AN ENTREPRENEURIAL mum has started a new venture that combines two of her passions – touch football and her kids!
Chloe Wilson is proud mum to a daughter, aged five, and two boys aged three and two.
Mrs Wilson wanted something for her kids that would teach them ‘vital skills’ such as hand-eye co-ordination and would be ‘constructive’ play – and she linked this back to her experience playing touch football growing up.
The Junior Touch Academy, Cannonvale, was the result.
“That’s how the business came about – I have got the kids who were looking for an activity so, if they’re doing it, other kids must also want it,” Mrs Wilson said.
Mrs Wilson played touch football for 20 years, from the age of 10, progressing from school sides to playing A grade for a club side and then women’s representative touch, in her home country of New Zealand.
“I haven’t been able to come back into the sport due to injury but I want to still be involved with it. I am still very competitive!” Mrs Wilson, 32, said.
“It’s two birds with one stone – the kids get something to do and I can still be involved with the sport. I love touch and it just happened.
“I am in my element – I absolutely love working with kids.”
The business runs out of the Cannonvale State School Hall, which is ideal as it can run year-round.
“Outdoors there are so many elements – the heat and sunshine – and if it’s windy you can’t hear anything. And in a big field the little kids can run away,” Mrs Wilson said.
“In an enclosed area, all the family can come. The younger kids can run around the hall and be perfectly safe indoors.”
Currently, the Junior Touch Academy caters for children aged two to six, however, this could be extended to older children in the future.
There are four classes on Saturday morning – one class each for two-year-olds, three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and the fourth class is for five and six-year-olds.
Mrs Wilson said the classes were ‘age appropriate’.
“The kids are not playing a proper game if – they are learning the skills, for example, agility, hand-eye co-ordination, catching, throwing, playing within a team.
“It gives them a sense of belonging in a team environment and what teamwork means.
“And they’re burning some energy off on a Saturday morning!”
