Q Youth Academy

The Q Youth Academy presented by The Fit Lab.

The Q Youth Academy concept was established in 2017 and since then, has grown into a performance-focused opportunity for our emerging touch football athletes – players, coaches and referees.

The three day intensive touch football training camp is for athletes aged 12 – 17, targeted at those looking to enhance their current skills & knowledge. The camp includes agility and fitness testing, body management and injury prevention while gaining an elite introduction to what it takes to be at the top of your game and perform at the highest level.

2024 will see some impressive additions like player and coach mentors interacting with our athletes, higher education and activations from The Fit Lab and an insight into the QLD State of Origin and Australian representative processes through our masterclass coach, Jason Boyd.

Players are selected by QTF, in collaboration with respective regional coaches, from the National Youth Championship. The regions combine to represent each NRL Touch Premiership permit team – Cowboys (North Queensland and Central Queensland); Broncos (Sunshine Coast and Brisbane); and Titans (South West Queensland and South Queensland and Border Districts).

Coaches are appointed by QTF from nominations received from respective coaches across all regions, and are combined to make the coaching team that represents each of the NRL Touch Premiership permit teams, Cowboys, Broncos and Titans. Coaches are supported by QTF development staff and the new addition of the coach mentors.

View the Coach Guidelines here.

Referees are selected from nominations received from all regions to join the Junior Emerging Talent Squad (JETS) and attend the Q Youth Academy. JETS provide a pathway for youth referees, our stars of the future, that display the potential to progress to the elite level and underpins referee participation at youth events at local, state and national level. The key objective of the JETS program is to provide a structured pathway for young referees to achieve their goals with the help of coaching and support from other elite referees, coaches, players and mentors.

2024 Event Information

Congratulations to the players, coaches and referees selected to attend the 2024 event! Click here to view the 2024 team lists.

Date: Friday 9 February – Sunday 11 February, 2024
Venue: Gold Coast Performance Centre, Runaway Bay