The COVID-19 pandemic saw a stack of sporting opportunities shut down around Australia but for Natalie Louis, it opened one up.
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The Gunnedah touch footballer will represent the Northern Eagles for the first time at the National Touch League this week.
While Louis has represented Gunnedah for the past five years, this was the first time she had trialled for the Eagles.
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She made the decision to have a crack at the trials when her children's - Mason, Amarni, Evanna - sporting loads decreased.
"This year was a bit quieter, because of covid, with my children's sporting events," Louis said.
"It quietened down a bit so I thought this might be my chance to go to the trials and have a go at playing representative touch [for the Eagles]."
Louis said the support from her husband, Craig, and her children had made things easier.
"It's been really good. They've been a great support especially since we've been travelling away for full weekends of training," Louis said.
"It's a lot of commitment and to go away for a week is a big commitment as well."
Louis will be joined by 11 other Gunnedah Touch Association players at the National Touch League in Coffs Harbour.
Five of those players will play alongside Louis in the mixed senior (over 30s) side.
The Gunnedah representatives have forged connections on the field and will take those into the Eagles set-up. She said the group had learnt a lot of structures, among other things, which would make it easier to gel with their new teammates.
"The last four or five years of playing together, bringing everyone through together, has been really good," Louis said.
The National Touch League will be played from Wednesday to Saturday.
Gunnedah Touch Association representatives to play for the Northern Eagles:
Womens Open: Maddi Buhagiar, Piper Rankmore, Carys Griffiths
Mixed Seniors: Simone Brady, Aaron Donnelly, Dean Whitton, Natalie Louis, Jacqui Jones, James Perrett
Mens 40s: Paul Brady
Womens 40s: Beck Dowe, Vanessa McInnes
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Ben Jaffrey
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
