friends! It's all about creating great friendships in their sporting circles.
Another aspect that I love is the way the sport incorporates the entire team. You get people rotating on and off the field regularly which allows for everyone to have a crack. The substitutions speak to the inclusive and fair nature of the sport.
You wear many hats! What element do you enjoy the most?
I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of being the President and having the opportunity to be there for our members, listen to their needs and create solutions to grow the club and the sport. It’s forced me to constantly be adaptive and seek other ways to tackle challenges. I’ve always had the approach of let’s give something a go, see if it works and if not, we can always sidestep and adapt. I’ve found It’s been a continuous challenge of balancing the sport between those who play for the fun and social aspect with those who aim to play the sport at the highest level. We want to create opportunities and pathways for both groups of people which is encapsulated in our moto of ‘Footy for fun leading to all pathways’.
Through the Presidency role, I've had the privilege of spearheading efforts alongside our fantastic committee to grow our annual carnival - The Whitsunday Cup. For the past few years, the carnival has been steadily growing with a handful of teams, and this year, we're thrilled to announce that we're taking off with nearly 30 teams registered and ready to enjoy The Whitsundays. Our carnival embodies what we do best at Whitsunday Touch: growing our mixed competition to ensure everyone can enjoy this great game. Our main goal is for everyone to come and enjoy what we have to offer with a great attitude of 'footy for fun for everyone!'
I also love the social side of Touch. As I said earlier, I’ve had the opportunity to play with family and some good friends which is what is unique and wonderful about our sport. A few of us still hang back on a Monday night after the games are done to share a drink and solve the world’s problems which is always fun!
What is your favourite memory or moment in the game?
I’ve spoken quite a bit about my off-field involvement, but above all else I still love playing the sport (or at least trying to)! A moment that stands out is when the "old girl” (me) bamboozled Shak (one of our young, fast players) with a step and I scored a try! I’m sure if you asked anyone else around the club, their favourite moment might be the many times I end up falling over on the field - It's all part of the fun!
Another memory that sticks out was watching our grand finals last month. There was an overwhelming sense of pride for what our club has achieved. To be able to sit back and watch the young kids which I spoke about earlier, win the grand final with their Mum’s was amazing. It was fantastic to see all the kids now grown-up and having the opportunity to win it all.
What have been the biggest advancements in the sport, in your opinion?
The increased accessibility of the sport through broadcast and social media have been monumental. It allows anyone to watch Touch Football matches, and for us in regional Queensland, it lets us view games we wouldn't easily have access to. It brings the excitement and camaraderie of the game right into our homes.
I’m excited about what is still to come for Touch Football. I truly believe we have the potential to explode and keep growing exponentially. The sport has so much to offer, and I can’t wait to see it keep expanding.
Congratulations Alita and thanks again for your commitment and dedication towards our sport.
Alita is now eligible for the overall TFA Volunteer of the Year award. To recognise volunteers from your community please click here
