Kootingal Kougar Luke Giles reconnects to Tamworth in a big way

Family. Faith. Football.

They're the three "Fs" that ensured he reconnected with his hometown in a profound way, after spending some 12 years living on the Central Coast.

It was on the Coast that the 34-year-old finished university and began a family with his high school sweetheart, Adriana, whom he attended Carinya Christian School with.

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The Giles returned to Tamworth in the second half of 2020. They brought with them their son, Alexander, who is now three years old.

With both Luke and Adriana's families based in Tamworth, they had a readymade family connection in the city.

And at St Peter's Anglican Church, at South Tamworth, they found a connection to their faith, which Luke said was "very important" to his family.

Football, too, has long been a key element of Luke's life.

And the Kootingal Kougars were the football outlet he plugged into after two of his friends suggested he join the club.

"So it seemed like a really good fit in that sense, linking with a couple of mates," he said.

"One of them emphasised the culture of the team. That's something that's important to me as well.

"I've played in teams before where the culture wasn't quite right."

Luke will be in action for Kootingal when they conclude their Northern Inland Cup campaign against Tamworth FC at Riverside on Saturday.

The younger players coming through the ranks at Kootingal was "exciting", he said.

Luke works at New England Health, where he promotes the benefits of healthy living among the very young.

The devout Christian practices what he preaches.

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