Cricket legend Avril Fahey, who lives with type 1 diabetes, says a life in sport has brought a sense of community, belonging and healthy competition. 

Avril Fahey’s professional sporting career spanned twenty years and more than 200 matches. She made her debut at the age of 18, playing for the West Australian women’s cricket team, and represented Australia in the World Cup in India five years later. For her, sport is as much about working together to achieve a common goal as it is about winning – a lesson that she says can be carried through life.   

“I played a lot of sport growing up, but cricket was what I was passionate about,” Avril says.  

“I loved the fellowship, the teamwork and being part of a group. You spend so much time with your teammates, both on and off the field, because the games are long and if your team is batting it provides a lot of time to talk.”  

Avril remains involved in the sport as a national selector for Cricket Australia, a role that she now enjoys alongside her career in aged care and health. Working with – and learning from – different generations is something she came to appreciate growing up as part of a sporting club. 

“I’ve always played with people that were younger and older than me, and you learn a lot from each other in that environment. I love seeing the faces of young players and hearing parents talk about how proud they are.” 

Finding your place in a club, whatever your age or stage, is easier than ever. Cricket, like many sports, has grown far more inclusive since Avril first picked up a bat.  

“Cricket has some really good inclusion programs now, including a state team for people with intellectual disabilities,“ Avril says.  

“When I first started girls didn’t really play cricket, but in the last five to ten years the sport has really opened up from the traditional playing base, which is fantastic to see. Cricket WA runs an Autism in Cricket program, and I get a thrill out seeing parents see their children play sport when they had thought that it might not be possible for them.” 

As someone who lives with type 1 diabetes, Avril says that belonging to a team has given her a valuable sense of belonging, something that can be a challenge when managing a lifelong health condition.  

“With diabetes, you get told that you can’t do this, you can’t do that. But when you play sport it makes you realise that you can do things, and you can be included.” 

 “Sport teaches you how to get along with many different people, and it develops your leadership and social skills. It helps you deal with adversity and builds resilience.

The support of a team – the sporting village – can also make diabetes management easier.  

 “It can be tricky sometimes as you do have to tell people that you have diabetes, but when they know that, they can be there for you,” Avril says. 

“I was in the middle of a match when I went to hospital and was diagnosed, and my team really looked out for me.”  

 What she learned on the field also provided a sturdy foundation for her second career, working at a senior level in health and aged care.  

“You don’t realise until much later what sport has given you and how much it’s taught you,” Avril says.

“Sport teaches you how to get along with many different people, and it develops your leadership and social skills. It helps you deal with adversity and builds resilience.  

 “Sport can teach you that sometimes you don’t make any runs, you get hit for six. Having that mix of wins and losses is really important, and I think junior sport in particular is great for that. You bring all those lessons to your working life.” 

 Avril Fahey joined the Diabetes WA Board in 2021. She is an experienced leader and manager in the aged, community and hospital sector, having initially started her career as an occupational therapist. Avril has held senior roles at Silver Chain and St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospital, dedicating the majority of her career to working with older and vulnerable client populations.  Avril is also a director on the Western Australian Cricket Association Board and a member of the School of Business and Law Advisory Board at Edith Cowan University. 

 In parallel to her professional life, Avril also played cricket for the Australian Women’s Cricket team including a successful World Cup campaign in India in 1997.  Avril continues to be involved in high performance sport, working with Cricket Australia as a National Selector.