FEATURE: STINGERS’ CAPTAIN ROWIE WEBSTER There’s that challenging aspect of teams sports which I love. Turning up in a crucial game and helps, with many girls playing trying to have not just yourself perform, but in California. having the team as a whole combine for a “The tough thing about it all is the group effect, that’s a real challenge that I enjoy. crowded sports market of Australia. You’re battling so many sports. It’s both a blessing and a curse with sport in Australia.” achieving results is often viewed as many of the boys had gone home and In terms of helping water polo’s growthimpossible. It really just takes a few goodcomplained that I’d beaten them up. in Australia, Rowie explained funding choices and you’re away. We really are is a major issue. just ordinary people who work really, “I blame my competitiveness on being really hard at a certain activity.” the fourth child and nobody wanting “If athletes aren’t receiving funding, to play monopoly with me because it’s harder for that younger generation Rising to challenges and smashing I’d just cheat.” coming through; ‘if you can’t see it, through them seems to be a natural you can’t dream it.’” attribute that Rowie possesses. She Rowie has also had to deal with mentioned a rather funny experience challenges away from the pool, as Creative thinking is another quality during primary school which highlights a lesbian athlete. She’s a proud fighter Rowie has developed through her yearsher character from a young age. and strong advocate for being yourself of competing. This is exemplified with and embracing the very things that her solution to the funding shortage; “I always loved AFL, but netball was makes you unique. This outlook, coupled on at the same time. So, I would beg my with her competitive spirit, spurs her “All we need to do is tax 2% on teacher if we were up be enough goals onwards in her mission to compete confectionary and put that towards at half time, if I could go play. at her third Olympics in 2020. elite sports and we’ll have solved two problems in one hit.” “Sure enough, I ripped my shirt off at half time, ran down to the field and started A large coffee addiction keeps Rowie running around in the mud and getting ABOUT THE AUTHOR in check. Having a balance of work stuck into it. and sport brings out a more focused Jorden Merrilees is the Copy approach to all things in life she figures. Come the Monday, I was pulled into the Editor at SMA. He received his Principal’s office with my Dad being told degree in Communications from “I am part of ‘Athletes in Schools’ with I was banned from AFL. My Dad asked the University of North Carolina the VIS and love telling the kids that whether it was because I was a girl. The at Chapel Hill. I’m just an ordinary person. I think that Principal replied that it was because too VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 3 2018 17 scrogsik/segamiytteg