

The NSWRL Women In Sport Leadership (WISL) program is a stepping stone to having more females take on top roles in sporting bodies across all codes, not just Rugby League, according to Chief Executive David Trodden.
Trodden spoke at a graduation dinner at NSWRL’s Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park last night, where 19 women from 10 different sports received their certificates following the completion of a 20-week course last December.
Other guests included NSWRL Chair Paul Conlon, Board members Carolyn Campbell, Bob Walsh and Joe Kelly, CEOs of various state and national sport federations, and University of New England (UNE) Partnerships CEO, Ben Gilmore. The NSWRL-funded program is run in conjunction with UNE Partnerships.
“Equity in governance of sporting organisations is extremely important, especially now,” Trodden said.
“It was mandated by the federal government last year that sports boardrooms across the country have to have more women at the table or risk funding being withdrawn.
“The major part of that issue is providing women with the talents, initiative and confidence to take on these roles.
“That’s what this program seeks to do – equip them with the skills so they can grasp the opportunities that are coming.”
The four-month professional development course included face-to-face workshops supported by individual coaching sessions, and group webinars to assist participants to complete assessment in two modules, which gives them nationally-recognised credits towards a Diploma or Certificate IV in Leadership and Management.
Ciara O’Shea, Bowls NSW Events and Communications Coordinator, said it was easy to pinpoint what she would take forward in her career.
“The first module on emotional intelligence really set us up for the whole course being a huge opportunity for growth,” she said.
“It made us more self-aware and to help regulate our emotions so we can translate that into the work field.
“The course definitely challenged me and coming out of events for me, I feel more confident, more self-aware, made some really good contacts.”
Women in Sport Leadership Program Graduation Dinner
Rachel Herrick, Basketball NSW Program Manager Women and Girls, said she was “a changed woman” after doing the course.
“Absolutely. The biggest change is the greater awareness I have of myself,” she said.
“It’s made me a better person in my personal life as well as how I show up for my job. It will make interactions and conversations at work more beneficial.
“The piece around emotional intelligence – that self-reflection, self-motivation almost made me feel like a camera was following me around recording how I did things.
“That self-reflection can be hard and challenging. But I also think that to make change you have to have that hard confrontation with yourself first before you can be that better person.
“Throughout the course I feel I sharpened my set of tools and I’m ready to tackle 2025.
“The people I met on the course as well have given me a great life connection. We’re all in different sports but we’re all aiming for the same thing – to make a real contribution.”
Since it began four years ago, 62 women from 23 sports, or sporting organisations, have completed the course.