Women are reshaping sport – panel says visibility, investment and imagination must keep pace 

5 takeaways from our Global Game Changers event 

 

Sydney, 2 Dec 2025 — At a packed UTS Global Game Changers event hosted by sports broadcaster Stephanie Brantz, an all-star panel showed how women are redefining sport from every angle: high-performance cricket, biomechanics, sport science, brand and culture. Cricket NSW’s Leah Poulton, UTS academics Dr Katie Slattery and Dr Libby Pickering Rodriguez, and Women Sport Australia director Samantha D’Souza swapped stories from the dressing room, lab and boardroom – and mapped out what needs to happen next.

 

High performance is changing – and women are leading it

From Leah Poulton’s journey from Australian opener to Head of Female Elite Cricket at Cricket NSW, to Dr Katie Slattery’s path from would-be engineer to Olympic sport scientist, the panel made one thing clear: women are now embedded in every part of the high-performance system. They are designing pathways, shaping coaching, deciding selections and setting strategy – not just pulling on a jersey.

That shift is visible in careers as well as crowds. Poulton noted that her generation had to retire early to “get serious” about day jobs, while today’s athletes can stay in the game longer and then transition into coaching and administration. The new normal is a sport ecosystem where women’s experience on and off the field is treated as essential expertise, not a nice-to-have.

 

Science, tech and imagination are rewriting the playbook

Partnerships between universities and sporting bodies are reshaping what high performance looks like – especially for women. Through the UTS–Cricket NSW partnership, projects like “Project 130” are asking big questions: how can fast bowlers safely bowl faster; which strength, power and technical profiles really matter; and how training should change for female athletes across the pathway.

UTS researchers are also reframing how we assess training. Slattery’s work on “training quality” looks beyond distances and heart rates to include technical, tactical, psychological and team-cohesion factors, with AI now helping to analyse coach feedback and session debriefs at scale. In biomechanics, Dr Libby Pickering Rodriguez highlighted how AI-driven motion capture is taking hours of manual analysis out of the lab and putting practical insights into real-world environments – making it easier to translate research into better coaching, safer technique and more inclusive performance systems for women.

 

The commercial opportunity is real – but funding must move from fireworks to foundations

Culturally, the moment for women’s sport has arrived – from record-breaking Matildas crowds to booming broadcast numbers. Commercially, the panel argued, the sector is still playing catch-up. D’Souza pointed to global revenue growth and the rise of long-term partnerships with brands such as financial services, consumer goods and beauty companies as signs that “smart money” is finally paying attention.

The challenge is to move beyond one-off “firework” events like World Cups and build long-term investment in athletes, competitions, infrastructure and storytelling between tournaments. That means sponsorships that back research, coaching pathways and grassroots programmes, not just finals campaigns and hero shots. Done well, the return is twofold: strong commercial outcomes for brands and a visible, viable future for women and girls in sport at every level.

 

Keeping girls in the game requires design, listening and everyday role models

All four panellists stressed that participation and performance can’t be separated. Drop-out rates among teenage girls remain stubbornly high, driven by everything from body image and uniforms to periods, accessibility and feeling like sport “isn’t for me”. Poulton spoke about Cricket NSW’s work with UTS to directly survey girls in the pathway – and the power of simple, practical changes like kit options that feel safe and comfortable during menstruation.

The panel also highlighted the importance of maternity policies, flexible environments and visible examples of athletes returning after having children. Just as importantly, D’Souza urged the audience to widen the spotlight: hero athletes such as the Matildas matter, but so do the community coaches, umpires, volunteers and semi-pros who look and feel more “reachable” to a 13-year-old deciding whether to stay in sport. If girls can see many different ways to belong in sport, they are far more likely to stay.

 

Careers in sport go far beyond playing – and curiosity is a superpower

A final theme was careers: how to get in, and how to be taken seriously. The panel’s advice was refreshingly practical. Poulton emphasised real-world experience – especially volunteering – as a key differentiator in recruitment. Slattery encouraged women not to walk away from opportunities just because they might be the only woman in the room.

D’Souza championed curiosity: ask people you admire for their stories, take them for coffee, and let genuine interest guide your next step. Pickering Rodriguez urged students and early-career professionals to “chase your interests, not a fixed job title” – sport science, coaching, media, strategy and administration are all viable routes in. Or, as Poulton put it in classic Australian fashion: have a crack. The pathways into sport are wider than ever – and women are increasingly the ones building them.

 

 

In case you missed it, watch the full event recap below.
woman in electrodes bowling on indoor pitch

Global Game Changers 2025 – Transcript
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STEPHANIE BRANTZ (Host):
Well, good evening. Let’s get underway. Lovely to see everyone here in the room, and a warm welcome to everyone joining us online, wherever you are. Great to have you here for our session, Global Game Changers – Episode 3: Rewriting the playbook: women leading the future of sport. We’ve got a fantastic evening ahead.

I want to begin by acknowledging that we meet, whether online or in person, on Gadigal land. I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands wherever you’re joining us from. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and to those who hold the continuing cultural and spiritual connection to Country. I extend that respect to everyone of Aboriginal, First Nations and Torres Strait Islander descent who is joining us today, wherever you may be.

We’ve got a wonderful session ahead. I have an all-star panel to my left. My name is Steph Brantz and I’m basically the traffic conductor – guiding the conversation. All the expert intel is coming from these four fabulous women.

As I’m sure you’re all aware, women are transforming sport – from science to coaching to global event leadership. We’re seeing leading researchers, coaches, players and athletes driving extraordinary growth. Tonight, we’re going to explore how women are driving high-performance innovation, shaping major events and changing the future of sport.

We’ll look at sport science, biomechanics, coaching, delivery of global tournaments, and how we’re rewriting the sport playbook – how sport is played, led and studied. This conversation is really about celebrating those leading the charge, breaking barriers and challenging systems, and redefining what elite performance looks like. Don’t look so nervous, ladies – you are the experts in this space.

Through collaborations such as the UTS and Cricket NSW partnership, and international research in performance science, women are driving innovation and creating a smarter, more equitable future for sport – both on and off the field. That’s what we’re going to explore tonight.

Tonight’s panel brings together leaders shaping the future of sport – from high-performance coaching and research to representation and governance. I’m delighted to introduce our expert panel. I’ll chat to them for about 45 minutes or so, and then you will have the opportunity to ask your questions.

We’ll put up a QR code for Slido. Just scan that, and a question panel will pop up. Please feel free to add any questions you like. I may be able to weave some into the discussion as we go – I’ll keep an eye on them – and otherwise we have a dedicated Q&A at the end to make sure we answer as many of your burning questions as we can.

But right now, let’s hear from this stellar panel.

