Local rugby union star goes international
FORMER Beerwah High student Mel Wilks has been selected to play for the Wallaroos
It is a deserving honour for the talented sports star, who excelled across many sports before focusing on union.
Mel grew up in Elimbah, and attended Elimbah State School followed by Beerwah High, graduating in 2017.
Although Mel is now playing rugby union on an international level, she started out playing touch at Beerwah High, along with a number of other sports.
“When she first came to the school, she just excelled in every sport that she did, and she really just wanted to do everything and did really well, I think in her first year here, she was selected on the regional soccer team, so she didn’t have a focus, she just loved sport”, Beerwah High HPE teacher, Belinda Kerr, said.
“That focus changed quickly and she became set on touch. She was extremely dedicated to it more than anything else, she was not interested in any other sports.
“I coached her for quite a few years in the school team, but she taught me a lot more than I was able to teach her because she was at a really high level of touch, to have her to learn from was really good.”
Belinda described the successful alumni as incredibly determined in everything she put her mind to, and highlighted what a great student and person she is.
“Hardworking is probably a great way to describe her, no matter what she did she worked hard at and did her best at, she always wanted to improve and strive to do so whether it was sport or whether it was her school work,” she said.
“That determination has always been there but she was always one of the better touch players at our school but she was always willing to teach others and share her knowledge and she was very patient with the other girls and boys in her team that didn’t have the same skillset as her.”
Wilks was identified by an university talent scout while training for the national touch squad and thought she would give rugby union a go.
Kerr said the whole school is very proud of Mel’s achievements in the few years since graduating.
“We are so proud of Mel, especially because we know how hard working she is and how well deserved it is, the school is really proud of her achievement,” she said.