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Women Leaders in Sport

Empowering women in sport & helping to create a culture which values gender equity.

Sport has the power to set new benchmarks and drive positive social change; one being equal representation in sport.

Through striving to achieve gender equity in sport it sets an important tone for the wider Australian public. It also opens doors for the next generation, shakes up unconscious bias and helps advocate for respectful behaviour towards women.

To help achieve this the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) established the Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) program which to date has supported more than 27,000 women and more than 800 sport organisations.

Objectives

  • Provide leadership development opportunities for women on and off the field.
  • Help sporting organisations create inclusive cultures and achieve gender equity.
  • Drive a positive narrative around women leaders in sport.

The opportunities

  • Executive Program

    Raising organisational standards within the workplace to improve gender equity within the sporting sector.

  • Leadership workshops

    For women who work or volunteer in sport and are looking to develop their leadership skills.

  • Individual grants

    For women who work or volunteer in sport and are looking to undertake a project which supports their professional development.

  • Organisation grants

    For sporting organisations eager to develop their female staff and create a supportive and inclusive work culture. Applications open 2025.

Testimonials

Lucy Sayers

Lucy Sayers profile photo

Lucy Sayers is the Players Coordinator at the Cove Tigers Netball Club. She is already a Life Member which at her young age, speaks volumes to the roles she has undertaken. Not only is she a coach, Lucy is also responsible for creating and executing the junior development and mentoring pathways for players, coaches, and emerging leaders at the club.

As someone at the very start of their career in sport, the WLIS program has been an incredible opportunity. It allowed me to interact with and learn from supportive, like-minded women who are passionate about leadership and women in sport.

Through the program I developed a sense of confidence in my leadership ability that I did not have prior to commencing. Being able to learn about emotional intelligence, the importance of developing personal connections and much more has really helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Hearing from respected leaders such as Belinda Kleverlaan, Michelle Ockers and Alex Blackwell was a valuable part of the course. These women were so insightful and inspired me with their own leadership journeys.

The weekly online group sessions were a fantastic place to network and learn from other women participating in the program. The online format enabled us to continue building our connections, seek regular feedback, and consolidate our learning in between sessions.

Sue Cormack was a fantastic facilitator. Her professionalism, insights and encouragement throughout the program was highly engaging and created a safe environment for you to unashamedly ask questions. The support and feedback I received from Sue will be something that I carry with me for many years to come.

The WLIS program has completely re-shaped my career aspirations and has inspired me more than ever to take the next step in my career. It was such an enjoyable and beneficial experience. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Women Leaders in Sport alumni.

Inspired by Lucy’s experience? Then make sure you apply now!

Christy Tepaiho

Christy Tepaiho profile photo

Christy Tepaiho is the People and Culture Manager at Netball South Australia. Christy is a change agent in her organisation with a strong background in human resources.  She is skilled in organisational development, recruiting, culture and leadership.

The Women Leaders in Sport Leadership Workshop is a fantastic program and one that I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be involved in.

Our facilitator, Sue Cormack has a wealth of experience in leadership, business, and sport. She had a lovely way of bringing everyone’s experiences together, allowing space for everyone to contribute.

Sue challenged us all to ‘the pitch’. It was a chance to consolidate what we had learnt and think about who we were as a leader. It was an excellent opportunity for us to all step outside of our comfort zones. I found this activity particularly valuable and I will be applying the skills learnt to my everyday life.

I loved the ‘on the couch’ session where we heard from inspiring women about their leadership journeys. The session with Michelle Ockers was fantastic and gave me some practical tools to implement as well as gain a different perspective on development.

The online group sessions provided us with an opportunity to connect with other leaders, seek advice and talk through challenges. I always walked away with a new idea and a bounce in my step!

The program has enabled me to make immediate changes in my organisation. I was able to implement the work we did on active listening and even use the values section as part of a team planning day on reviewing our values.

Thank you, Sue and Sport Australia for your passion to develop women leaders in sport.  I have recommended this course to everyone I speak to in the industry.

Interested in growing your leadership potential? Apply now!

Lee Brentzell

Lee Brentzell profile photo

Lee Brentzell joined the Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) Board in 2017 and was elected Chair in 2018. Lee is passionate about the sport, adventure and the trails around the world she has experienced. Lee was integral in leading the merger of cycling entities to form AusCycling and is an inaugural board member. Lee has also enjoyed roles as a change leader in the mining, gas and oil industry.

I can highly recommend the WLIS program to all female leaders working in the sports industry.

No matter how much experience you have, you will enjoy learning new skills and refreshing some old ones. By being a part of the WLIS program you’ll be exposed to and learn from other like-minded passionate ladies, make great connections in the sporting industry, and have some fun too.

Our facilitator Sue Cormack led our group through the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. Sue delivered a content rich course, mixed it up with some inspiring guest speakers, and facilitated great conversations. She also shared invaluable experiences of her own, kept us motivated and she ensured we stayed on task every week despite the challenges of the online course – a first for everyone but a very successful one.

Interested in exploring your leadership pathway? Apply now!

Susan Mitchell

Susan Mitchell profile photo

Susan Mitchell is AusCycling’s – Commissaire at a national level for Road, Track and Mountain Bike events.  She works at events around the country and is involved from grass roots to international level. As the Chief Commissaire at events, Susan leads the team of officials and liaises with organisers.

In the early part of 2020, I was looking forward to the weekend the WLIS course was to be held in Adelaide.  My biggest concern was whether I would go to the AFL Showdown or the participant networking dinner on the Saturday night! Little did I know the curve ball that was coming our way.  When the course was postponed due to COVID, I was disappointed.

When the new weekly format, using MS Teams came into play, I was in the Sunday night group. In a way I think it was better because the group had people from all over the country, bringing together a range of roles and experience.

Our facilitator Sue Cormack encouraged us to be relaxed suggesting that we attend our sessions with our dinner and even the odd glass of wine. Our 1.5-hour session were a good mix of PowerPoint, video, and small group activities with Sue sharing some of her experiences. Each session had a clear goal and structure making the time fly by.

Sue had a relaxed facilitation style that provided space for everyone to find their voice and share experiences. I enjoyed the weekly challenges. They enabled me to re-connect with people, work on active listening, and have some thought-provoking conversations with colleagues. Throughout the course the group was supportive, and it meant we felt safe sharing some of the hard or awkward stories without judgement.

I think the biggest change I've made as a result of attending the program is my understanding of communication.  I'm more directive in terms of setting my expectations for roles, make an effort to let people talk before I make a decision, and think more about how I phrase a question.

A highlight was attending the ‘On the Couch’ sessions. Being able to refer to the weekly resources and the 'On the Couch' sessions really worked for me. It meant I was able to consolidate learning and concepts each week rather than trying to take everything in over a weekend.

Overall, the course was beneficial in many ways. I hope to stay in touch with some of my group and I look forward to applying what I’ve learnt back in the office.

Are you ready to explore your leadership pathway? Apply now!

WLIS successful applicants

Previous WLIS successful applicants

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the WLIS program please contact:

Phone: +61 2 6214 1463 Email:wlis@sportaus.gov.au Business Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm (AEDT)* Saturday-Sunday: Closed * excluding national and ACT public holidays

If you wish to lodge a complaint regarding the program this can be done using the ASC complaints form.

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