 
Panel introductions
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
I’ll start with Leah Poulton on my left. Leah is Head of Female Elite Cricket at Cricket NSW, leading programmes that develop the next generation of players and coaches. She’s a former Australian cricketer and a respected sports leader, driving change in pathways, performance and participation across the women’s game, in partnership with UTS and national high-performance networks.

Welcome, Leah Poulton.

LEAH POULTON:
Hi, thanks for having me.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Next to Leah is Dr Katie Slattery. Katie is a senior lecturer and researcher at UTS, specialising in sport and exercise science. Her work explores athlete monitoring, performance and wellbeing, and she’s helped shape global partnerships that bring UTS research to the highest levels of international sport.

Dr Katie Slattery.

(Steph jokes about how big her face looks on the big screen.)

Now, Samantha D’Souza – and I’ve just about made you a doctor as well. Would you like to be one?

Sam is a Director at Women Sport Australia and a communications and strategy professional with more than 15 years’ experience across sport, media and culture. Her work focuses on representation, sponsorship and the power of storytelling to drive visibility, advocacy and equity in women’s sport.

Welcome, Sam.

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Thank you.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Last – but absolutely not least – Dr Libby Pickering Rodriguez. Libby is a lecturer and researcher in biomechanics here at UTS, exploring how technology, movement and injury prevention shape high-performance environments. Her work bridges science and sport, helping create a more inclusive, evidence-based approach that improves training outcomes for athletes at all levels.

Welcome, Libby.

 
Career journeys
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
All right folks, I’ve set you up – now it’s your turn to do some talking.

I’d like to start by asking each of you to give us a bit of insight into what you do from your own perspective – where it started, and what that journey was like to reach the amazing roles you hold today.

Leah, I’ll start with you. The change in women’s sport surely can’t be more evident than when you reflect on your own career. How did that bring you to where you are now, and what changes have you seen since your playing days?

 
Leah – from player to high-performance leader
LEAH POULTON:
Good evening everybody.

When I started playing cricket, we were lucky to have a crowd like this. I think I had about this many people come and watch when I played for New South Wales and Australia. For those who follow women’s cricket now, you’ll know it’s starkly different.

The biggest shift is how mainstream women’s sport is now – and how visible. It’s easy to follow. You can pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV and see it. That certainly wasn’t the case when I started.

My first role in cricket was as an athlete. I played for NSW for about 15 years and for the Australian women’s team for around eight. Like most of us then, I had a day job – I was a school teacher. All the girls in our teams held down jobs during the day and then trained at night. The commitment was the same as it is now, but the balance was very different.

When I finished as an athlete, I moved into working in cricket. I’ve held various high-performance coaching roles with WBBL, the Australian pathway and NSW teams. My current role is in administration, looking after elite female cricket across NSW – the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder in the WBBL, plus our extensive NSW pathway.

That pathway is probably the most fulfilling part of my job. We run a big academy across the state where kids from about 13 upwards participate in high-performance programmes.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
And you still have a day job – a very impressive one – giving back to the sport and driving high-performance athletes even further. Thank you, Leah.

 
Katie – finding sport science and the Olympics
Katie, let’s talk about your career. You’ve worked at the pinnacle of Olympic sport. What was your pathway into high-performance work, and do you remember what sparked your interest in performance and research?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
There wasn’t one single moment that sparked it, but looking back, I was always a bit competitive as a kid and fascinated by the limits of human performance.

My heroes growing up were people like Rob de Castella and Lisa Ondieki – some of Australia’s best marathon runners. I would actually sit and watch marathons on TV as a kid. I think that’s where my love of understanding sport and optimising performance began.

The steps along the way were mostly about learning what I didn’t want to do. I initially started an environmental engineering degree – I had no idea what that really was, and I’m glad I never finished it. I then tried outdoor education, and discovered I can’t really read a map or navigate, so that wasn’t ideal either.

I looked at sports science or PE teaching, but realised I wasn’t the best student at school – so perhaps karma was coming back. At the end of my sport science degree, Aaron (who’s here tonight) asked if I’d thought about research and suggested I do an honours degree. I said, “I’ve got nothing better to do,” and it all started from there.

I did my PhD in sport science, then worked at the NSW Institute of Sport, which led to working for Cycling Australia (now AusCycling). That’s what took me to the Olympics. And now I’ve come full circle and I’m back at UTS.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
That’s a fantastic journey. I love that you say your ideas changed along the way – I think that’s really important for young women. You don’t have to pick the end game right now.

For what it’s worth, I started as a freight forwarder after studying business at uni. Then I became a naturopath, then went into media. My parents are still asking when I’ll get a proper job. So pathways can be winding!

 
Sam – curiosity, stories and global travel
Sam, you’ve had a fascinating career already. I remember when I first met you and heard the different paths you’ve taken – and of course your connection with UCLA. Once upon a time I dreamed of playing basketball there; I didn’t have a green card and I wasn’t good enough, so that ruled that one out.

You’re a fantastic storyteller – how do you tell your own story?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Great question – and I’m actually quite nervous to do so.

The main foundation of my life so far – and I like to think I’m still at the beginning of it – is that I’ve always been a deeply curious person. I credit that to my family. We’re travellers, story-finders and storytellers.

From childhood we travelled a lot. At school I was involved in everything – sport, music, art and my studies. I was a huge history nerd. That genuine curiosity about other people’s stories – where they came from and how they got to where they are – has truly shaped everywhere I’ve been and everything I’ve loved doing.

It’s taken me around the world. I studied in the US at UCLA, as Steph mentioned. One of my first childhood dreams was to be an athlete. I was a sprinter for many years, and I played hockey. That sporting community really shaped my professional discipline and my ability to work in teams – it taught me how people get through hard moments and how their bodies and minds work, and the discipline required to train.

At UCLA I worked closely with the track and field team as one of their managers, seeing the ins and outs of training while navigating my own journey in sport. Years later I ran a marathon – which is a big leap when you’ve spent years training for 26 seconds, not 42 kilometres.

Being in the heart of Hollywood and Los Angeles, you can’t help but become curious about how stories are told. For me the most interesting connection was between people telling stories for blockbuster purposes and those telling stories for impact. That link between culture, community and sport is where I’ve ended up.

I moved back home during COVID and started working with a company called ACT.3, a global agency that works closely with brands like adidas. Our focus is on cultural storytelling – it’s taken me from South Africa to Dubai, the US and Europe, where I’ve seen how different cultures connect sport to community.

Looking back at my own experience at an all-girls school – which I now recognise as a point of privilege – I can see how sport kept me connected and confident. Seeing how different cultures encourage participation now is a big part of why I’m still so curious.

So for me it’s all about curiosity, global travel and the experience of community.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Great stuff, Sam. We’ll come back to brand and culture and how important that is for women’s sport. And you did mention how important your family has been – hello to the D’Souza family, I know you’re somewhere in the room. Great to have that support here today.

