Hafisz (fourth left), flanked by Geryl on his right and Ihsan, poses with the state team before training session at Padang C yesterday.
KUCHING (Nov 15): The Sarawak Touch Association (STA) is sending a team of eight men and eight women players to compete in the inaugural National Touch Rugby League at Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya at Precint 5, Putrajaya from Dec 11 to 12.
The team is accompanied by five STA officials including president Hafisz Rachman Drahman who is also team manager and player, assistant team manager cum player Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith, technical coach cum team captain Mohd Ihsan Ramadhan, fitness and conditioning coach Martha Mervy, Sally Sheriza, Abg Abdul Aziz and Fairuz Ismail.
Other team players are Khairulnizuan Jamain, Robert Tiong Chun Fu, Sylvia Alexander Lian, Yusanani Yunus, Norman Fadhli Abdul Rahman, Muhammad Izzariq Mohamad, Akmal Mustafa, Umratul Hanee Ahmad, Melissa Timas Wilson, Adzreena Omar, Emma Azrina Mohamad Idris, Annisha Mohammad Dadi and Norliza Hassan.
“This is the first time that we are participating in the national competition and we are not expecting to win anything as half of the team players are new.
“Our main objective is to give the new players exposure and competition experience and we are only competing in the Mixed category,” Hafisz told The Borneo Post when met at Padang C, Sarawak Stadium Complex in Petra Jaya yesterday.
The other objective is to support events organised by the Malaysia Touch Association as one of the nine affiliates of the national body.
Six categories are competed in the national league including Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Mixed, Men’s 30s, Men’s 40s and Men’s 50s.
All nine affiliates are sending teams to the national tournament and, according to Hafisz, teams to watch out for are Selangor and Putrajaya as they have the services of many national players.
The state team has been training since Nov 1 and will leave for Kuala Lumpur on Dec 10.