Jordy’s touch footy life
Touch footy fanatic Jordan (Jordy) Bird is modest when talking about being awarded Willoughby Council’s Citizen of the Year 2026 for her work with Northern Suburbs Touch Association (Bears). “It’s a bit like imposter syndrome,” Jordy tells NL. “I wouldn’t say it was my award – there are a lot of us contributing to what the club provides for the community. We have a lot of amazing volunteers, and selfless players that are giving back in other ways like coaching.”
Jordy, 30, grew up in Mascot and played touch footy for Eastern Suburbs Touch Association (Roosters) but joined the Bears at 18 while studying teaching at Australian Catholic University in North Sydney, eventually moving over to the North Shore.
She now lives in Chatswood with husband Jackson and her son Bodhi, six, and daughter Tessa, five months. They’re a family of ‘Bears’ – Jackson also plays – with countless hours every week spent at the home ground at Artarmon Reserve. Jordy has spent hours on the sidelines with Tessa in a baby sling and says that Bodhi is ‘pretty self-sufficient and would run up and down the sideline all night.’ The children have already been to two major tournaments and Jordy says she is lucky that they’re ‘very easy going and happy to get dragged along to every session.’ Jordy has been training and coaching the players for many years now and currently runs the whole reps side of the club. Players who take part in the club’s social competition can play for the rep teams. She’s also responsible for launching the club’s All Abilities Program, especially for athletes with disabilities, making it more accessible for everyone.
“It’s very inclusive and the social aspect is almost more important,” explains Jordy. “Just having that weekly engagement that they otherwise might not have.”
Touch is modified for the All Abilities players, who have a range of intellectual and physical disabilities and are coached by rep players.
“Our coaches do a wonderful job at ensuring that each athlete feels like they’re getting something out of the sessions,” Jordy says. “And creating (the right) environment. A lot of these athletes have never been able to play a team sport before because their disability has been a limiting factor. We’ve had a couple that have done athletics but haven’t played a lot of sports, so, for them to not only play a sport, but to be part of a team is so special.”
Jordy’s whole family played touch when she was growing up, and her siblings Luke and Elise now play for the Bears too.
“We had a family team that played in a mixed comp and that’s where my love for touch grew,” says Jordy. “I’ve played at a lot of levels myself and transitioned to the women’s open space as I grew older. I’ve met my best friends through touch footy.”
Jordy Bird, centre, receives her award
Jordy’s family of ‘Bears’
This year, Jordy hopes to play women’s opens (all ages), with some of the players she’s been coaching, as players can move into opens when they turn 16, which she said will be ‘cool.’
With Jackson coaching Shute Shield Rugby Union for Manly and Jordy working running rugby and touch at Redlands College in Cremorne, touch consuming summer and rugby in winter, the sporty family doesn’t get much down time.
When they can, they like to head to the South Coast where Jackson’s family has a house.
“If we manage to have a weekend off, we duck down there,” Jordy says.