 
Libby – biomechanics and women in academia
Libby, you’re part of the cohort leading the charge in a space that’s become absolutely critical to female athletes – and that connection between sport and academia seems obvious now, but probably wasn’t when you started. I’m guessing there weren’t many women in that space when you came through?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Yes, that’s correct.

I came into sport science and academia in a similar way to Katie – by following my interests more than anything else. I came to UTS straight out of high school to do Human Movement Studies, which is now Sport and Exercise Science, because I played sport growing up and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do for a job.

I knew I didn’t want to be a PE teacher, but I enjoyed the degree. During my undergraduate study I got a tap on the shoulder about doing an honours year – I didn’t really know what that was either – but I did it, was exposed to research and realised I really enjoyed it. That led into a PhD.

Not long after finishing my PhD, I was fortunate to get an academic position here at UTS, in what’s now the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation. At that time – about ten years ago – I was one of seven staff in the school and the only woman.

It’s changed a lot since then. The school has grown immensely and we’re now at about 37% women. So the landscape has really shifted in a decade.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Fantastic. We’ll talk more about where your research has led you in a moment.

 
Sport–academia partnerships
Libby’s story leads nicely to the link between sport and academia that Leah mentioned – particularly the UTS and Cricket NSW partnership.

Leah, what impact are you seeing from that collaboration?

LEAH POULTON:
I think it’s incredibly important in sport to have an open mind and to bring in information from as many spaces as possible. If you’re not open and exploring different possibilities, you very quickly get overtaken – other people just go straight past you.

Innovation and looking for new ways to do things is critical. Partnerships are a big part of that. We partner with other sporting organisations, businesses, and universities – and the partnership with UTS has been wonderful.

At UTS, the people are just as passionate about women’s sport as we are, but they bring different expertise. One really cool example is Project 130, which I know Libby can explain in more detail.

In women’s cricket, the fastest bowler in the world at the moment is around 125km/h – Shabnim Ismail, who’s playing for the Thunder. There’s a gap between what women bowl and what men bowl. We don’t always use men as the yardstick of where we need to get to, but we know we haven’t yet reached the limits of what’s possible for women.

So our partnership with UTS is about asking: How can women bowl faster? What training modalities do we need? Should we focus on strength, power, technique – or different things at different ages? What sort of physical profile should we look for?

I know those questions are important, but I don’t know the detailed “how”. That’s where Libby and the UTS team come in.

The partnership is really exciting. When young players come in and we say, “This is what we’re doing – do you want to be part of this project?” their eyes light up. It helps them see what’s possible.

And it’s not just for Cricket NSW. This kind of research will be a huge asset for the global sporting community. There’s not enough research on female athletes full stop, and projects like this help people imagine what’s possible.

 
(The conversation continues into UTS research, AI, biomechanics, sponsorship, participation, keeping girls in sport, global comparisons and audience Q&A. If you’d like, I can clean the next section – from Katie’s description of “training quality” and AI, through Libby’s biomechanics explanation and Sam’s sponsorship/brand discussion – in the same style as above.)
 
You said:
is this the full conversation as it doesn't end like this?
 
ChatGPT said:
 
Thought for 8s
 
Great catch – no, what I gave you before was not the full conversation. It cut off partway through.

Here’s a single, continuous, cleaned-up transcript from start to finish, including the Q&A and final thank yous. I’ve:

Kept everyone’s meaning and order.
Removed “ums”, doubles, and obvious stumbles.
Fixed names, titles and basic punctuation.
Left it in a natural spoken style you can use for captions / web.
 
Global Game Changers – Episode 3
Rewriting the playbook: women leading the future of sport
Full cleaned transcript

STEPHANIE BRANTZ (Host):
Well, good evening. Let’s get underway. Lovely to see everyone here in the room, and a warm welcome to everyone who’s joining us online, wherever you are. Great to have you here for our session, which is Global Game Changers, Episode 3: Rewriting the playbook – women leading the future of sport. We’ve got a super evening prepared.

I do want to say that we meet, whether online or in person, here on Gadigal land, and I acknowledge all the Traditional Owners of the lands wherever you’re joining us from. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and those who hold the continuing cultural and spiritual connection to Country. I extend that to everyone of Aboriginal, First Nations and Torres Strait Islander descent who is joining us today, wherever you may be.

Great to have you here. We’ve got a wonderful session ahead. I’ve got an all-star panel here to my left. My name is Steph Brantz and I’m basically the traffic conductor – I’m guiding the conversation. All the expert intel is coming from these four fabulous women.

I’m sure you’re all aware that women are transforming sport – from science to coaching to global event leadership, alongside leading researchers, coaches, players and athletes. The growth has been extraordinary. Tonight we’re going to hear and explore how women are driving high-performance innovation, shaping major events and changing the future of sport.

We’ll look at sport science, biomechanics, coaching, delivery of global tournaments, and how we’re rewriting the sport playbook – how sport is played, led and studied. This conversation is celebrating those leading the charge, breaking barriers and challenging systems, and redefining what elite performance looks like.

Don’t look so nervous, ladies – you are the experts in this space.

Through collaborations such as the UTS and Cricket NSW partnership, and international research in performance science, women are driving innovation and creating a smarter, more equitable future for sport – both on and off the field. That’s what we’re going to look at tonight.

Tonight’s panel brings together leaders shaping the future of sport – from high-performance coaching and research to representation and governance. I’m delighted to introduce our expert panel to you. I’m going to chat to them for about 45 minutes or so, but you’ll also have the opportunity to ask your questions.

We’re going to put up a QR code for our Slido questions. All you do is scan that and a question panel will come up. Please feel free to add any questions you want. Some of them I may be able to drop in during the conversation – I’ll keep an eye on them up here – and otherwise we have a dedicated session at the end to make sure we answer as many of your burning questions as we can.

But right now, let’s hear from this stellar panel.

 
Panel introductions
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
I’ll start with Leah Poulton on my left. She’s Head of Female Elite Cricket at Cricket New South Wales, leading programmes that develop the next generation of players and coaches. As I’m sure you’re aware, she’s a former Australian cricketer and a respected sports leader. She’s driving change in pathways, performance and participation across the women’s game in partnership with UTS and national high-performance networks.

Welcome, Leah Poulton.

LEAH POULTON:
Hi. Thanks for having me on.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Next to Leah, Dr Katie Slattery is a senior lecturer and researcher at UTS specialising in sport and exercise science. Her work explores athlete monitoring, performance and wellbeing. She’s helped shape global partnerships that bring UTS research to the highest levels of international sport.

Dr Katie Slattery.

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
Thank you.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
I’ve just realised how enormous my picture looks when we go in close-up!

