Touch club overcomes significant setback

Peninsula Touch has had to overcome a significant setback at the start of one of its strongest seasons ever.

Club president Ms Sharon Nelson said a break-in at the club's McEvoy Oval canteen before Christmas cost the club $3000.

"We got broken into twice last year and again this year," Ms Nelson said.

"All our balls and the bags our balls go in, all of our representative gear, as well as the lollies and food were stolen," she said.

Following the two earlier break-ins, Gosford Council had installed thick metal bars on the canteen's windows.

However, the thieves used an angle grinder to get in this time, Ms Nelson said.

"There is no way they can get in now - we haven't even got a window in the building any more.

"The police were great; they came straight away and got some great finger prints but they haven't had any luck tracking down who it was.

"It was so disappointing that they stole from over 750 kids and their families.

"We are a non-profit organization, so the cost comes back on the kids and their families," she said.

Despite the cost and disappointment of the break-in, Ms Nelson said the 2015-16 season has been one of the club's strongest.

"We have built our membership up this year.

"We got down to 400 a couple of years ago and now we've built it up to 750.

"This year is one of our biggest years.

We have a mixed competition for the under 18s because a lot don't want to go to the seniors or can't because they work."

The youngest grade in the local competition is now under-eights.

This year's season will finish with semi-finals and finals on Thursday, March 3.

"We are so strong in representative touch at the moment and I think that goes with the experience of the coaches we have.

"We have a lot of senior coaches that are giving back to the juniors.

"Two years ago we were runners up with Berkeley Vale in the Peter Wilson Memorial Cup Championship and this year we won outright.

"We competed in the Central Coast Championship at Adcock Park and this year we were joint winners.

The club was taking teams to Port Macquarie to participate in the Junior State Cup on February 20 and 21.

"We have a really strong chance in the 18 boys, 14 boys, 10 boys and 12 girls.

"They were all exceptional at the Peter Wilson so I think all teams have a good chance in Port Macquarie."

Ms Nelson said the 2016-17 competition starts in October and all new players are welcome.

"We encourage a lot of the children to come in as friends, or individual children come and we put them in to teams.

"My daughters play with girls from all different schools and we have a great community support group," said Ms Nelson, who herself has been involved in touch football on the Peninsula since she was 14.

"Our families are fantastic. They all help," she said.

Interview, 17 Feb 2016

Sharon Nelson, Peninsula Touch