Always put the team first, and consider those around you - that was the advice from Cowboys ambassador Romy Teitzel to year 5 students at Wulguru State School, as they prepare to become leaders of their school next year.
Visiting the school as part of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Try for 5! program, supported by the Australian Government and Rex Airlines, Romy joined in the Year 5 Leadership day, encouraging students to show respect, maturity and responsibility when they become year 6 students next year.
Sitting alongside a scientist, entertainer and teacher aide for an in-depth panel discussion, the BMD Premiership and NRLW premiership winner shared how she deals with adversity to come out the other side more resilient.
Talking about her journey as a female NRL player in a fast-growing and ever-changing competition, Romy showed students the importance of working hard and never giving up in pursuit of their goals, aligning with the ‘school every day’ message.
"I think everyone has goals, whether you know it or not," she said. "For me, that includes finishing my university studies (in teaching).
"I write down all my goals and what I want to achieve, no matter how big or small, and then I also write down how I'm going to achieve them.
"My biggest goal football-wise is making my state of origin debut, and I was close in 2021 when I was named at 14 but then relegated to 18th man, meaning I had to sit on the bench.
"It was really tough to take, but it was important to put the team first and think of those around me who were playing, focusing on the positives and good times to get through.
"My biggest supporters through that were my teammates, and I made sure I spoke to them about how I was feeling and didn't let those feelings eat me up inside."
It was important advice for the students who are set to enter their final year of primary school in 2023, facing new challenges and becoming role models for their younger peers.
As part of the leadership day, the year 5 students took part in a range of activities, including writing down behaviors and strategies that display leadership qualities.
Romy also encouraged the students to keep coming to school, reinforcing the important Try for 5! messaging and the importance of a good education.
The Try for 5! program uses club ambassador and player visits to inspire and incentivise students to attend school five days a week, addressing short- and long-term impacts of students missing foundation learning in their primary years through poor school attendance.
“If students don’t come to school, they miss out on these special activities like these where they had an opportunity to hear from a range of different people across different professions who are encouraging them and showing them how to reach their dreams,” she said.
“These year 5 students are about to commence their final year of primary school, and it’s really important that they understand how the school and their teachers can support them to finish primary school strong and get the best results possible heading into high school.
“It was a real pleasure to be a part of Wulguru State School’s leadership day, meeting these future senior students and inspiring them to keep reaching for the stars.”