Next, Samantha D’Souza – and I’ve just made you a doctor. Would you like to be one?

Samantha D’Souza is a Director at Women Sport Australia and a communications and strategy professional with more than 15 years’ experience across sport, media and culture. Sam’s work focuses on representation, sponsorship and the power of storytelling to drive visibility, advocacy and equity in women’s sport.

Welcome, Sam.

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Thank you.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Last, but 100 per cent not least, we do have another doctor – Dr Libby Pickering Rodriguez. Libby is a lecturer and researcher in biomechanics here at UTS, exploring how technology, movement and injury prevention shape high-performance environments. Her work bridges science and sport and helps create a more inclusive, evidence-based approach that improves training outcomes for athletes at all levels.

Welcome, Libby.

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Thank you.

 
“How did you get here?” – career journeys
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
All right, folks, I’ve set you up. Now it’s your turn to do some talking.

I’d like to start with each of you giving us a bit of insight into what you do – from your perspective – where it all started, and what that journey was like to get to the amazing roles you hold today.

Leah, I’ll start with you. The change in women’s sport surely can’t be more evident than when you reflect on your own career. How did that bring you to where you are now, and you must be looking at the changes since your playing days?

 
Leah – from player to administrator
LEAH POULTON:
Evening everybody.

When I started playing cricket, our crowds were about this size. I think I had about this many people come and watch us play when I represented New South Wales and Australia. For those in the crowd who follow women’s cricket now, it’s starkly different.

I think the biggest change is how mainstream women’s sport is now – and how visible. It’s easy to follow. You can pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV and see it. That’s very different to when I started.

My first role was as an athlete. I played for New South Wales for about 15 years and for the Australian women’s team for about eight. I had a day job, as most people did then – I was a school teacher. It was very common that all the women in our teams held down a job during the day and then trained at night. The commitment was the same, but the balance was very different.

When I finished as an athlete, that’s when I started working in cricket. I’ve held different high-performance coaching roles – with WBBL, the Australian pathway, and the NSW team. My current role is in administration, looking after elite female cricket in NSW: the Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder – who are competing in the WBBL at the moment; Sixers going pretty well, Thunder not so well – and our New South Wales pathway.

We have a big pathway across the state where kids from about 13 and up participate in our academy. That’s certainly the most fulfilling part of my role – working with those young players.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Well, you still have a day job – a very impressive one – giving back to the sport and driving high-performance athletes even further. Thank you, Leah.

 
Katie – curiosity about performance and a winding path
Katie, let’s talk about your career. You’ve been to the pinnacle with Olympic sport and your work with teams in that space. What was your pathway to high-performance work, and do you remember what sparked your interest in high performance and research?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
There was no single moment that sparked my interest, but if I think back, I’ve always been a little bit competitive as a kid and fascinated by the limits of human performance.

Growing up, my heroes were Rob de Castella and Lisa Ondieki – some of Australia’s best marathon runners. I would sit and watch the marathon as a kid. That’s where my love for understanding sport and optimising performance came from.

The steps along the way were mostly about learning what I didn’t want to do. I initially started an environmental engineering degree – I had no idea what that really meant, and I’m glad I never finished it. I tried outdoor education and realised I can’t really read a map and have no sense of direction. So that wasn’t ideal either.

Then I thought maybe sport science, maybe PE teaching. Then I remembered I wasn’t the best student myself, so maybe karma would get me if I became a teacher!

At the end of my sport science degree, Aaron – who’s here – said, “Have you thought about research? Would you like to do an honours degree?” I said, “I’ve got nothing better to do,” and it all started there.

Since then, I did my PhD in sport science, then worked at the NSW Institute of Sport, which led to working for Cycling Australia – now AusCycling – and that took me to the Olympics. Now I’m full circle back at UTS.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
That’s a super journey, Katie. I love that you say your opinion might change about what you want to do – I think that’s really important for young women. You don’t have to pick the end game right now.

I mean, I started as a freight forwarder, which was an unusual segue out of doing business at university, then became a naturopath when I qualified in health sciences, and then went into media. My parents are still asking when I’m going to get a “proper” job. So careers can move around a fair bit.

 
Sam – curiosity, stories and sport
Sam, you’ve had a fascinating career already. When I first met you, hearing the pathways you took – and your connection with UCLA – made me very jealous. I once dreamt of being a basketballer at UCLA. I didn’t have a green card and I wasn’t good enough, so that was that.

You’re such a fantastic storyteller. How do you tell your own?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Great question. I’m very nervous to do so.

The main foundation of my life so far – and I like to think I’m still at the beginning – is that I’ve always been a deeply curious person. I credit a lot of that to my family. We’re travellers, story-finders and storytellers.

From childhood, we travelled quite a lot. I was very involved in everything at school – sport, music, art and my studies. I was a huge history nerd. That genuine curiosity about other people’s stories – where they came from and what their pathway looked like – has shaped everywhere I’ve been and what I’ve loved doing.

It’s taken me around the world. I studied in the US at UCLA, as Steph mentioned. One of my first dreams in childhood was to be an athlete. I was a sprinter for many years, I played field hockey – that sporting community really shaped my professional discipline and my ability to work in teams.

It founded a lot of my love for people – understanding how they get through hard moments, how their bodies move and minds work, and the discipline needed to really train.

At UCLA, I worked closely with the track and field team as one of their managers. I saw the ins and outs of training, as well as navigating my own journey with sport. I ended up running a marathon many years later – going from training for 26 seconds to training for 42 kilometres is a bit of a leap.

Being in the heart of Hollywood and Los Angeles, you can’t help but be curious about how people tell stories. For me, the most interesting connections were between people telling stories for blockbuster purposes and those telling stories for impact.

That’s led naturally into my work now – very closely connected to sport. I moved back home during COVID and started working with a company called ACT.3, a global agency. We work closely with big brands like adidas, and our focus is to tell cultural stories. It’s taken me around the world – South Africa, Dubai, the US, Europe – seeing how culturally we connect sport to community.

Looking back at my experience at an all-girls school – which is a real point of privilege – I can see how sport kept me connected. Seeing how different cultures encourage participation today is a big part of why I still feel so curious.

So for me it’s all about curiosity, global travel, and the experience of community.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Great stuff, Sam. We look forward to hearing more about brand and culture and how important that is in the promotion of women’s sport.

You did mention how important your family has been – hello D’Souza family, I know you’re somewhere in this room. Great to have that support here today.

 
Libby – into biomechanics and changing the gender balance
Libby, you’re part of the cohort leading the charge in a space that’s become absolutely critical to female athletes. That connection between sport and academia seems obvious now, but probably not when you began. I’m guessing there weren’t many women in that space when you started?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Yes, that would be correct.

