On Sunday, 24 July a group of 19 passionate, forward-thinking women attended the first face-to-face Women Leaders in Tennis Program Workshop at the State Tennis Centre.
Led by Tennis Australia’s Women and Girls Lead – WA Christina Ladyman and facilitated by Julie Hillier, the engaging and interactive workshop explored a range of topics to help build participants’ leadership skills, confidence and encourage a community of like-minded female leaders in tennis.
The Women Leaders in Tennis Program was sparked by the underrepresentation of women in community leadership roles in tennis and aims to provide women with the skills and opportunities to take on leadership roles at the community level both on and off the court. Ensuring an equal voice for women and direct involvement in decision making, the program also connects existing and prospective women leaders in tennis to inspire a more diverse and inclusive future of the sport.
Ladyman said Tennis Australia was committed to increasing and supporting women leaders in tennis and reminded attendees why it was important to have these discussions with those who could make meaningful change.
“Our vision is that there are no limits for women and girls on and off the court,” Ladyman said.
“While Tennis is leading the way with significant achievements over the past 50 years, such as being the leading professional sport for women, equal prize money and strong representation on the Tennis Australia and Member Association Boards, there is more work to be done. Women are underrepresented in community leadership with just 26% of club presidents being women.
“It is important women take on leadership roles to ensure women and girls have an equal voice and can influence decision making at the community level on and off the court.”
Aiming to both retain and increase the number of women and girls in community leadership roles, the Program consists of formal learning opportunities, networking and mentoring delivered over four months, including two face-to-face workshops and self-paced online sessions. The Program graduates will gain a vast range of learning and experiences within the leadership domain as well as mentoring and support to continue to drive the conversation of gender equality in all facets of the sport.
For more information about Women Leaders in Tennis, please visit www.tennis.com.au/wa/clubs/women-leaders-in-tennis-program
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