Fearless Foundations–Mandy Barrett
- , by Nicole English
- 15 min reading time
When it comes to starting something from scratch—especially in a space where you’re not expected to lead—it takes guts, grit, and a whole lot of heart. Mandy Barrett has all three.
As a founding member of the newly revived Chipping Norton Kangaroos junior rugby league club, Mandy didn’t just join a movement—she became a driving force behind it.
“I am so proud of our female program and the space we have created for local girls to thrive and feel comfortable in this male-dominated space.”
In a traditionally male-dominated arena, Mandy helped carve out space for something new: a club that champions inclusivity, opportunity, and fearless ambition—especially for young female athletes. This is more than just a sports story. It’s a lesson in community-building, bravery, and what it really takes to create change when no one hands it to you.
Q1. Let’s start at the beginning — what inspired you to take a pivotal role in restarting the junior rugby league club, the Chipping Norton Kangaroos?
Mandy: A few things. Fundamentally, I wanted to be involved with a Club that exists solely for and about the kids. Clubs say that this is why they operate, but I’ve come to realise that was all lip-service. I wanted to build a space for female athletes in our area. For years, I’ve watched girls leave our district as there were no real prospects for them to continue their rugby league journey. As the NRLW kicks into full gear, I really wanted to jump on that train and provide a pathway for our local girls to realise their dream. Lastly, a few mates asked for my help, and I was more than happy to offer whatever knowledge or experience I had to help them realise their dreams.
Q2. What were the first few steps you took to bring that vision to life?
Mandy: Realistically, the vision already had some steam, and I kind of jumped in at the proposal stage. A few of the committee members had already spoken to the Junior League and local council, so things were already happening. I helped draft and finalise the proposal documents that we sent off to CBJRL. I then thought about who else we could add to the team to build the experience and talent on the inaugural committee. I realised we needed more of a stronger female presence to attract female athletes and families to the Club.
Q3. Have there been moments when you thought, “What am I doing?” — and what helped you keep going?
Mandy: Most definitely—weekly, sometimes daily! Whilst it’s been so rewarding, it has been a heck of a lot of work this first season. Some days I question whether I’m capable of fulfilling the role just in terms of experience—I feel like I’m flying blind sometimes – and some days I question how much of my time it's taking me away from my own family and kids and whether it’s worth it. But I do have to stop and think—wow, look what we’ve achieved this year. There was a whole lot stacked against us right from the start, and even when we started, but I feel like we’ve faced it all with strength and perseverance. We got caught up in the noise to start with, but I feel like we’ve all found a really good balance of blocking out the negativity and just getting on with the job.
I think what really helped was, aside from the amazing committee with have at CNK, watching the growth in kids on the field every week. I think we have something like 70%-80% of players who have never played before – watching those kids learn how to play the game that I love and watch them thrive on the field and form friendships – that is what keeps me going on those days when you think ‘WTF am I doing’.
Q4. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in launching the club — and do you feel it’s more challenging as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated space?
Mandy: Biggest challenges – financial – starting completely from scratch. Also, very few Clubs in our local district were happy that we were here. So, we did face a bit of negativity from the start, which was hard to understand as we just wanted kids to play footy.
Were there challenges because I’m a woman – I’m not sure about that, but I feel like there is a definite ‘boys club’ that exists in this space. Has it been more of a challenge because I’m a woman, or would it have been just as hard if I were a man? I’m not sure what the answer is here, but I definitely didn’t feel welcome or adequate to begin with.
Q5. How did you deal with doubt — from others or from yourself — during this process?
Mandy: This is a hard one. From others – I’m actually pretty good and not caring too much what other people think, I don’t care if they think I’ll fail or if I’m not capable – who knows, they could be right, but I’m pretty good at blocking out that noise. I don’t like untruths or unjust behaviour – that annoys me and makes me angry – but people’s opinions don’t tend to faze me too much. The people who really know me know what my true intentions and beliefs are – and that’s all that matters to me.