I came into sport science academia in a similar path to Katie – just following my interests more than anything. I came to UTS straight out of high school to do Human Movement Studies, which is now Sport and Exercise Science, because I played sport growing up and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do for a job.

I knew I didn’t want to be a PE teacher, but I did the sport and exercise degree and, through that, got a tap on the shoulder to do an honours degree afterwards – which I also didn’t really know about. I did honours, got exposure to research and realised I really liked it, so I continued on to a PhD.

Not long after my PhD, I was lucky enough to get an academic position on staff here at UTS in what is now the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation. At that time – about 10 years ago – I was one of seven staff, and I was the only female in our school.

Now it has grown, thankfully. I did the maths before – we’re at about 37% females. Our school has grown immensely overall, and the gender balance has improved significantly over that time.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Fantastic stuff. We’ll talk more about where your research has led you in a moment.

 
Partnerships – UTS and Cricket NSW
I want to come back to that sport–academia link, because it outlines perfectly the connection between UTS and Cricket NSW.

Leah, what impact are you seeing from this collaboration?

LEAH POULTON:
I think it’s so important in sport to have an open mind and get information from as many different spaces as possible. If you’re not open-minded and exploring different possibilities, you’ll be overtaken very quickly.

Innovation and exploring ways to do things differently is really important for us. Partnerships are critical. We have partnerships with other sporting organisations, with businesses, and our partnership with universities has been wonderful.

We’ve got a partnership with UTS where the people are just as passionate as we are about women’s sport, but they come at it differently. They have expertise that we don’t have.

One really cool example is Project 130. In women’s cricket, the fastest bowler is around 125km/h – that’s Shabnim Ismail, who’s playing for the Thunder at the moment. There’s a gap between what women are bowling and what men are bowling.

We don’t always use men as the yardstick – it’s not just “men do this, so we must do that”. But we know we haven’t yet reached our ceiling. There’s further growth there.

So the partnership with UTS is about looking at: How can women bowl faster? What training modalities should we implement? Should we focus on strength or power? Technique? At what ages and levels? What sort of physical profile are we looking for?

I know those things are important – I just don’t know how to do it. That’s where I need Libby’s help.

So the partnership we have is really exciting. When young kids walk through the door and you say, “Hey, this is something we’re doing – do you want to be part of this project?” you see their eyes light up – “Wow, is that possible?”

This isn’t just something that will be a huge asset to Cricket NSW. This is for the global sporting community. There’s not enough research on female athletes full stop – and projects like this help people think about what’s possible.

 
UTS research – training quality & AI
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Folks, thanks for your questions both in the room and online – keep them coming on Slido. I’ll get to as many as I can once we’ve talked through a few themes.

Katie, I want to keep that UTS theme going because your work sits at the intersection of research and real-world performance. What new developments are you seeing coming out of your work?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
One really cool thing we’re looking at now is a concept called training quality – where we’re not just asking what training you’re doing, but how well you’re doing it.

A lot of that came from not wanting to look at training from a single perspective, but zooming out and looking at the big picture. My experience as a sport physiologist was to care mainly about physical performance. Now we’re expanding to ask: What’s happening technically? Tactically? Mentally? What’s happening from a team cohesion perspective?

It sounds simple, but it’s a new step for our sport science research.

We’re also leveraging large language models and artificial intelligence – not only to capture traditional training metrics, but to draw in things like: what are coaches saying in their athlete debriefs? What are they saying to athletes during training? We’re using that to build a big-picture view of what happens in every training session.

 
Biomechanics – tech and AI making it practical
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Building on that, Libby, I want to ask you about your work in biomechanics because that gives us a glimpse into the future of sports science. When you hear Katie talk about technologies and methodologies, what are you seeing that’s redefining how we look at athletes?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
For those of you who may not know, biomechanics is essentially applying the laws of physics to the human body. We’re looking at how and why we move.

We can apply that in sport – for technique analysis, force profiles and so on. I think biomechanics is having a bit of a moment, if I may say so. That’s largely driven by recent technological advances.

Traditionally it was very process-heavy. While physiologists might take a lactate sample or a heart rate and get results straight away, we’d go and do a movement analysis and then spend hours post-processing to get accurate joint angles or velocities.

Now AI has come in and there’s been a lot of advancement that takes a lot of the grunt work out of analysis. It’s making biomechanics much more accessible across the sporting landscape, which means we can access more data and actually apply it in practical settings.

It’s one thing to say, hypothetically, “Fast bowlers should bowl with a straighter front knee.” But if they can’t address that in training – if they have to come into a lab to get that assessed – it’s much harder to implement.

New tools like AI pose estimation make this kind of analysis more accessible, so we can have real-world impact.

 
Storytelling, brands and the money question
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
It’s not just about the women working in the science; it’s also about creating the best culture and performance environment for athletes – particularly female athletes – and making sure the stories are told.

Sam, put on your brand and culture hat. What’s critical in making sure that female athletes – and the work these women are doing – is supported and publicised?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
I think the answer a lot of people skirt around here is money. It’s the thing we all need to talk about more.

I’m sitting next to three incredible academics and professionals who are working day in, day out with athletes and sporting codes, seeing the hard work and discipline that goes into this. But from a cultural perspective, I recently hosted a panel on “cultural currency” and “cultural capital” – how do we gain it? Because it holds huge value in the media and stories we consume.

The way we obtain that, as storytellers or brands or organisations like Cricket NSW, is that we need money to invest in visibility – to invest in the athletes who are front and centre, performing and working so hard for their teams and communities.

The value of women’s sport, based on the statistics and the research and investment we’re seeing, is becoming more obvious. The commercial opportunity is clearer.

I was looking at some data earlier today – I went into deep statistical nerd mode – but this year we’re going to surpass something like $2.35 billion in global revenue for women’s sports, which is around a 200% increase on what we saw a couple of years ago. That shows this is not just a DEI or CSR add-on. It’s a growing industry – a very fast-growing industry.

If you’re commercially minded and smart in business, you’ll invest your money in sport – and not just into the stories, but into the research, the codes, the programming and the infrastructure.

Because that $2.35 billion is out of a half-trillion-dollar global sports industry – there’s a lot more opportunity to grow.

 
Has the money followed the Matildas?
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
I want to take one of the questions from Slido. The FIFA Women’s World Cup broke so many viewership records. Has the sponsorship money followed? What needs to change for the commercial reality to match community interest? How do you tie those two things together?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
I want to talk carefully about this, because the FIFA Women’s World Cup was one of the greatest things to happen in this local market. Did everyone go to a match? Hands raised? I went to several.

The young 16-year-old athlete inside me was so touched and emotional. I think many people – regardless of age or gender – felt that. One of my favourite memories was after the quarter-final against France. We’d beaten them, and the next morning in a café I heard an older man behind me reliving every statistic of the game. I’d never heard that kind of detailed excitement about a women’s tournament from an older man before.

