The Sydney Roosters would like to take an opportunity to thank all the women who have volunteered their time to help our Club and the Eastern Suburbs community.
In particular, we would like to acknowledge three incredible women that are integral to the success of our brand new Mini League competition and to junior rugby league in the Eastern Suburbs.
WOMEN IN LEAGUE PROFILES
Name: Kate Miller
Position: Roosters Community Development; Junior League Volunteer
History/ Service To the Game
Kate has been involved with Junior League since the early 2000s when she commenced her position as the Sports Coordinator at a Sydney Catholic primary school.
In 2007, Kate became the ARLD Officer for the Sydney Roosters.
During this time, she successfully promoted the game of rugby league and the Roosters brand, growing the number of school Junior League programs and participation levels across Gala days, in-school programs and holiday clinics.
In 2009 Kate was instrumental in the launch of the Freddy's Mini League, a brand new under 6s Mini League program which ran for two years.
Kate left the ARLD position in June 2010 to become a mum, but continued to work in rugby league by volunteering on Roosters match day running the junior league games and assisting the Roosters with junior league initiatives whenever possible.
Kate has since returned to work as a primary school teacher, educating students with special needs.
Kate is an integral member of the Sydney Roosters Community Team and has been instrumental in the re-launch of the Brand-New Roosters Mini League Competition this season at Waverley Oval.
Kate is a member of the advisory committee and is present every Sunday in the role of ground manager and a referee, amongst other things.
Kate also volunteers every home game, running the Club’s junior league games both pre-game and at half time, as well as leading the team out and other game day initiatives for our junior league members.
Name: Kerry Mortimer
Position: Eastern Suburbs District Administrator
History/ Service To the Game
Kerry has been involved with Junior League for the best part of 40 years, having inherited a love for Bondi United from her father-in- law, Bill “Yooka” Symonds, a founding member of the Bondi United Rugby League Football Club.
Kerry has had many roles during her time as a volunteer, including team manager of the Eastern Suburbs representative sides, and for the past ten years, Kerry has held the position of Bondi United Club Secretary.
Kerry’s three sons have all be involved in the game in a variety of ways, with middle son Tom Symonds carving out a very successful NRL career with both the Roosters and the Sea Eagles.
Tom is currently playing over in the UK Super League competition.
As well as a devoted rugby league mum, Kerry is also a devoted grandmother.
This year, Kerry has encouraged her granddaughter Jamie to take up refereeing and what we are now witnessing is a young lady taking her first steps in forging her own career in rugby league.
Kerry has recently taken on the administrator role of the resurrected Sydney Roosters Junior League on a part time basis.
There is little doubt that the successful return of the Sydney Roosters Junior League is in no small manner to Kerry’s hard work, encouragement and people management skills.
Rugby league is indeed fortunate to have a woman of Kerry Mortimer’s qualities involved in the great game.
Name: Jaymee Lancaster
Position: Volunteer Referee, Sydney Roosters Mini League
History/ Service To the Game
Jaymee first started playing rugby league as a four year-old during the days of Freddy’s Mini League.
Like her grandmother Kerry, Jamie has the green and white blood of Bondi United running through her veins.
Jaymee is an avid supporter of local A Grade games and has never missed a Roosters game.
This year, Jamie undertook the local referees and is now a volunteer referee at the Roosters brand new Mini League competition, where you will find her volunteering her time as a referee every Sunday.
