Love of sport drives emerging rugby player and sport management student

Milla Elaro is striking a balance on and off the field. A rugby player, she is travelling the world playing as part of the Women's 7s series for Australia, while pursuing her dream degree at Western Sydney University.

Her journey began at Westfields Sports High School in Fairfield, where she chose to study the Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) at the University, merging her love for business studies with her passion for sports.

"I really enjoyed business studies in high school and have always loved sport, so putting the two together seemed perfect. I've loved it so far, as it's allowed me to combine my knowledge of the two areas and be creative and innovative," she said.

Milla's dedication and hard work have led her to incredible experiences as part of her rugby career, and she has recently returned from Fiji where she competed against players she has looked up to for years as part of the Women's 7s tour.

"It was an incredible experience. Rugby 7s is a very important part of the Fijian lifestyle, and it was awesome to play in front of the locals. We visited a few schools, and those students came to watch us and made sure to say hello!"

Despite her success, the eighteen-year-old has faced challenges along the way, including a period of recovery from shoulder surgery and dealing with the impact of COVID-19. However, her family, especially her parents, have been her greatest motivation.

"They have pushed me to be the best version I can be, and especially motivated me during COVID and when I had shoulder surgery, which kept me out of footy for nine months."

One of the highlights of her career was travelling to Dubai in December 2022 to compete in the World Series competition. This experience was made even more special as her team returned home with a gold medal.

In August of the following year, she joined the Australian 7s squad for a two-week training camp in Canada, where she played off-season games against Canada, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Time management and planning have been crucial to being able to balance sport and studies for Milla.

She is part of Western Sydney University's Elite Athlete Program which assists student athletes juggle their studies while continuing to compete in high level sport.

"I believe there is a lot of talent to unearth in western Sydney with many opportunities for women wanting to pursue a career in sport on and off the field."

"Some advice for girls and women in our region would be to celebrate your wins and success, but also strengthen your weaknesses in ways that are achievable, and this can be applied in both sport and study."

ENDS

18 October 2023

Media Unit

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