QRL Central Support Squad Awards winners empower others to get on board

Bundaberg's Christine Hicks was shocked to be handed the Queensland Rugby League Central Support Squad Person of the Year award at the weekend, but she's hoping it inspires more clubs in her area to embrace the initiative.

The Bundaberg Junior Rugby League secretary has answered to the Support Squad role across the entire league, a fierce advocate of the initiative in her area since its inception.

The recognition came at the region's Support Squad Awards night at Noosa Pirates Rugby League Club on October 12, where attendees also heard from Olympic swimming legend Duncan Armstrong, Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons and Gold Coast Titans NRLW wellbeing officer Carmen Taplin, Sunshine Coast Lightning wellbeing and education lead Kristy Munroe and Dolphins NRL and two-game Queensland Maroons forward Tom Gilbert.

Hicks was one of three award winners on the night, with two new awards introduced for 2024 to recognise the magnificent effort of Support Squad volunteers.

Aimee Walker from Coolum Colts was Rookie of the Year for her outstanding efforts in her first year as a Support Squad volunteer, taking the initiative to set up a chill-out zone and a female hygiene products cupboard, and she even dipped into her own pocket to commission a Support Squad banner to hang in the clubhouse to ensure every club member and visitor knew about the services available.

Anita Smith from Murgon Mustangs was the Game Changer of the Year, leading vital domestic violence awareness messaging at her club and communities across the South Burnett.

Hicks, who has made the Support Squad role a double act with her sister and Bundaberg Junior Rugby League treasurer Gaye McCormack, was grateful to be handed the ultimate honour, taking it as justification they were "doing things right".

"It was something we both felt Bundaberg needed, and everything we do, we do together, so for us to have worked on it from when it first originated, to have these results now, it's really great," Hicks said.

"It's good to see we're providing the safe environment kids need. We always said since before Support Squad's inception we just needed it to be a place where any kid could play regardless of skill level.

"We don't look at is as if we've put in that much of an effort, it's just that we're always there, I think that's the important part - we're there, we're consistent and they know they can speak to us confidentially.

"All the clubs know they can come to us, all the kids know they can come to us and we knew we took on a big role when we said we'd do (Support Squad) for the league as a whole and now we'd like to see it filter to our clubs.

"What we've always said is a problem shared is a problem halved, so if we can push that we'll get a lot further."

Bundaberg Junior Rugby League treasurer Gaye McCormack said her sister was being typically humble about just how hard she worked on supporting everyone, from volunteers to players.

"The amount of late night phone calls she has with volunteers... she says 'we' a lot, but a lot of it's her and that's why I nominated her," McCormack said.

"From word go she rang me and said 'we're doing this' and some weeks there's little Support Squad needs and other weeks she's on the phone to volunteers or things pop up at clubs and she's the one following up on that with Ryan (QRL Central wellbeing and education manager Ryan Charles) and asking what are our next steps.

"It was Christine's idea to use our Support Squad members as our Life Fit coaches for RISE and that way they could see the same people on weekends in the purple shirts and were already comfortable... to chat to one of them."

Hicks said 'we incorporate Support Squad into everything we do', and was particularly grateful to be able to have links to QRL wellbeing education partner Mind Challenge and tele-mental health partner White Cloud Foundation to lean on to help people in her community.

"White Cloud I think are absolutely amazing and what they provide is second-to-none... I even use White Cloud in my work, and it's second-to-none, and (Mind Challenge owner) Claire Clifford has been wonderful as well, and we're lucky to have them on board with Support Squad, it just makes it so easy," she said.

Keep an eye out for more information about Support Squad Awards winners in the QRL South East and QRL North regions. 

QRL will soon provide opportunities to welcome more people to Support Squad with training and education leading into the 2025 season.

Register your interest here.

Main image: Aimee Walker, Christine Hicks and Anita Smith with their awards from the QRL Central Support Squad Awards night.