Tradies Meteors’ Rene Farrell Soldiers on for a good cause

Posted on 24 October, 2014

Female athletes and veterans are the main focus for a new partnership formed recently between the Tradies Meteors and Soldier On who will work together to spread their messages across the nation’s capital.

A Canberra-based not-for-profit organisation, Soldier On helps veterans and their partners, and those returning from active service settle back into a normal routine.

Through community events and unique opportunities for female veterans and partners of veterans (including attending cricket matches and training sessions), the two organisations have joined forces in an effort to raise awareness around the physical and psychological effects of war and encouraging women to come forward when they need help and support.

Meteors player, Rene Farrell is excited about the affiliation and is looking forward to becoming more involved in the community.

“If we can get women to our games and get them involved within the sport it will be great to show them that like our own players, we have a lot of common attributes,” says Rene.

“Being in the army involves a lot of teamwork and loyalty, and you find that in cricket it’s much the same as well. So we share a lot of common values, but hopefully we can get them out and about, and we might even pick up a few cricketers too.”

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LBsxr8oES3U/VEjiV41GHFI/AAAAAAAAKEI/Rop3jnjFvyo/s144-c-o/soldier%252520on%252520announcement.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/TradiesMeteorsReneFarrell#6073352963169328210″ caption=”Tradies Meteors’ Captain Kris Britt with fellow team mates and Soldier On ambassadors Sally Moylan and Rene Farrell at the Soldier On partnership launch.” type=”image” alt=”soldier on announcement.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w400″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ]

For the Meteors, it’s not just about giving back to the community but being there to support them as well.

“We just want to help them get involved back in society and show that the support is there for them,” Rene says.

“What ever they need, we can be there to assist in anyway.”

While the partnership focuses on the women involved with Soldier On, families and friends can get behind the organisation as well. Rene believes that as a society we can not forget about the women who are part of the Defence Forces as well.

“It’s important that female veterans aren’t forgotten, as they contribute just as much as their male counterparts,” she says.

“It’s something that we battle with in female sports all the time, and it’s important that organisations like Soldier On are working to even the playing field.”

Although Rene has a busy life with cricket and now with her new role as an ambassador for Solider On, she is also studying to become a primary school teacher.

“I have always loved kids; I love educating them whether it be coaching or trying to teach maths, (although with adding up I just say get a calculator),” says Rene.

While Rene says the two work well together, cricket and teaching, Rene is much like her teammate Sara Hungerford, juggling many of her passions alongside her commitment to the sport.

“I do have a lot of commitments including studying part-time and my involvement in after-school care,” she says.

“I used to work in sports development but didn’t want to be 50 and still doing that so I thought I’d study teaching and make it a career…teaching is something that I love and hopefully I can help future generations.”

Sitting on the massage table of the change rooms at Manuka Oval, Rene looks happy and relaxed as she tells me about her dreams to be the big kid in her classroom.

“I will be one of the kids, I am so silly because I get out there and play handball with them when I work casually and I have to win; I teach them to be competitive,” she laughs.

“I am the one telling all the jokes, laughing and playing. I am a big kid myself. But sometimes I have to remind myself that I am 27 and I have to act my age, I just love mucking around too much.”

Although she will teach her students about winning and losing gracefully, Rene admits she’ll always have her competitive streak and is a better cricketer then her brother, Ben.

“He says he taught me everything I know,” she says.

“I’m probably a little bit better then him though with a bit more experience too. But he has given it [cricket] up because of his sore back from trying to bowl too fast when we’re in the nets.

“Seriously though he has been a big help and I would not be playing cricket if it wasn’t for him, and of course my mum, she was fantastic.”

Completely passionate about both the sport and her teaching career, Rene is now focussed on her role as an ambassador for Solider On and encourages the local community to get behind the organisation and the team to help them continue the offering of guidance and support for veterans, returned soldiers and their families.

To get involved and support Solider On, you can visit the website for more information.

Keen to see the girls in action? Don’t miss their first home game for the 2014/15 season at Manuka Oval tonight.