Celebrating women and girls in sport

This International Women’s Day, the Melbourne Cricket Club Foundation spoke with the women and girls across our community who are shaping the future of sport, as players, participants, leaders, mentors and changemakers.

Finding confidence through sport

Ivy

For 15-year-old Ivy, a scholarship recipient supported through the SESF Foundation, lacrosse has become much more than a sport, it’s a place where she belongs.

A goalkeeper for Williamstown Women’s Lacrosse, Ivy thrives in the intensity of the position.

“I love that as a goalie I can see the play in real time and sometimes influence what happens next,” she said.

Surrounded by strong female role models, including her club president Sam, coach Nat and former Australian representative Colleen, Ivy has big ambitions.

“Playing for Australia is my dream.”

Despite multiple leg operations, Ivy continues to push forward, representing Victoria at state level and preparing to compete again at the Under 18 championships in Perth later this year. But for Ivy, the biggest impact of sport goes beyond competition.

“You can have things going on in life, but when you get together with your teammates you forget about it. A bunch of girls supporting each other all year round, it’s my happy place.”

Creating pathways for women and girls

Leyla

At a program level, leaders like Leyla, Head of Programs and Impact at the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, see firsthand how sport can help remove barriers for women and girls.

“Sport builds confidence, connection and belonging, but it’s important we keep asking women and girls whether the change is actually being felt on the ground.”

For many young women newly arrived in Australia, particularly from non-Western countries, sport can open doors to opportunities they may never have experienced before.

However, challenges remain, including language barriers, unfamiliar systems and families who may feel uncertain about sport in a new environment.

Programs like Team Up help address these challenges by creating welcoming and culturally safe environments for young women to try sport.

By engaging families early, offering women-only or beginner-friendly spaces and listening to what participants say they need, these initiatives help transform sport into something more powerful.

“When those structures are in place, sport becomes a pathway to belonging, confidence and opportunity.”

Building the next generation of leaders

Courtney

Courtney, Foundation Programs Lead at Cricket Victoria, said targeted programs are helping address one of the biggest challenges facing girls in sport, dropout during adolescence.

“We know the teenage years are a critical time when many girls leave sport.”

“Programs like the Girls Leadership Program are designed to build confidence, develop leadership skills and strengthen a sense of belonging within cricket.”

Led by Australian cricket legend and Australian Cricket Hall of Famer Belinda Clark, the Girls Leadership Program introduces participants to the many roles that exist beyond playing the game, including coaching, umpiring and club leadership.

Complementing this work, the Women & Girls Coaching and Umpiring Program is creating supported entry points for women to step into officiating and coaching roles.

“By creating clear and supported pathways into coaching and umpiring, we’re helping women and girls see themselves not only as participants in the game, but as leaders and decision-makers shaping its future,” Courtney said.