Victorian Masters Sport Resource Kit - Australian Sports Commission

CASE STUDY 4:
Victorian Touch Association: Touch for All
What was the initial problem?
◗ The Victorian Touch Association
recognised that a large proportion of their
registered players (32 per cent) were over
30 years of age, and that the masters age
category was a fast growing area of
participation.
◗ There also existed the opportunity to
promote Touch to people in that age
category who had played similar sports
such as rugby union and rugby league and
bring them into the sport once they had
retired from playing these contact sports.
How was the league created?
◗ The aim of the VTA was to establish a
regular league competition for people in
this age category. The VTA recognised that
individual clubs could not take existing
players out of regular teams and form a
new masters team without having a
detrimental effect on existing regular
competition structures. Timetabling games
outside of these times and seasons
overcame this issue.
◗ The State Association promoted the
concept to one club initially and to the
association in general. A small informal
competition was formed initially and then
formal teams developed by different
metropolitan clubs.
What were the benefits to the state
association and clubs?
◗ Increased membership of clubs and
therefore greater opportunities for
fundraising, coaching and running of
normal club activities.
◗ Use of facilities in normal downtime.
◗ The sport has made itself more attractive
to sponsors by increasing membership.
◗ Creation of a lifelong opportunity to
participate in sport and another avenue to
become involved in officiating before
moving to elite level.
◗ Consequently the VTA has established
Masters Sport as an important component
of the association and within individual
clubs.
What were the keys to making it
work?
◗ Providing a social environment for initial
participation, and the opportunity to
refresh or learn skills in a friendly, non
threatening environment.
◗ Convincing well known higher profile
players to act as role models and take up
playing in the Masters category rather
than mainstream competition.
◗ Timetabling the competition at times that
do not clash with mainstream training or
game times so coaching and officiating
numbers are not affected.
◗ Starting the competition in stages to
generate a self sustaining interest within
the sport and its current members first
and then expanding to bringing in new
players to the sport in the Masters age
category.
Source: Victorian Touch Association – Paul
Butler and Miles Davine.
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5. Role of Organisations