The credit to the teams around that – Football Australia, everyone involved – is so well deserved and so important.

It’s now almost 2026, and the mistake we’ve made is putting too much emphasis on one tournament to carry several years of legacy. There are many other sports – we’re talking about cricket today, athletics, so many codes in Australia and globally.

The legacy plan after these events is just as important as the event itself. What we’re still seeing is:

Women’s sport makes up maybe 10–15% of the sponsorship bracket of a $113 billion sponsorship industry.
To keep growing, we need brands to invest not just in the “firework” moments – the World Cups, Euro Championships, Champions League finals – but in long-term commitments: athlete contracts, programming, research, infrastructure.
From a commercial lens, if I’m a brand deciding how to sponsor teams, I’m not just looking at short-term return – although the return can be high. It’s about the long-term effect on grassroots.

In Victoria, for example, the Office for Women and Girls in Sport did research (they’ve since been defunded in the latest budget, disappointingly) showing that in the next 15 years women’s sport could be a $49 billion industry in Australia. It’s growing rapidly on home turf, but we’re also seeing the highest rates of girls dropping out of sport in their teenage years.

Around 60% of girls after 15 consider dropping out or stop participation. Forget elite pathways – they’re not even staying in community sport. So if I’m a brand, it’s not just about big events – it’s about the girl in regional NSW, WA, Tasmania who’s thinking about never touching a football again because of body image, lack of infrastructure, or feeling like it’s not for her.

Big brands have enormous power to impact that whole pipeline – from grassroots to elite. The brands doing it well are investing in women’s sport as a long-term, strategic part of their business, not just a short-term campaign.

 
Coaching and the female Level 2
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
We need to bring that investment and legacy down to a granular level, and I think that’s starting to happen with initiatives like the all-female Level 2 coaching programme.

Leah, that’s breaking new ground. What’s driving that shift?

LEAH POULTON:
I think it’s an appetite to do things differently. The Level 2 coaching example is a really good one because, although there’s lots of great change in women’s sport, coaching is one area that hasn’t kept pace.

It breaks my heart to say that as a former school teacher and coach, but women in coaching are really lagging. There aren’t enough female coaches working in women’s sport, and very few working in men’s sport.

The Level 2 coaching course hadn’t changed much from when I did it about 15 years ago. When I did mine, I was the only woman in the course. Year after year, I’d look in and see the same demographic – men, maybe one woman.

We asked, “What’s going on here?” The feedback from women was that they didn’t think it was for them. When the course was promoted, it just sounded like a generic Level 2. It wasn’t obvious they belonged in that space.

So our coaching team said, “Let’s run one specifically for women.” Then there’s no ambiguity. And what do you know – we had about 20 women sign up within days. All they needed to know was that it was for them.

So I think it’s about being willing to do things differently and try things. One of our values at Cricket NSW is imagination. It’s a great way to approach problems: this isn’t working, we’ve tried the same thing on repeat and we’re not getting different results – how can we imagine doing it differently?

 
Australia vs overseas
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Looking across the sporting landscape, how does Australia compare with the progress overseas? Are there things we can learn from other markets?

LEAH POULTON:
Definitely. The good thing is that Australia is in a real leadership position in women’s sport. The way we’ve led investment in women’s sport is something to be proud of.

But, as we know, in sport you can’t rest on that. I look at the investment Cricket Australia has made in the women’s team for so long – we’ve been leaders in that space.

But then you look at the Women’s Premier League in India. They flicked a switch and decided to do it well, and all of a sudden they’ve gone from being the second league in the world to the first – like a rocket.

England is another example. They lagged behind in women’s cricket for a long time, and then someone in a boardroom clearly said, “We have to do this better.” With investment, things can happen very fast.

The good news for us is that we are leading in lots of spaces. Sport science is one where we’re really strong. I did a study tour to the US a few years back – we visited universities, colleges, professional sporting organisations, lots of baseball because it transfers well to cricket.

We went in saying, “What can you tell us about this and that?” and they turned around and said, “Well, what can you tell us? We should be learning from you. Australians do sport science better than anyone. How can you help us?”

So we come from a position of leadership in many spaces – but you can’t sit on that. You have to keep moving.

 
Research standards and doing it “right”
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Katie, we “do it better than anyone else” according to Leah. Talk to us about the research space – where does Australia sit in that narrative?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
I think we do a lot of things very well, and that’s been led by strong work done by the Australian Institute of Sport. Pioneers like Chris Gore and Louise Burke really started the idea of applied sport science research – looking at what’s happening in the real world and trying to answer questions systematically.

We continue to do that well. Now we’re not only thinking, “How can we look at what’s happening on the field or track?” but also “How can we apply rigorous research methods to better understand that?”

Here at UTS, for example, we have Professor Franco Impellizzeri in our school – he is intense and passionate about research quality. His attitude is: if we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it right and get the highest-quality answer to our research questions.

I think that’s what we’re doing better than anyone else at the moment – combining real-world relevance with genuine rigour.

 
Co-design and embedding students
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Libby, how do you see UTS research contributing to better outcomes, not just in the lab but for elite athletes?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Our approach is to answer questions that are driven by the real world. We try not to sit in an academic tower and invent the questions ourselves.

For the Cricket NSW–UTS partnership, for example, we have multiple studies underway from community level to high performance. One important thing is co-design with our industry partners.

So it’s not me and Katie sitting in a room deciding what Leah should do. We meet with Cricket NSW and ask, “What problems do you have? What questions are you grappling with?” Then we co-design research around that.

A really successful way to do that is to embed postgraduate students in industry. They have ownership at both UTS and within the partner organisation. They’re the eyes on the ground who can see everyday problems and opportunities that we can contribute to.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Does that help you shape how you apply the research?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Definitely. It’s one thing to find a statistically significant difference in, say, a joint angle between lower- and higher-performing athletes. But if the difference is, for example, five degrees, it might not be practically meaningful. Can we actually change that joint angle by five degrees in training?

That’s where talking to coaches and athletes is critical. Otherwise we risk going down a rabbit hole that can’t actually be addressed in the real world.

 
National bodies and co-leadership
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
How does that relate when you work with national sporting bodies? Katie, you’ve done a lot of work with them. How does UTS help bridge that divide?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
One way is through genuine co-leadership. I co-led a research project with Dr Jamie Stanley, who’s based at the South Australian Institute of Sport.

The power of co-leadership is that it’s not a “university project” or an “institute project” – it’s our project. As Leah said, we use each other’s strengths.

That also helps with implementation. The worst thing is to do a huge research project and have it sit in a journal article or a thesis that nobody uses.

