From the Principal 

Dr Nicole Archard

Go the Girls!

If there ever was a pivotal moment in the history of women’s sport, now is it. It was only a few years ago that horse racing had greater representation in the media than women’s sport in total, and let’s not forget that in 2012, Black Caviar (a horse!) was named best female athlete of the year over Sally Pearson (an actual person) who won an Olympic gold medal in the 100 metre hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics (not to mention gold and silver medals at other Olympics and World Championships). 

At the recent World Swimming Championships, Australia dominated the pool winning 13 gold medals, higher than any other country. Of these 13 gold medals, 8 were won by women (four of which were world records), another gold medal and world record was also won in the mixed relay, so we might count this as 8.5 gold medals won by women.

Now let’s not forget about the recent Netball World Cup, which barely got a mention in the media, where the Australian Diamonds won for the 12th time! What an amazing achievement. 

This brings me to the current Women’s FIFA World Cup. In making the Quarter Final, not to mention the Semi Final, the Matildas have already outperformed the Socceroos, who have twice made it through to the final 16 but have not progressed past this point. This year, excitedly, the Matildas will be the first women’s football team in the world to receive the same pay as their male counterparts.

For the Matildas to have advanced to the Semi Final is an astonishing achievement and one in which the whole country has celebrated. This achievement has also seen a shift in the way we are speaking about and viewing women’s sport. We are no longer calling this women’s soccer, we are just calling it soccer, and astonishingly, more people tuned in to watch the Quarter Final and Semi Final, than any other male or female sporting event in Australian history, that’s inclusive of any AFL or NRL Grandfinal.   

So, are we there yet? Last week my granddaughter, who is only eighteen months old, participated in her first ever Tiny Tots football practice, you can imagine the fun and excitement of a dozen or so little toddlers all developing their gross motor skills by kicking and throwing balls and running through a maze of cones. However, out of that dozen or so cute little toddler group, all being introduced for the first time into the world of sport, my granddaughter was the only girl… 

But nevertheless, the Matildas are paving the way to address this inequity and inequality in girls’ and women’s sport. Congratulations to the Matildas, a nation is proud of you!

Dr Nicole Archard

Principal