Festival celebrates women in sport

THE efforts of thousands of women and girls across the region were celebrated last week as AFL Barwon concluded its Festival of Female Sport with its annual breakfast.

More than 300 members of the local sporting community gathered at Nyaal Banyul to hear from AFL Barwon chief executive Kate Patterson, AFL executive general manager of AFLW, health and football operations Laura Kane, and Netball Victoria general manager of high performance and pathways and former Australian Diamond Sharelle McMahon.

The trio discussed the influence of women in community sport and the growing opportunities available for the next generation of football and netball talent.

Kane and McMahon said there is room for both codes to continue thriving locally and praised the role clubs play in their communities.

They also shared insights into leadership across playing and administration roles, while highlighting the importance of enjoyment in helping young female athletes thrive.

Six months into her role at AFL Barwon, Patterson said she has been encouraged by the support from clubs and the wider community.

After previously working in elite sport, she said returning to community sport has been refreshing.

The inaugural AFL Barwon Female Participation Report was also presented, highlighting more than 15,000 women and girls involved in football and netball across the region.

“There’s also all the people behind the scenes,” Patterson said. “If you think about club presidents, committee members, volunteers, mums, you can start to see the scale of the women involved.”

AFL Barwon’s Female Festival of Sport is an annual event celebrating the achievements and contributions of women and girls across the region.