GPS rugby 2020: Terrace old boy Conor Tweedy back on the GPS rugby sidelines – as a coach
Terrace the Brave is a catchcry associated with the famous St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace rugby union brand, but it definitely applies to old boy Conor Tweedy whose recovery from spinal injury has seen him return to the GPS rugby sidelines as a coach.
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When Conor Tweedy walked across the lush, green grass of St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace’s famous Internationals No. 1 Oval last Thursday, it was a moment most feared he would never do again.
Back “home’’ on Terrace’s hallowed Tennyson turf, Tweedy, 18, cut an inspiring and every step was a milestone moment for a young man who two years earlier suffered a C4-C5 spinal injury playing a Second XV match for Terrace against Brisbane Boys College.
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Terrace the Brave is a catch cry associated with the famous St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace rugby union brand, and it most definitely applies to old boy Tweedy.
But does he feel brave?
“I would not call myself brave. It is not like I choose to break my neck. I would call myself lucky,’’ Tweedy said.
“Something bad happened to me but I got a lot more luck than a lot of people do.
“The difference between being in a wheelchair and not being in a wheelchair is not down to how hard you work. You have to be lucky.’’
The 100m walk from the Tennyson carpark to the shadows of the No. 1 oval grandstand was a well worn path for Tweedy in 2018 when, as a year 11 student, he was training in the First XV-Second XV rugby squad.
This weekend against traditional GPS rivals Nudgee College, Tweedy will be back on the rugby sidelines – but this time as co-coach of the Terrace year 9Bs.
Nothing stirs the emotions more than Nudgee-Terrace match day.
And when Tweedy walks to his place on the sideline to watch his 9Bs against Nudgee, it is sure to spur emotions in those who have even just a whiff of what young Tweedy went through when that game accident happened in 2018.
It was grim at the time.
“They (spinal specialists) can’t really tell you yes or no (about walking again),’’ Tweedy recalled. “They don’t want to give you false hope. It is pretty unknown.’’
It was no fun either when he eventually left hospital and went to schoolies in a wheelchair.
And nor was it palatable to a proud person like Conor Tweedy to have to ask people for assistance when all he wanted to do was melt back into society and be independent.
“When I asked someone to do something for me, they were always very happy to do it.
“But I always felt I was being a bit of a burden,’’ Tweedy said.
“It is nice now just being able to get up out of bed and go and get myself a drink of water.
“It is so much better,’’ he added, saying the best thing about his continuing recovery was gaining independence.’’
And perhaps the second “best thing’’ might also be that his wheelchair is now parked permanently.
“It has been collecting dust in my garage for a while,’’ Tweedy said.
“It is good to get rid of it,’’ he smiled.
Returning to the bosom of Terrace’s spirited rugby community as a coach is another milestone moment for Tweedy and further evidence how far he has come in his recovery.
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“It is special, it is nice being here,’’ he said overlooking the playing fields and listening to the banter of the youngsters.
“I plan to coach for a while more so I will probably be able to watch these kids go off and play in the Firsts.
“Because we (co-coaches Nick Aitkin and Ben Hearne) were so recently in the system, we know what we hated at training and what worked.
“Me, Nick and Hearney talked about coaching a while ago. “It is good fun
“You are hearing all the gossip, what teachers are saying, it is cool and coaching the kids, they are all really nice.
“It has been a very different year with COVID-19 and it is cool seeing them get excited. I can so vividly remember that. And we have a bit of talent to be honest.’’
Now he is back on the sideline as a rugby coach, does he ever reflect on how far he has come in those two years since the accident?
“Yes for sure because it (the accident) was not that long ago, so I can remember how bad it was and every now again I will be walking around, or sitting around with my mates, and I think I am very lucky,’’ Tweedy said.
“It is not like I am sprinting around, but just being able to do everything by myself is very important to me.’’
Tweedie said he cannot pinpoint a turning point in his recovery because it was a gradual process, but he said there was just enough progress “to keep me keen, to keep me wanting more, but not so much that I got lazy and thought I could just ride this out’’.
Asked what advice he would offer anyone who confronted a similar challenge to him, Tweedy said: “Trust the process. There will be a lot of times when you might think they (medical staff) don’t know what they are talking about.
“But they do. I trusted them and it worked out.’’
Round 1:
Terrace v Nudgee College
BGS v BBC
BSHS v TSS
TGS v IGS
Bye: Churchie
Footnote: Andrew Dawson will file a round report each Saturday evening at couriermail.com.au
Originally published as GPS rugby 2020: Terrace old boy Conor Tweedy back on the GPS rugby sidelines – as a coach
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