We’ve done work on how interdisciplinary teams can work better together to support athletes. Because Jamie continues to work with coaches and has strong connections across the physiology network – institutes in NSW, Queensland and so on – he can say, “Hey, we’ve been working on this. Here’s something that may help you.”

Without that strong partnership and joint ownership, we wouldn’t have the research quality or the implementation pathway we have.

 
Sponsorship, brands and cultural shifts
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Sam, you like getting answers to big questions. Let’s talk about partnerships and sponsorship in women’s sport. What shifts are you seeing in investments in brands, athletes and work on and off the field?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
It’s a huge global industry, and growth has accelerated over the last few years, especially around big “firework” moments like World Cups, Euro Championships and so on.

One big shift I think is important is that brands you wouldn’t expect to be “enlightened” by women’s sport are waking up. We’re seeing financial companies investing, crypto companies, Cadbury backing women’s teams, Charlotte Tilbury sponsoring the F1 Academy.

There are great case studies of big brands sponsoring women’s teams. Another crucial change is in individual athlete contracts. Caitlin Clark’s Nike deal is one example – the biggest ever WNBA contract for a woman.

Compare that to the days when Allyson Felix left Nike because they had no maternity provision and were threatening to reduce her contract when she became pregnant. There are major shifts happening – not just in sponsoring and taking care of female athletes, but in prioritising women’s teams and competitions.

There’s still a lot of room to grow, as I mentioned before. There’s huge financial opportunity for big brands to get involved in this space, but that doesn’t discredit the work that’s been done so far.

Another under-used opportunity is local context and legacy. The global numbers are big, but in Australia the Office for Women and Girls in Sport – before being defunded – estimated women’s sport could be a $49 billion industry over the next 15 years.

At the same time we’re seeing high dropout rates among girls in their teens. When I think about this as a brand, I’m not just thinking about the return on sponsoring a national team – I’m thinking about the long-term impact on that girl in regional NSW or WA deciding whether to stay in sport.

The brands that get it right are connecting the commercial story with the participation story – they’re investing in visibility and in the research, the codes, the infrastructure and pathways.

 
Who’s doing women’s sport well globally?
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
If you cast your mind around the world, who do you think does women’s sport well, Sam?

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Australia does an amazing job in many ways, though there’s still more to do.

Internationally, I’ve been really inspired by what’s happening in Europe around big tournaments like the UEFA Women’s Euro. There were lots of attendance records broken. Simple things like changing traffic lights in Switzerland to show a woman kicking a football during the tournament – it sounds small, but it signals commitment.

I was in Lisbon during the Women’s Champions League final. UEFA hosted a business case summit for women’s football at the same time – bringing top leaders together to talk about long-term strategy. A lot of the panellists were men working in the industry, which is also important – it shows shared responsibility.

In the Middle East, there’s interesting work around women’s races and providing appropriate kit for elite sportswomen to compete in a way that’s respectful of their cultures and religions. It’s complex, but it’s progress.

Everywhere has growth and cultural navigation to do, but those are a few highlights.

 
Keeping girls in sport
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
I want to pick up a question from the audience and start with you, Leah. Are you working on how to keep young girls in sport? Statistically, one in five girls aged 10–16 consider dropping out due to period issues.

LEAH POULTON:
The short answer is yes. We’re absolutely conscious of the dropout rates and always looking at ways to improve them.

It’s layered – there are lots of reasons why girls fall out of love with sport, or just choose to do something else. In cricket, I think one of the biggest things is selling the social benefits, not just the physical benefits.

We’ve got this beautiful game that goes for a really long time where people sit around talking. That social side is a big selling point.

We’re doing a piece of work with UTS at the moment on our female pathway – girls aged 13 and up – looking at their experiences and hearing directly from them. I think a lot of administrators assume they have the answers, but a lot of answers sit within the community.

We’ve just done a whole lot of work listening to kids and their parents, understanding what they want and how we can improve. We’ll release the findings early next year.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
How do you define what keeps girls in the sport when you go between participation and high performance?

LEAH POULTON:
I think those pathways are quite muddled, especially in the younger age groups. We talk about “pathways to participation” and “pathways to performance”, but when you’re 12, 13, 14 you don’t really know which one you’re in.

The important thing is to make sure we have pathways with lots of entry and re-entry points. If you’re a 13-year-old who really wants to be an elite cricketer but it doesn’t pan out that way, there still need to be great offerings for you.

We also get late bloomers. Some kids take it up because their friends do and then, at 15 or 16, think, “Actually, I’m pretty good at this.” That happens – and we need ways for those kids to get into the elite pathway too.

So I’d say pathways to performance and participation weave in and out of each other.

 
Longevity and female-specific issues
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Katie and Libby, is part of your research involved in helping give longevity to female athletes’ careers?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Not always directly, but a lot of what Katie talked about – interdisciplinary work, listening to athletes’ perspectives as well as physical data – contributes to that.

I also think there have been lots of small steps on topics like the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum return to sport and so on. It’s multifaceted.

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
From my own experience working with athletes at that transition point – from high school into high performance – it’s tough. You go from being told what to do by parents and school to having to drive your own career.

With the female athletes I worked with, a big part of supporting them was building belief: yes, you can do this – this can be a career.

Ten or fifteen years ago, women had to self-fund just to race in some sports. Now they can have professional contracts. That makes the conversation easier.

There’s also good research and resources now – the AIS Female Performance & Health Initiative, for example. It has free online resources and workshops for female athletes on topics like the menstrual cycle, contraception, pregnancy, peri-menopause and so on.

Those sticking points – “I don’t want to play because of my period” – are becoming less of a barrier, because there’s more information and support.

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
I agree. There’s still a way to go, but we’ve taken lots of baby steps.

Even in our own project with fast bowlers, we’ve heard things that weren’t in the study design but came up in conversation – like a younger girl telling me she prefers one-day cricket because the uniform is coloured, not white, so she’s less worried about wearing it when she has her period. That’s such a small, practical change that can make a big difference.

Netball is another example – umpires historically had to wear white, and now they can wear black skirts, which is much more comfortable for many women.

And then there’s maternity. Netball Australia now pays maternity leave. We’re seeing more examples of women having children and returning to elite sport, which sends a powerful message.

 
Avoiding the 0.001% trap
SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
Just to add – we’ve put a lot of weight on athletes like Mary Fowler, Elise Perry and others as role models. It’s amazing that they’re getting that visibility, but that’s a lot of pressure on one individual or team.

We need diversity in who we spotlight. The Matildas have carried a huge weight since 2023. The spotlight should include the less visible stories – the challenges, the practical barriers – as well as the glamorous bits.

We should be showing the full picture, not just the 0.001% at the very top.

