Origins…

TouchDown UK is an SCIO based in Fife, Scotland, promoting physical health and wellbeing through the involvement of young people in sport in general and American Football in particular.

Set up in 2012, TouchDownUK has built on the previous work of Trust Founder and Lead Coach Tom Cramb, who has been working as a community based sports coach in Edinburgh and across Scotland since 2006.  The Charity originally sought  to build schools and community programmes in partnership with local bodies to engage young people in the sport, and to develop locally based teams to allow young people to fulfill their full potential within the sport.

History…

In our first year, TouchDown UK set up and supported 3 schools teams, ran 5 inter scholastic tournaments, offered taster sessions to over 1000 school pupils, engaged 165 players across our school clubs and ran a further 6 short term programmes in primary and secondary schools. We were also involved in 2 summer events, both with partners with which we have a long standing relationship.  Although not all of the short term programmes developed as we would have liked, we launched 2 further community teams in the 2013-14 school session and ran a 5 team league in Eastern/Central Scotland.

By 2014 season we had been able to start up 2 further new teams. We also announced the employment of our Founder as our first full time Development Officer after a successful fund raising campaign and the partnership with The Robertson Trust  who agreed to part fund the cost of the post. We ran the TD-UK schools league for a very successful four years across up to 6 active High School teams at any one time, and channeled over 20 young people into the British League’s at u-17,u-19 or University level.

One of the key focuses has been to encourage more young ladies to try the sport. In 2016, we successfully launched and ran 2 female only teams, The Meggetland Pumas and The Royal High Ravens, and managed to run the 1st ever Female Scholastic scrimmage in Europe. We regularly have female players playing in the the male players, as a playing choice, but continue to seek the opportunity to run more female only sessions

What we do…

In 2018, our focus has changed from running a league to working more as a Youth Work, investing and encouraging the young people attending our teams and events beyond the on field activity. Whilst we still run scrimmage events, they are now more ‘fun’ orientated with the focus on learning and developing teamwork. We also run a TD-UK joint squad, The Lowland Warriors, who offer friendly competition to British League teams. We also now focus on the 10-17 age group.

Sessions can be non-contact (known as ‘flag’) or fully kitted and offered as a ‘taster’ during school activity weeks or as a one off in curriculum time or on a longer term basis over a number of weeks as required by the community partner.  We are looking to source school and community teams wherever possible, using qualified from the local area or helping to facilitate coach training where required.

All coaching volunteers are either fully qualified and insured or working under the direct supervision of coaches who are.  The Lead Coach has had regular PVG updates and is a qualified emergency first aider.  There is a basic expenses cost to cover ‘taster’ sessions, with all other costs based on the specific details of the programme required.

Contact the Lead Coach by phone on 07900 271056, or be email at coach.tduk@gmail.com for further information or to arrange a meeting.

TOUCHDOWN…..CHANGE LIVES!