Register your interest for our 2026 Summer Programme!
Season starts: Thursday, 23rd April 2026 | Location: Campbell Park, Edinburgh
We’re launching the first ever Pentland Touch junior programme, and we’d love your child to be part of it. This is Touch for young people in south Edinburgh — fast, fun, non-contact, and open to absolutely everyone, regardless of experience.
Our summer programme is all about building skills, making friends, and having a brilliant time with a ball in your hands. It’s the perfect introduction to the sport, taught by experienced and passionate coaches.
This page has everything you need to know. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, just drop us a line at pentland@touch.com.
Ready to Play?
Our Summer Programme
Our 2026 Summer Touch is designed to give young players a fantastic introduction to Touch in a fun, supportive, and energetic environment. The focus is on skills development, teamwork, and playing fun, small-sided games where everyone gets involved.
We’ll be running two age groups, both following the same format of skills-based training followed by social games.
Under 12s
For players currently in Primary 6 or Primary 7. Mixed-team games with single-sex training sessions.
Bring Your Pals
Got a group of friends who all want to play together? Let us know when you register and we’ll do our very best to keep you in the same squad.
New to Touch?
Touch is one of the quickest sports to pick up, and that’s exactly what makes it such a brilliant choice for young players. It’s non-contact, fast-paced, and built around everyone getting the ball — no matter your size, speed, or background.
Here’s the short version of what you need to know:
- Six players per team on the field at a time
- You can only pass backwards
- If you get touched with the ball, you roll it and step over it
- After six touches, the ball goes to the other team
- The ball can’t touch the ground
- No tackling, no scrums, no contact
Our coaches will walk everyone through the rules and drills in the early sessions, so there’s no need to arrive knowing anything. But if your child wants a head start, Touch Football Australia’s Beginners’ Hub is a brilliant free resource — short videos, skill guides, and the full rules explained simply.
The 7 Basic Rules
- Six players on the field per team
- Pass backwards only
- Roll the ball when touched — step over it
- The dummy half can’t be touched or score
- Defenders must retreat 7 metres after a touch
- Six touches = changeover to the other team
- Ball hits the ground = changeover
Programme Details
Our 2026 Summer Touch kicks off on Thursday, 23rd April and will run for 10 weeks through the school term.
All sessions will take place at Campbell Park in south Edinburgh.
What to Expect
Each session will start with a single-sex training block where our coaches work with players on the core skills of Touch — passing, positioning, defending, and decision-making. This gives everyone a focused, comfortable environment to develop their game, whatever their starting level.
After training, we move into mixed-team games, bringing boys and girls together for friendly, competitive games. This is where the fun really kicks in. We’ll also offer the option of single-sex games if there’s sufficient interest and numbers.
Footwear
Moulded-stud boots are ideal for grass pitches, but trainers are perfectly fine to begin with. Metal studs are not permitted.
Water Bottle
Please bring a labelled water bottle to every session.
Coached by Scotland’s Best
At Pentland Touch, you’ll be coached by players who have represented Scotland and by experienced international youth coaches. We’re passionate about providing the highest quality coaching to help every player develop their skills and love for the game.
- Taught by male and female coaches who have represented Scotland
- High action, low impact, no contact
- Everyone gets the ball
What Young Players Say
“I can’t think of many sports where girls & boys mix at so many different levels. It’s been fun socially too. Scotland is a fairly small place so often bump into people I’ve met through Touch.”
“Having boys & girls play together demonstrates the different skills & contribution both have to offer. Touch provides the opportunity to develop skills transferable to other sports & vice versa.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely — our programme is designed with beginners in mind. Our coaches will introduce all the basics in the early sessions, so no prior experience is needed whatsoever.
Our sessions are primarily designed for Primary 6 and Primary 7 players. However, we are open to younger players who demonstrate the physical maturity and skill level to compete safely at this age group. These cases will be handled on a trial basis, allowing our coaches to assess whether the environment is the right fit for the child’s development and safety.
Yes! We actively encourage friendship groups to sign up together. Just make sure everyone mentions each other’s names when you register your interest and we’ll do our best to keep you all in the same group.
If we have to cancel a session due to bad weather, we’ll let you know as early as possible via email and social media. We’ll do our best to reschedule any missed sessions where we can.
If there is a Yellow or Red Met Office warning we will cancel the session.
We want every young person in the community to have the chance to play, regardless of financial circumstances. If the registration fee is a barrier for your family, please get in touch with us confidentially at pentland@touch.com and we’ll have a chat about what we can do.
Brilliant — we’d love to have you involved! Whether you’re an experienced Touch player or just keen to help out, please drop us an email at pentland@touch.com and we’ll be in touch with more details.
Get in Touch
Still got questions? We’re happy to help. Drop us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.