 
Inclusive sport, disability, and everyday people
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
We have a question here on inclusive sport: does sport research transfer back to community and society by helping people with life issues or disabilities? Can sports science help people live better, more successfully?

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
Yes, absolutely.

Within our school, for example, we have a Clinical Exercise Physiology stream, which focuses on exercise for clinical populations. That’s one way we contribute directly to health and disability outcomes.

In terms of high-performance sport, there’s still a lower percentage of research with female participants and with athletes with disabilities, so that’s an area that needs growth. But it’s not just about research – there’s also sport science servicing.

Research relies on large sample sizes and statistical significance, which can be difficult in para-sport because each athlete is so unique. But the servicing we do – such as preparing athletes for heat or individualised performance work – still draws on sport science principles and benefits those athletes.

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
And a lot of high-performance technology eventually filters down into everyday life. How many people here have Fitbits or Garmins? Without high-performance sport, nobody would be wearing those.

Tools like GPS tracking, heart-rate monitoring, physical activity wearables – they were originally developed for high-performance environments and are now used in general health and fitness.

 
The research gap – men vs women
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Katie, there’s a question about the gap between research into female sport and male sport. How do you see that?

DR KATIE SLATTERY:
Historically, we started on the back foot. Early in my research career the standard was just to research males, because – to put it bluntly – they were seen as “easier”. You didn’t have hormonal fluctuations to control for. That’s obviously a simplistic view, but it was a common one.

Thankfully, that’s changing. There’s much more research into female athletes now, and importantly we’re realising that women are not just small men. That statement from Stacey Sims has been quite revolutionary – it’s shifted mindset.

People now understand you can’t just see what happens in men and directly apply it to women. There’s still debate about the best ways to research female athletes, but we’re on a much better track.

DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
There’s definitely been a historical lack of female participants in sport science research. One paper that looked at 20 years of sport science research found female participants somewhere below 20%.

It’s multi-factorial. Female physiology was seen as “too complex”, so it ended up in the too-hard basket. There’s also participation: if fewer women are in high-performance pathways or professional sport, there’s a smaller pool to recruit from.

Professional male sport has had more money for longer, so there are existing data sets – GPS, wellness scores, performance tests – that researchers can use. Women’s sport is catching up, but the legacy gap is real.

The good news is that awareness of these issues has grown, and we’re seeing concerted efforts to close the gap.

 
Behaviour standards and double standards
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Leah, we have a question about standards of behaviour: is there a double standard between women and male athletes for on- and off-field behaviour?

LEAH POULTON:
As the profile of women’s sport increases, there will be more attention on female athletes’ lives and conduct. If you have a hero – someone you look up to – you want to see them behaving well.

As more female athletes become idols, there’ll be more scrutiny. I’m not sure yet whether it’s a double standard, but I certainly think the spotlight is growing.

 
Hosting major events in countries with poor human rights
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
We’ve got a few minutes left and four or five questions a lot of people want answers to.

One is: Should countries with poor human rights records against women or minority groups be allowed to host major international sporting events?

Ten seconds or less – Sam, I’m looking at you!

SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
You’re really putting me on the spot.

I don’t think there’s a simple answer. I’m not going to make a big political statement, but I do think strategies behind hosting decisions and legacy planning have to be anchored in genuine desire to see change.

If values are aligned and there’s a real plan – backed by action – to improve conditions for women and minority groups, there’s potential for sport to be a force for change.

I’ve travelled to places like Saudi Arabia multiple times to observe women’s football programmes, and there are real opportunities being opened up. So it’s complex. The key is whether the intention and investment are genuine, not just for show.

 
Getting your foot in the door – careers in sport
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Several questions relate to getting your foot in the door:

“I’ve created a proposal to promote equitable access for women in motorsport. Without industry connections, how can I effectively pitch it and be taken seriously?”
“Is it who you know?”
“How do you get into these careers?”
So from your perspective, what’s your takeaway for the group – online and in the room – about how to be who you want to see?

Who’d like to start?

 
Leah – real-world experience and volunteering
LEAH POULTON:
I can start.

The biggest one for me is: it doesn’t have to be paid industry experience. When we recruit at Cricket NSW, a real separator is real-world experience.

It doesn’t have to be that you’ve worked in sport before, or that you’ve been an elite athlete. But if you’ve volunteered somewhere, if you can show that you’re passionate through some kind of practical involvement, that’s a big plus.

So things like volunteering with local clubs, helping at events, being involved in community programmes – they show initiative and commitment.

 
Katie – don’t be put off being “the only woman in the room”
DR KATIE SLATTERY:
My biggest piece of advice is: don’t not do something just because you’re the only girl in the room.

That’s been my philosophy. I’m often the only woman, and I’ve never let it bother me. In fact, I’ve used it to my advantage throughout my career.

 
Sam – ask people their stories
SAMANTHA D’SOUZA:
My favourite thing to do when I meet new people is ask them what their story is. I can tell I’m a storyteller!

My best example is actually Steph. When I came back to Australia from living overseas, I asked Steph to join a panel we were hosting during the World Cup. I chased her down afterwards while she was trying to escape and said, “Can I take you to lunch? I’d love to pick your brain about your story.”

Since that lunch, she has opened doors for me all over the sporting industry in Australia.

So the biggest thing that’s changed my career is sitting down with people I admire, asking them about their journey – with genuine curiosity, not just an ulterior motive. In sport especially, you never know who you’ll meet or what it will inspire.

STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Can I just say, after I heard Sam’s story I wanted to be Sam – and then I topped it off by throwing my coffee all over her, which was unintentional but clearly memorable!

 
Libby – chase your interests, not a fixed job title
DR LIBBY PICKERING RODRIGUEZ:
I think a big piece of advice for getting your foot in the door is to set your sights on your interests rather than chasing a specific job title.

That was reflected in all our opening stories. We chased our interests. I didn’t know what my job would be when I left school.

If you follow what genuinely interests you and stay curious, opportunities appear that you might not have imagined. Say yes to things. Stay open.

LEAH POULTON:
Can I add a very Australian version? Have a crack. Just have a go.

What do you lose if you don’t? I’ve had six jobs so far and I’ll get to my “real” job one day!

But seriously – you’ll find something you love, or a part of something you love. As the saying goes, if you’re doing something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.

 
Closing
STEPHANIE BRANTZ:
Ladies, you’ve been absolutely amazing. It’s been wonderful to share a piece of your stories, your pathways and your journeys.

Folks, can I ask you to please show your appreciation for Dr Libby Pickering Rodriguez, Samantha D’Souza, Dr Katie Slattery and Leah Poulton.

Thank you very much to everyone who’s joined us – in the room and online. Thank you to Ness for organising today, and I hope to see all of you out there pursuing your passions into the future.

Thank you for joining us on Global Game Changers.