‘If you enjoy something, you make time for it!’

When talking to Freya Smith, it soon becomes clear that she is always inquisitive, and she has never been shy of seeking new opportunities. This 21 year old from woman Stamford is coming to the end of her third year of a Sports Rehabilitation degree at Salford University. She balances her studies with responsibilities such representing young people at the RFU Council (the group that has oversight for the running of the game in England) as well as being Chair of Salford University Women’s Rugby. She also manages to play rugby too!

When asked how she manages her time, she says that ‘if you enjoy something, you make time for it.’ She says that she enjoys immersing herself in new projects because she always wants to learn more. Her first venture into rugby was typical of this adventurous approach. She had seen children and parents thronging to her local club in Stamford and, tiring of competitive swimming at the age of 16, Freya decided to find out about rugby for herself. It didn’t take long before she was enjoying playing for Stamford Women’s teams and with the support of club volunteer Darren Dolby, she completed her coaching qualification after only one year in the game and she started coaching Stamford’s Under 6 and Under 8 teams. She says she loved coaching and tells me of going to a windswept tournament in Spalding and enjoying the experience of parents and children recognising the value of her contribution. One child even drew her picture to show her gratitude.  

Freya says that her time at the NLD Youth Council helped to prepare her for her work at a national level. She spoke about a forum held at Newark where she saw that some people in the game ‘speak from their own point of view and often fail to appreciate a full rounded view’. At an event that was attended by over 50 middle aged men, she was 19 and one of only two women present during a discussion about tackle height law changes. This could have been an intimidating environment, but I was there to witness Freya speaking eloquently and fearlessly on behalf of young people in general and women in particular.   

Later that year, the RFU’s National Youth Council Chair, Kirsten Flowers, spoke to Freya while she was filming an NLD Youth Council event in Nottingham. Impressed by this young woman, Kirsten suggested that she applied to join the national group, and now  Freya is in the third and final year of her membership on the council. This group of young people prioritise youth engagement and they are very active through their social media accounts. They meet six times a year and they keep in touch via WhatsApp groups. As Vice Chair, Freya maintains accurate records of meetings and supports the Chair in chasing up action points and making people accountable. She also represents young people on RFU Council sub committees.

The National Youth Council’s work is varied and interesting. Before the Women’s World Cup, Freya had a discussion with England Roses’ star Sarah Berne about the RFU’s collaboration with the ‘Barbie’ franchise. Sarah was concerned that ‘Barbie’ didn’t represent her as woman. Freya also talks about ‘pinch me’ moments such as sitting in the council box at Twickenham for England Red Roses v France international amongst many of the most influential people in women’s sport. She was able to be part of their conversations and she said she found the experience inspirational; ‘I saw how individuals really can make a difference’.  

 Freya is a strong voice for community rugby, and she has represented the needs of the majority of players in discussions which would otherwise have focused on the elite game. She told me of an occasion where an individual was initially very dismissive of her views but voiced his respect for her and her opinions at the end of the conversation. The community game and the importance of enjoyment in rugby are values she feels passionately about and it is a reason why Freya loves her role of Chair at Salford University Women’s RFC. She still plays for the club but is always keen to ensure everyone plays and will even give up her own place on the pitch to ensure this happens.  

When asked about her future ambitions, Freya says that she will probably seek a role at a more local level while she develops her sports rehabilitation career. She enjoyed her recent work placement at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (Stanford Hall).  

She is not sure where she will end up but she knows that she will keep sport in her life. She will also continue to play rugby and might even look at playing T1 Rugby.  

Meanwhile Freya continues to juggle her responsibilities with her studies. She also occasionally sits in on NLD Youth Council meetings to offer her advice and support. We hope that more young people will take inspiration from Freya’s approach to life and take opportunities to have their say in the way rugby is run at their clubs. Meanwhile, we can always hope that Freya will eventually find her way back to the East Midlands and continue her great work in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire or Derbyshire.