At Touch Football Australia, we're proud to celebrate educators who are creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with our sport, regardless of where they live. This month, we're shining the spotlight on Teacher Ambassador Jye Hawley, whose passion for developing Touch Football in regional Queensland is helping create stronger connections, increased participation and brighter pathways for young players.
Based in the Barcaldine region in Central West Queensland, Jye is committed to making Touch Football more accessible for students across his community. Recognising the unique challenges faced by small and remote schools, he is dedicated to ensuring young people have access to quality coaching, development opportunities and positive sporting experiences.
Remote Sporting Schools Roadshow
Recently, Jye partnered with Queensland Touch Football to help deliver a Remote Sporting Schools Roadshow across Barcaldine and surrounding communities. Through funding secured via the Remote Sporting Schools program, Jye worked closely with North Queensland Game Development Officer Rhys to coordinate a series of development sessions for local students.
His organisation, communication and commitment to the program ensured students benefited from high-quality coaching experiences, with the roadshow culminating in a regional gala day that brought together more than 100 students from 10 schools.
The success of the initiative highlighted the enthusiasm for Touch Football across the region and reinforced the importance of providing development opportunities in remote communities.
For Jye, however, the roadshow is just one step towards a much bigger vision.
"I would love to develop some form of program for our district players, whether that eventually looks like a small district school competition, development camps, combined-school opportunities or something else." Jye said
Regional Challenges
Like many regional educators, Jye faces the challenge of limited student numbers, making traditional school-based competitions difficult to sustain. Despite this, he sees enormous potential within his community and is passionate about building opportunities that suit the unique needs of remote schools.
Through his involvement in representative school sport, Jye has seen first-hand the athletic talent that exists across the region. His connection with Touch Football stretches back to his own school years, having first played with the Bundaberg Touch Football Club during high school.
"I quickly developed a love for the game, and when I became a teacher in Central Queensland, I had the opportunity to get involved again, this time as a coach. It's been a rewarding full-circle experience, going from playing the sport as a student to now helping young players develop their own skills, confidence and love for the game." Said Jye
Jye believes there is enormous potential within regional communities to continue growing the sport.
"We have some very capable athletes who trial across multiple sports and can transfer those skills quite successfully. However, outside of Rugby League, there are limited opportunities locally for young players to progressively develop their Touch-specific skills, rules knowledge, game awareness and strategies." Jye said
He believes there is an important opportunity to strengthen the player pathway by introducing development experiences earlier, helping students build confidence and capability before reaching representative competition.
"For many of the students I take to the QRSS Championships, that level of competition is where a significant amount of their Touch development actually occurs. The experience is fantastic for them, but they are essentially receiving that development at the top end of the pathway rather than having opportunities to build those skills earlier." Jye said
Opportunities for Growth
Jye's long-term vision is to work collaboratively with Touch Football Australia and Queensland Touch Football to explore innovative solutions that can support participation growth in small and remote communities.
In addition to creating opportunities for his students, Jye is equally passionate about his own coaching development. Having completed the Community Coaching Course, he is eager to continue progressing through the coaching pathway and further strengthen his ability to support young athletes.
His commitment to learning, community engagement and player development embodies what it means to be a Teacher Ambassador.
That commitment is perhaps best reflected in the relationships he builds with students. One of Jye's favourite Touch Football memories came while coaching the North West boys team at the 2025 QRSS 10-12 Years Touch Football Championships in Roma.
Throughout the tournament, the team had been working on their teamwork and consistency, setting a goal of completing five consecutive sets of rucking. Looking to add some extra motivation, Jye jokingly made a promise that quickly came back to haunt him.
"I challenged the students and said, 'If you can complete five full sets of rucking, you can shave my head!' I clearly didn't understand the weight of those words." Jye said
Moments later, the students delivered exactly what had been asked of them.
"They absolutely nailed it. All five sets in a row, and even went on to score a couple of tries. After the game, I had to honour my promise and let each player take a turn cutting a piece of my hair off in front of about 60 very entertained spectators. It was hilarious, but seeing the students' excitement and confidence after achieving something they'd worked towards all tournament made it worthwhile." said Jye
2026 QRSS Touch Football Championships - Townsville
Another experience that stands out for Jye came at the 2026 QRSS Touch Football Championships in Townsville, where he coached the North West 16-18 Years Girls team for the first time.
Beginning the tournament with a reduced squad and facing challenging conditions, the team demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the week.
"What made the experience so memorable was their determination, resilience and sportsmanship. Despite the physical demands, they never gave up, never turned on each other or became frustrated with the referees. They simply kept encouraging one another and giving everything they had for their teammates."
Despite the challenges, the group achieved more than many expected.
"What made their efforts even more special was that, despite these challenges, they managed to score more points across the tournament than any other team I've coached before. The scoreboard doesn't always reflect success, and seeing the character, teamwork and resilience these students demonstrated is something I'll never forget." Jye said
Aramac State School Leadership Takes Notice
Jye's dedication has not gone unnoticed by his colleagues. School leaders describe him as a passionate advocate for Touch Football whose influence extends far beyond the sporting field.
"Jye demonstrates an outstanding commitment to Touch Football and the students and communities he serves. His passion and leadership have had a significant impact across our school and the wider Central West region. Through organising a successful regional Touch Football clinic and coaching Central West and North West representative teams, he has created valuable opportunities for students to develop their skills, confidence and love for the game.
Having witnessed Jye coach at the state championships, I have seen firsthand his enthusiasm, encouragement and genuine commitment to his players. His influence extends well beyond the field, inspiring greater participation in Touch Football while fostering teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship and a strong sense of belonging. His contribution to sport and student development in our region is something to be incredibly proud of." Gerry Neisler says
By creating new opportunities, connecting schools and championing participation in regional Queensland, Jye is helping ensure that geography is not a barrier to experiencing the many benefits of Touch Football.
We thank Jye for his outstanding contribution to the game and look forward to seeing the impact of his work continue to grow across the Barcaldine region and beyond.