Self-doubt is a whole other kettle of fish. Am I capable? Am I smart enough? Can I really do this? Am I failing at this? Am I letting kids/parents/friends down?? Am I dropping balls because it's all too much – these thoughts go around and around and around. I guess at the end of the day, we can only do our best. I have the best of intentions when it comes to this Club and our CNK athletes and families, and so I hope and pray that it is enough. It also helps that we have an awesome committee full of committed, strong women (& men!) who make it all so much easier.
"There is no failure in trying.”
Q6: What do you tell yourself when the odds feel stacked against you?
Mandy: ‘Just keep swimming’ and also ‘just look at what we’ve been able to achieve’. I said to one of our VPs last weekend, ‘We don’t get too much time to stop and reflect because we’re deep in the trenches just getting the job done each week, but just look at everything a bunch of people who just love rugby league have been able to achieve in 18 months’.When I stop for those minutes, I’m so incredibly proud of myself and everyone involved at CNK.
Q7: What kind of impact did you hope the Chipping Norton Kangaroos would have on the local community — and what are you most proud of so far?
Mandy: Initially, I just wanted to provide a space for girls to thrive in this sport. I had no idea how much Chipping Norton needed a rugby league club. We kind of talked about how there was this untapped resource of families this side of Newbridge Rd, but when I realised how many of the kids signing up were local and just hadn’t played before because Sydney traffic is shite, I was so glad we pushed and brought this Club back to life. Aside from providing a Club for local kids, I feel like we’ve brought back a sense of community to Childs Park. We get a real buzz and vibe down there every weekend, whether we have 3 games or 8 games – it’s just a really nice space/scene to be a part of.
I am so proud of our female program and the space we have created for local girls to thrive and feel comfortable in this male-dominated space. When I was 10 or 12 years old, playing rugby league for girls was non-existent. I love that we have female participation in every team (sans Open Mens!) in our club.
Q8: What do you want every child or parent who joins the club to feel when they show up for training or on game day?
Mandy: I want them to feel like they are a super important part of our CNK family. Without them, our club does not exist. I recognise that these little ones and their families, in particular, are the future of this club. I want them to know that they matter to us, not just as a number, but as part of our family.
I want players to feel like they’ve found a space where they belong, and they can grow not only as players but as people. I love the lessons team sports can teach us, not just on the field but more importantly, the lessons we can carry through life – hard work, perseverance, strength, showing up for our teammates, friendship, loyalty – so many attributes that being part of a team teaches us.
Q9: How do you establish a team's shared values and practices when starting fresh?
Mandy: I think you start with the right people. People who share the same vision and values.
Honesty. Integrity. Loyalty. No egos, just good people with good intentions.
Q10: What does a ‘fearless beginning’ mean to you, personally?
Mandy: I guess it means diving in and trusting the process. Knowing that at the end of the hard days, it’s all worth it.
Q11: What advice would you give to other women or young people who have a big idea but feel nervous to start?
Mandy: I’d say DO IT. Surround yourself with good people and dive in. There is no failure in trying. It may not work the first time, but the lessons you’ll learn will be invaluable.
Q12: What has this journey taught you about yourself?
Mandy: Gosh, this is a hard question to answer. Maybe–even when I think I can’t, I can.
Rapid-fire questions:
- One word to describe how you felt on CNK’s first game day: Proud
- Your go-to motivational quote or mantra: Be the hardest worker in the room
- The best part of building something new: Setting the right intentions from the outset
Q13: What’s next for you and the Chipping Norton Kangaroos?
Mandy: Hopefully, more growth – more teams, more community involvement, development pathways for our girls, a bigger growth in our boys' participation, more awesome committee members to help build this club into an even better space for local kids.
To find out more about the Chipping Norton Kangaroos and how you can get involved, check out their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/chippingnortonjrl