Touch NSW Development Officer Pat Batiste didn’t muck around when he arrived at the Gipps St fields yesterday.

Batiste had the squad training with intensity as they were put through the paces of the basic skills of touch football.

“Some kids come through into high school and don’t know how to carry the ball properly,” Batiste said.

“They tuck it under their arm like rugby league but touch is a much more dynamic and explosive game.”

“You have to have the ball ready.”

The program will count as a subject and will involve three hours a fortnight for three terms with students aged from Year Seven toTen.

Touch NSW will run a session twice this term and at least once in the other two terms.

Each session will focus on a different core skill.

“You have to put pressure on a skill to improve the technique,” Batiste said.

The students are aiming at testing their new skills at the Year Nine and Ten All Schools Gala Day at the end of this term.

There are  also a lot of girls in the program who play in the school’s open side in the CHS State Knockout.

Targeted Sports Co-ordinator Laura Barnes has her sights set on the top nine in the state this year after just missing out last year.

“Last year we finished in the top 20 but this year we want to get in that top nine,” Barnes said.

So far the girls have made it to round three with a win over Narrabri High and a bye.

They take on Quirindi next week, where a win would propel them into an inter-regional round four.

Next year the school hopes to grow the Targeted Sports program to include hockey, cricket, and football (soccer).