![Sophie Holyman has gotten involved with the Raiders community. Pictures by Raiders Media Sophie Holyman has gotten involved with the Raiders community. Pictures by Raiders Media](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/kDqE8LvSwvU8fyZkrZC97F/32c09d6c-bed6-4b9a-8436-eb2aefbd3bae.jpg/r0_0_3840_2159_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sophie Holyman doesn't know how she does it, but she wouldn't change it for the world.
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Through the week she's working tirelessly to help give people with disabilities a better quality of life, sometimes taking on so much that it can be "emotionally taxing".
Then come the weekend, the fearsome Canberra Raiders prop is mowing down opposition players in the NRLW with aplomb.
"It actually is quite funny when you say it out loud," Holyman told The Canberra Times. "It's probably a really good mix actually."
Like most NRLW players, Holyman has a job while juggling her footy career. Her role as operations manager at Carer's Collective sees her helping clients with anything from spinal cord to brain injuries, receive necessary care.
![Sophie Holyman visiting junior rugby league clubs. Picture Supplied Sophie Holyman visiting junior rugby league clubs. Picture Supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/b3603f88-81b8-4458-b131-18b3ae0d2834.jpg/r0_135_840_699_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Holyman completes the role remotely since relocating to Canberra from the Gold Coast to join the Raiders, but that doesn't mean it's any less intense.
"It's constant. I don't stop," Holyman said. "It's a lot of organising and talking to parents, to our participants, managing teams, and making appointments.
"So I'm constantly on the phone, on video calls, always listening and offering advice, and when I'm back home in Queensland, I'm more one-on-one with participants, which I love.
"I put a lot of effort in because I genuinely care, and I want to see them be successful and to live a happy life.
"It is super rewarding, but I won't lie, it can be emotionally taxing too.
"I have a participant who I look after closely who is 28, and she's become a C2 quadriplegic, so only being three years older than me, she'll call me and just be like, 'Why has this happened to me?'
"So it is draining sometimes, but now I've got a lot more experience in the space.
"I've learned to be able to deal with it just fine and I've got such a good support network around me."
![Sophie Holyman has gotten involved with the Score Raiders program. Picture by Raiders Media Sophie Holyman has gotten involved with the Score Raiders program. Picture by Raiders Media](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/131524aa-9da9-44d7-8d5a-0f44a6dfb5df.jpg/r0_276_840_820_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Her passion for working in the disability sector has continued in Canberra, with Holyman getting involved with the Score Raiders program, visiting participants recently during an off night.
She's also been attending junior rugby league clubs, to help inspire the next generation of NRLW stars.
These examples of Holyman's dedication to engaging with the community explain why she earned a nomination for the Veronica White Medal - Woman of the Year.
As one of 10 players nominated for the end-of-season award, Holyman was honoured to have been recognised.
"I definitely wasn't expecting it but to even be nominated is a dream for me," she said.
"It's extremely special. It's nice to be noticed for something that I'm really passionate about.
"I've always been someone who definitely puts other people before myself.
"If I can help anyone in any way, or make someone's day a little bit brighter, then honestly, it fills my cup."
When asked how she's able to switch gears from being the caring, generous and patient person she needs to be at work, to transforming into the relentless, brave and aggressive front-rower she is at the Raiders, Holyman said it all comes back to the club.
"It's because of my passion for Canberra - it's for the club and my teammates that I've gotten so close to," she said.
"For me to click into gear to run hard in the middle after a super emotional week of work, it's because the Raiders have made me part of the family.
"I'm going to run 100 miles per hour because I know the girl next to me will.
"We've had a few close calls, but there's not one time we're defending and I think, 'Oh my gosh, we're going to lose'.
"I knew that person beside me will make that tackle, and that's the first time I've felt like that in a team.
"We have gelled so well together and what's scary is we haven't even played our best footy yet."
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