Make mistakes and learn from them, touch footy coach says

More than 50 Gunnedah Goannas representative junior touch footballers and their coaches took the chance to learn from high-level coach Melissa Mitchell, who conducted a clinic at Donnelly Fields on Wednesday afternoon of last week.

The clinic was part of preparation for the Northern Eagles Junior Championships and NSW Junior State Cup Northern Conference.

Participants from the U10 to U18 age groups showed plenty of enthusiasm and commitment in the hot weather, while ice packs and water bottles were key items during breaks.

There were various skills and drills, focusing on key fundamentals such as ruck dominance and understanding common plays of the game, with Melissa saying it was about learning the basics and trying to incorporate them into game situations.

The clinic was arranged at short notice when Melissa was in touch with Gunnedah Touch Association (GTA) president Paul Brady and GTA member Hollie Crawford, a cousin of Melissa’s.

Having grown up in the Blue Mountains and now based in the Hills District, Melissa visited Gunnedah in the Christmas holidays during her childhood due to her dad Darryl Griffen originating in the area.

Sport ran in the family, with Darryl making 13 first grade rugby league appearances for the Penrith Panthers from 1979 to 1984.

Melissa said visits to Gunnedah weren’t so frequent these days, as the “long drive makes it hard” in addition to other commitments.

Melissa said she played netball and softball as a youngster, and only played touch football on a more casual basis before taking it more seriously when she was 14 or 15.

“A lot of kids are starting when they’re eight now, which is awesome,” she said.

“I started playing social park comp. It wasn’t until after uni that I started playing (at) representative (level).”

Melissa played touch football at premier league and State of Origin level, and has coached at various levels.

Currently an assistant coach for the Australian women’s open’s team, Melissa has also been the head coach of the Australian U18 women’s team, assistant coach of the NSW State of Origin U20 women’s team, and a coach of the Indigenous All Stars mixed touch team.

For several years, Melissa has also coached the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) team at the National Youth Championships.

Regardless of the level of players she coached, Melissa said “having fun and making friends” were key aspects of the sport while another vital component was making mistakes and asking questions.

“The best and fastest way to learn is by making mistakes,” she said.

“Try it at training, (where) there’s no pressure.

“A lot of the kids get scared to try things differently when they’re actually playing the game.

“When you train and you do skills and extras on the field, try.

“Make mistakes and learn from your mistakes.”

Melissa said there was a strong community feel about the sport, while at events like the State Cup it wasn’t unusual to see people she played with 15 or 20 years ago.