Just seven days after giving birth to her first child, Mackenzie, Rennie Meadmore was back in the dugout coaching her beloved Busselton Magpies Football Team.
And 18 weeks after that, she rejoined the women's team as a player and led the group to their first premiership in WA's South West Football League.
It was a wild 2022 season as coach, player, and new mum but being surrounded by women who were almost all mothers themselves made the transition easy for the 29-year-old.
"She [the baby] was on my chest most of the time while coaching and, having a team full of mums they understood everything I was going through," Meadmore said.
"And they love the cuddles — she has about 22 different aunties."
A lifetime of competitive sport
Netball was always a part of Meadmore's life but she made the transition to AFL in 2018.
She played three seasons as club captain before deciding to dip her toes into the world of coaching this year.
"The first season [as a player] was a whirlwind," Meadmore said.
"I'd always like to kick the footy around with my husband but I think the first few tackles were totally different than being on a netball court when you're not allowed to do that.
"When I found out I was pregnant, I decided that I didn't want to step away completely because it'd be a pretty long nine months of no sport at all."
When the team's former coach decided to move on in early 2022, Meadmore decided to apply for the position.
"It gave me a whole new aspect of the game," she said.
"You're not only thinking about one individual, but a whole team while trying to give feedback to every individual.
"To then come back and actually play — that was a personal achievement."
A COVID-19 complication
Meadmore said she remained very active during her pregnancy as she always hoped to return to the footy field in some capacity in 2022.
But contracting COVID-19 when she was 37 weeks pregnant threw a slight spanner in the works.
"I got listed as high-risk pregnancy from then onwards … and then she was born eight days after getting COVID," Meadmore said.
"When I returned I was definitely a bit slower, and it was a bit more of a mental game.
"But I ended up with I think four or five games for the season, it was good fun."
As well as a team full of mothers, Meadmore credits an extremely supportive husband with helping her achieve her footy dreams this year.
It's a very competitive household, with Jon also playing for the Busselton Magpies men's team.
"His main goal for me was to get back to doing what I enjoy," she said.
"I think in the early stages of coaching after [Mackenzie] arrived I probably chucked him in the deep end.
"But we've been together over 13 years, he loves watching me play sport and I think he's even more excited that he can watch football now instead of netball."
AFLW stars leading by example
Meadmore had no doubt she would find her way back to footy after giving birth and was able to take inspiration from AFLW stars, like Daisy Pearce, who juggle motherhood and professional footy.
"You’re definitely never the same, and I don't think I ever will be the same, but it's crazy what we can do," she said.
"Women like Daisy — it's amazing to see their stories and to show that it is possible.
"And I think I've probably proven to a lot of people in the South West that you can have a baby and then continue to do the things you love."
Back-to-back in 2023
With one premiership under her belt, Meadmore has signed on to coach again next season and has big plans for her team.
"What I said all year to the girls was 'It's our year to make history, let's be that first team to win a premiership in Busselton'," she said.
"We had the players and I just built on that.
"Next year I'll say 'Let's make a bit more history and go back-to-back and be that team that in 22 and 23 — we did something special'."
