Touch Football Australia (TFA) is proud to announce Lauren Potter as the recipient of the September 2026 Teacher of the Month Award through the Teacher Ambassador Program, recognising her commitment to creating opportunities for students and strengthening Touch Football pathways across school, community and representative levels in South Australia.
A passionate teacher, coach and player, Lauren is based at Pembroke School and is deeply involved in the Touch Football community. She is affiliated with City Touch and represents Eastern Stingrays in the Touch Football South Australia State League (TFSA), bringing her experience and enthusiasm for the game into her work with young athletes.
In 2026, Lauren took a Pembroke team to the Queensland All Schools competition, providing students with the opportunity to compete at one of Australia’s leading school Touch Football events. Her work reflects a strong commitment to giving students meaningful experiences in the sport and helping them progress beyond school-based participation.
Lauren's passion for Touch Football began during her own school years. While training for athletics, she was invited to join Touch Football training after a district coach sought additional players for upcoming regional trials. After attending training with a friend and competing at the trials the following week, Lauren earned selection in the Primary Girls Darling Downs team for the State Championships.
That experience sparked a lifelong involvement in the sport. Following an injury later in her playing career, Lauren was given the opportunity to coach the Under 10 Toowoomba Girls team. At the time, she was studying teaching and quickly discovered a passion for coaching, recognising the important role sport can play in developing young people and creating pathways for students to thrive.
Lauren’s contribution extends well beyond the classroom. On Saturday mornings, she coaches and assists with the Catholic Schools Girls competition at City Touch. She also coaches school teams in the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools competition at the same venue on Wednesday afternoons, as well as a junior girls competition on Tuesday afternoons.
One of Lauren’s favourite Touch Football in Schools memories came recently when she travelled with the Pembroke 18 Mixed team to the Gold Coast Titans All Schools event. Having played and coached at the tournament over many years, Lauren described the experience as a highlight of her involvement in school Touch Football.
The opportunity to share the event with a group of students who excelled both as athletes and individuals reinforced what she values most about school sport: creating memorable experiences, fostering personal growth and helping students reach their potential on and off the field.
Alongside her teaching and coaching commitments, Lauren has built an impressive representative playing career. She represented Queensland in the Women’s 40s division at the 2025 State of Origin, played for the Toowoomba Twisters in the Women’s 30s division at the 2024 Queensland State Cup, and represented the South West Queensland Swans in Women’s Open at the 2023 National Touch League.
Her experience also includes representing Eastern Stingrays in the TFSA League across the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, along with SA Heat in the Women’s 27s division at the 2022 National Touch League. This breadth of experience gives Lauren a valuable perspective on the pathway from school and community participation through to representative competition.
Through her leadership across school, community and representative Touch Football, Lauren continues to create opportunities for girls and young women to enjoy the game, develop their skills and remain connected to the sport. TFA congratulates Lauren on being named the September 2026 Teacher of the Month.
