THE man behind one of Guernsey’s fastest growing sports said goodbye to the island at the weekend.
In the summer of 2003, a handful of people, mainly ex-pat New Zealanders, would gather at Cambridge Park on Sunday afternoons to play touch rugby.
Now, five years later, more than 400 men and women are participating in the sport.
The person who helped organise those initial informal sessions and who oversaw the sport’s staggering development as Guernsey Touch’s chairman was Andrew Hutton (pictured).
But, sadly for the sport, the 33-year-old is on his way back home to Auckland with his wife and young child.
‘I’m pretty chuffed with it,’ said the unassuming Kiwi about the sport’s development locally. I can feel like I’ve not only come here and used the place, I’ve given something back. At the end of the day, I did it for me because I wanted to play touch, but I can’t believe where it’s gone to.’
When Hutton moved to the island in 2003, he used to meet up with fellow New Zealanders at the Cock and Bull once a month for ‘Kiwi drinks’.
It was for these ex-pats that Hutton, with his housemate Rob Forbes, organised the first informal touch rugby sessions.
The next year’s touch rugby European Championships were held in Jersey, where the sport was well established, and Guernsey sent a team, who unsurprisingly did not do that well.
The sport in the island was still based at Cambridge Park and would regularly have 20-odd people playing.
‘On the back of that we thought about constituting an association with a view of starting a league in 2005,’ said Hutton.
‘We needed eight teams to get the league going, but we ended up with 22.’
With the association – Guernsey Touch – in place, men’s, women’s and mixed leagues were set up in the summer of 2005 at Les Beaucamps School.
After the summer was over, autumn leagues were also arranged.
That year also saw the first inter-insular matches with Jersey.
Since 2007 the sport has been based at St Martin’s AC’s Blanche Pierre Lane ground.
Hutton said this year they had 36 teams involved in the leagues.
A side can have 14 players, with rolling subs and a total of six on the pitch at any one time.
It is estimated that there are between 15,000 and 20,000 touch rugby players in the UK.
Hutton explained the sport’s appeal.
‘It’s one of the few sports that guys and girls can play side by side at any level from social to international and that’s the essence of it,’ he said.
Guernsey touch rugby is also well known for being incredibly social, another aspect of which Hutton is proud.
‘It’s got a very good social network behind it,’ he said.
‘For people coming to the island for the first time, it gives them a way to meet people.’
Hutton struggled to give the highlight of his tenure.
‘Without being sentimental, there are a few teams in the league who emphasise what it’s about,’ he said.
‘They play the game and then have a few drinks as a team. They don’t care about getting beaten. They keep turning up.’
Katrina Bray is replacing Hutton as chairperson.
Hutton was full of praise for his successor and the committee.
‘The committee have done a really good job and I couldn’t have done it on my own,’ he said.
Bray was sorry to see Hutton leave and paid tribute to his efforts over the years.
‘Andrew has been instrumental in establishing and developing touch in Guernsey,’ she said.
‘Touch is extremely fortunate to have an energetic and passionate committee which give up hundreds of hours each year, but Andrew has gone above and beyond.
‘He has dedicated so much of own time to organising the league, maintaining the website, establishing links with other nations and organising training for the island teams.
‘He has been an inspiration to so many people, both on and off the touch field and he will be very sadly missed. Our loss is New Zealand’s gain and the committee is determined that touch continues to grow the legacy that he has left behind.’Guernsey Touch: Chairman bids farewell
Article posted on 16th December, 2008 - 2.29pm
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