Recently, Patricia Richards was nominated for Zonta Women of Achievement Award, so Mount Isa Rugby League thought what better way to celebrate her nomination than to get to know her better.
Name: Patricia Richards (also know by nick name Daught – short for daughter)
What club you are involved in?
Brothers Rugby League Football Mount Isa and I like to assist the Mount Isa Rugby league where possible. I sit on the Grants subcommittee for Mount Isa Rugby League and currently in the process of developing the Mount Isa Rugby League Development Plan.
Role in the club?
Secretary, Sports Trainer and volunteer
How long have you been volunteering with the club?
Since 2015 when Brothers re-entered the local Mount Isa Rugby League competition.
Tell us how you first got involved in with Brothers?
In 1994 when I had my first child, my husband was playing A Grade for Brothers. I attended their AGM and was voted in a Sectary for Brothers. I was involved up until 2006 when Brothers could not form a committee.
What's your first memory of Brothers?
When I was six years of age, I lived down at the camping area (now known at Yallambee). My grandfather Allan Major would drive all around Mount Isa to pick up kids. He worked closely with Queensland Police Service to engage Aboriginal children into rugby league from Mount Isa, but also the small outlying communities. He would take them to training days and game days. Still today, this is talked about as part of our family history and connection to the Brothers Rugby League club. He imbedded a sense of family, pride and be proud of who you are within the club from that era.
What has surprised you most about working with the club?
The sense of family, pride and be proud of who you are within the club from that era.
What do you wish other people knew about the club?
Knowing the history of the club as I only talk about my lived experience within the club.
What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
The first year of raising our son in 1994. My husband and I raised six teenage boys that lived with us to go to high school. These children were from small communities such as Boulia, Dajarra and Camooweal. During this time, there was no boarding accommodation in Mount Isa for boys. At the same time, we had to raise our new born baby. We paid for them to play rugby league for Brothers as junior players. We had no experience raising teenagers, but manage to cope ready well.
What do you think will change about Brothers over the next five years?
We have increased our junior, senior players and volunteer numbers. But also the imbed sense of family, pride and be proud of who you are in the junior players.
If you aren’t volunteering, what would you be doing instead?
Honestly don’t know, I probably get bored. But I do love working in my garden.
*This profile first appeared on the Mount Isa Rugby League Facebook page
