Whenever someone has a rough day at the office the person that usually feels the brunt of it is their partner at home. Now imagine what it’s like being the wife of a rugby league star, where on a daily basis anything can happen.
Penrith Panthers and NSW Origin star, Luke Lewis, and his partner, Sonia, have been married for over a year but been together for an incredible nine years.
Mrs Lewis said life as a footballer’s wife can be a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
“The toughest part about being a footballer’s wife is having to ride all the highs and lows,” she said.
“As much as you love all the highs there are lows, like in any profession. Just being there to support your husband can sometimes be a little bit tedious because men I think don’t show emotion as much as women and I think it would be easier if they did.”
While Penrith’s season hasn’t risen to the expectations many would have liked in 2012, there’s no player that has felt the pressures of his team more than inspirational lock, Luke Lewis.
Mrs Lewis admitted that the toughest times for her and her husband come after a Panthers defeat.
“Luke takes a loss pretty personally, like any competitor in any sport he just hates losing, which is a good trait to have I think,” she said.
“Luke’s upset for a few days after a loss but he likes to try and get away from football by going out wakeboarding or riding his Harley Davidson.
“But whenever the Panthers lose he never takes it out on me, you’re just there to support him as is his mother. Luke’s mother has been there for him ever since he was a three-year-old when he pulled on his very first jersey which touched his socks, so we are all just here to support him.”
Luke Lewis would have to be one of the Panthers’ most highly regarded players in the history of the club.
In his 12 seasons at Penrith, Lewis has played more than 200 NRL games, represented his state and country, as well as tasting premiership glory in 2003.
Mrs Lewis said she knows how much the game means to him and hopes he can continue to be successful as he starts to enter the back end of his career.
“Everything came to Luke fairly early in his career,” she said.
“Before he was 21 he won a grand final, went on a Kangaroo Tour in 2003 and won an Origin series for NSW in 2004 – that all happened before he was 21.”
Another win in any form of the game is what Mrs Lewis hopes for her husband.
“I know how much it would mean to him now if he won another Origin series and if he was also lucky enough to win another premiership. It would mean so much to him because he knows how hard it is to actually achieve those goals. I don’t think there’s a more deserving person in rugby league than Luke,” she said.
Sonia Lewis is a member of the Penrith Panthers Women in League board.
