This year, the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League held their annual “Women in League” event, which this year incorporated the Female Volunteer of the Year Award.
It was a great evening held at Arana Hills Leagues Club on Saturday, July 30, with guests from across the Brisbane clubs attending to support their nominated volunteers.
The night also helped raise $2084 for Breast Care Network Australia – an organisation that is doing great work to ensure that Australians affected by breast cancer receive the very best support, information, treatment and care appropriate to their individual needs.
The audience were also treated to an insightful Q&A session helmed by former representative player Jo Barrett with Queensland Women’s and Jillaroos captain Steph Hancock and Women’s Indigenous All Stars skipper Tallisha Harden.
The GBJRL’s “Women in League” Female Volunteer of the Year Award was established to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of female volunteers within the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League community, which is made up of 47 junior clubs from Burpengary in the North down to Flagstone in the South and then from Stradbroke in the East to Centenary in the West.
The League feels this award is extremely important as it gives recognition to the women that volunteer their time and services week-in, week-out to help ensure children can play the game they love.
All volunteers are important in sport and this is a small way of rewarding the valuable time that they give to the game.
In a crowded field of 15 worthy recipients, the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League Management Committee determined that this year’s winner was Sherryl Verreyt from the Banyo Rugby League Club.
You can take a look at Sherryl’s service to the game below as outlined in her nomination:
- Sherryl Joined Banyo Rugby League Club in 1981.
- In 1985, Sherryl became Brisbane’s first female referee.
- In 1987, Sherryl became the first female referee to take the centre of Lang Park.
- Sherryl is still a referee (has been performing the role for 32 years).
- During her time as referee, she has held every position on the Junior Club Referees Association, and she was the first female chairperson.
- Sherryl has held many positions at Banyo over the years including: assistant secretary, secretary, treasurer and referees coordinator.
- This year, Sherryl is secretary and registrar.
- She can be found at the club six days a week helping teams, cleaning dressing rooms, working behind the bar and canteen – but she still finds time to referee and teach the younger referees.
