MOUNT Gambier High School teacher and mother of four Jacinta Clark will make the trip to Coffs Harbour next month for her fourth National Touch Football Championships appearance.
Competing in the women’s Over 35 division, Clark will don the Victorian uniform for the third year in a row, with hopes to bring home the so-far elusive title.
Her first appearance on the national stage was in 2015, when she was selected as a part of the Sunshine Coast Pineapples side.
“The first time I went away I put my name in the national player pool, so you don’t know whether you’ll be picked up or not,” Clark said.
“I got selected by Sunshine Coast Pineapples, which was awesome.
“It was a brilliant experience.
“Then after that I have been lucky enough to play with Victoria.
“It is a different experience because you get to train with them and play as part of the team, it is different to just being pulled up and playing with someone you don’t know.”
With mixed results so far, Clark has her sights set on the title this year, as the Victorian team has seen steady improvement over the last three years.
“The first year I just missed out on playing the grand final with Sunny Coast,” she said.
“Then when I went to Victoria (in 2016) and it was the first time they had put the team in for a little while so we finished third.
“Last year we made the grand final, but our semi final was kind of like our grand final.
“We didn’t have the legs come the grand final, but second is good and we were happy with that.
“This year we want to take it one more.”
Clark’s interest in the sport was sparked at a young age, when a friend from school encouraged her to start playing when she was about 16.
From there she worked her way to a position with the Tikki Roos, before going to university.
“I started in a B Grade division,” she said.
“Then I got picked up by Tikki Roos.
“I have been playing with them on and off through uni and things like that ever since.”
Having competed away in Adelaide, Portland and Victoria with the Tikki Roos under coach Sean Fulton, Clark’s touch football career was put on hold when she started her family.
“I played a little bit when I was at uni, but more for the social side of things,” she said.
“I did get into the SA development squad in 2004, but then I fell pregnant and had children so I didn’t pursue that.
“It was only a few years ago when someone said there’s nationals, you’re a good player, I recommend you having a go.
“So I got the opportunity again which was awesome.”
Working training and competition around the busy lifestyle of a mother and teacher is no easy task, but Clark said she is lucky with the support given to her by her family.
“I’m fortunate that I have a lot of support around me,” she said.
“I have family support so I can still go train and play and that sort of thing, while my kids are getting older now so that makes it easier.”
When asked about any further touch football goals, Clark said she enjoys playing nationals and does not believe she will go any further.
She said the biggest thing for her is being a role model to her children and “encouraging them to stay fit and healthy and strive for excellence in whatever they choose to do”.
This also applies to her job as a physical education teacher, as Clark said there is a level of respect gained from her students knowing she has competed at a national level.
“I think if they know you’ve played at a high level, it does help earn the kids’ respect,” she said.
“When you are teaching teenagers you need to be able to show them you can do it too, otherwise they are not going to necessarily listen.”
With the championship’s minor rounds to be held from March 7 to 9 and the finals played on March 10, Clark will not be the only local vying for glory.
“There’s a couple of people from Mount Gambier touch who have been selected to go and play in the T-League this year for Victoria,” she said.
“They have been picked to play in the T-League at nationals, while Sean Fulton is going to be coaching the Over 35’s team and he is from Mount Gambier too.
“It’s pretty exciting to see a number of us going, it’s not just me.”
