As our final profile in our Women’s History Month series, we’re highlighting Tomeeka Neil – 2023 Senior Women’s Premiership Co-Captain and 2024 Assistant Coach.

Growing up watching her brother play, she was always around the footy club. When whispers of a girl’s team surfaced, her dad wasted no time in enrolling her, knowing the opportunities it would offer for new friendships and experiences. Sure enough, she was part of St Mary’s Under 12s inaugural girl’s team and has never looked back.

Yet, the path was not without challenges. St Mary’s girls continually faced male opponents in the girls-only league as other clubs lacked sufficient players, resorting to boys filling in.

“I witnessed firsthand the hurdles we had to overcome in the early stages of girls and women’s footy. One of the biggest challenges was developing footy skills. Unlike the boys, who seemed to have footy ingrained in them from the time they could barely walk, us girls had to start from square one when we hit twelve. It felt like we were playing catch-up from the get-go.”

“While daunting at first, these challenges ultimately shaped my resilience and determination, making every moment of the past decade in footy incredibly rewarding and totally worth it.”

Reflecting on her proudest moments, Tomeeka highlights the growth and confidence of her teammates. As co-captain, she witnessed the transformation of players who kicked goals and took marks they never thought possible.

Of course, we can’t not mention the 2023 Premiership. But for Tomeeka it wasn’t just about the victory, but the journey taken with her team to get there. Through hard work they reached their Premiership goal and enjoyed every moment of the process.

“Running onto the field with an already injured ACL, seeing support from men’s teams, friends, family, and the community, made it all worthwhile. Experiencing such overwhelming support is unique to women’s footy—something I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have been part of.”

Transitioning into coaching this year while she recovers from injury was a natural progression for Tomeeka driven by her love for the Club and our people. “For me it has always been a place I see as home and the people as family. I couldn’t just walk away from that,” Tomeeka shared.

Beyond tactical guidance as backline coach, she aims to be a support for the players both on and off the field.

In the future, Tomeeka hopes women’s footy receives the support and resources it deserves at the local level. She advocates for better grounds and an extended season, providing more opportunities for teams and players to grow.

To other clubs, she emphasises the importance of a strong relationship between junior and senior clubs. This connection will not only filter talent seamlessly for the future and provides junior girls female role models in sport to look up to.

And for any girls and women thinking about getting involved she offers a simple yet powerful message: take the leap. The journey may be daunting, but the laughs, friendships, and memories created along the way are priceless.

Tomeeka’s journey, from a dedicated supporter watching her brother to a Premiership Captain and now coach, has been truly inspiring to witness. We can’t wait to watch her continues to grow at St Mary’s and know she will undoubtedly inspire many players to come.