By Richard Bruinsma

Palmwoods-Nambour rugby league player Nancy Sullivan has applied a simple philosophy to her football career: “Keep on training, try my best and see how far I go.” And it’s worked pretty well so far.

Her hard work and dedication to her busy football schedule has paid off with her being selected for the regional representative side, the Queensland Rugby League’s Central Crows U14s. “I felt really happy and I felt proud that I made it; I did it for my family and for myself as well,” Miss Sullivan said of her selection. “Footy goes through my family, everyone does it, and, when I was young, we used muck around and play footy in the back yard, and used to watch my dad play, and that’s why I love footy.”

Miss Sullivan, who just turned 14, today plays for the combined Palmwoods-Nambour team in the local competition, as well as in the Sunshine Coast Falcons U14 representative side. And it was after the Queensland Rugby League’s Central Junior Carnival in Bundaberg earlier this month that her representative honours took the next step up by being named in the Central Crows team.

She will represent the side at the Queensland Championships to be held at Sunshine Coast Stadium from Thursday, July 4, to Sunday, July 7. She plays in the number 8 prop position for her local club, and she’s expecting to play in the number 13 lock position for the Crows. “I feel very proud of Nancy’s achievements; she really puts the hard yards in,” her father Kenny Sullivan said. “She’s pretty committed; she gets herself up, gets herself ready, she makes herself a credit to her.”

Miss Sullivan shows her dedication to the sport by training most days of the week. “Monday’s I train by going to the gym, Tuesdays I train for club from 4pm to 6pm, Wednesdays I do Sunshine Coast girls training, then Thursdays I do club again and then Fridays I play, and have a rest on Saturdays and Sundays,” she explained.

Rugby league has always been her sport, despite netball being the most popular local team sports for females. “I just think netball is too soft; it’s just too girlie for me, I don’t really like it,” Miss Sullivan said with a smile. “Rugby league gets you tougher and more talented, and have a go.”

Nancy comes from a family of six, with three of her siblings also playing for the Palmwoods Devils. Two younger siblings will probably also don the red and black as soon as they reach playing age.

“They’re all doing good in the football, so it’s just constantly football and school,” Mr Sullivan said of the family’s busy sporting lives. As for Nancy’s family members, they’re her biggest supporters. “I think they’re just proud that I did that and that I’ve made it.”

Nancy does need to raise around $500 for the Central Crows competition. Anyone who can help can contact Kenny Sullivan on 0472620887.

More information about the Central Crows team is available here: https://www.qrl.com.au/…/central-crows-junior-teams-announ…/

Showing their support for Palmwoods-Nambour rugby league player Nancy Sullivan, centre, who has been selected in the Central Crows U14 representative team are Cecil Sullivan, Darquntah Chambers, Nancy Sullivan, Kenneth Sullivan and Verá Dawn Chambers. Nancy has a simple philosophy: “Keep on training, try my best and see how far I go.”