High Performance Team: European Touch Championships Review 2014

At the beginning of the 2014 European Touch Championships campaign (back in September 2013), the HP Team’s goals were to: win the Opens points title at Euros; win the Overall points title at Euros; and to develop both our elite player pool and elite teams with the aim to medal at the Touch World Cup in 2015 in one or more divisions. While the last of these three goals is still in progress, the first two goals were successfully achieved at Euros.

Team reports (more coming soon):

MX30

MXO

M30

A survey of the figures below gives both an indication of the hard work that has gone into the 2014 European Touch Championships campaign (by players and staff alike), as well as the extent of success experienced by the England Touch team that ventured to Swansea University during the first week of August in 2014:

Time:

• 289 days (41 weeks) = campaign duration from announcement of squads in October 2013 to tournament commencement

• 20,000 hours (in excess of) training by all touring players (circa 134 hours per player, calculated as follows: 3 x 1 hour fitness sessions a week, plus 2 hours of Touch games a week, plus four All-England Camps @ 12 hours)

• 6 days of tournament competition

People:

• 212 squad players• 144 touring players

• 48 members of staff (across the whole campaign)

• 16 England referees

Tournament stats:

• 85 games• 67 wins• 4 draws• 14 losses• 757 touchdowns scored• 290 touchdowns conceded

Results from nine England divisional teams:

• 4 gold medals (three undefeated teams)

• 5 silver medals• 1 Opens points title• 1 Masters/Seniors points title• 1 Overall points title

Thanks must go to a whole host of HP staff and all our players for the commitment, patience and tireless motivation that has contributed to the overwhelming success – what is not captured directly in the numbers above though is the fun, passion and sportsmanship on display throughout the campaign and during the tournament.

Well done Team England!

High Performance Team