Pay increases kickstart girls’ sporting ambitions Are improvements in pay in women’s sport, such Knowing that there are now pathways to achieve is a bonus. as the Matildas’ recent success, influencing the Especially within the women’s space, there haven’t always participation of girls in physical activity at school? Staff been many stepping stones to the highest level. There’s still and students at St Francis Xavier College in ACT speak a long way to go but it’s really exciting to see where women’s out, Sue Osborne writes. sport in general is going”. Kelly Candy, Physical Education teacher, said: “I feel, every Jorja Simpson , Year 9 student and AFL player, said: time an opportunity opens up for women to play sport at “Certainly, I think young girls can see that there are massive the highest level, for example, WBBL, WAFL and Super opportunities for them, and this makes them want to get Netball, girls are lifted and know there are more involved in sports. These pay increases are so opportunities for them. The win for the Matilda’s for the growth of women’s sport”. “The win for beneficial is a win for all women, especially young women. Abbie Bailey, Year 9 student and touch football the Matilda’s player, said “I would love to play Rugby 7s for I believe it will influence participation at a school level as it is becoming more socially acceptable one day just like my idol, Charlotte is a win for Australia for girls to play a wide range of sports and with a Caslick. She started off with touch and now plays career pathway visible, it can only encourage more all women, for Australia in 7s. I used to never think women girls to play the sport they love”. sport got featured as much as men but now, especially in Samantha Stevens, Health and Physical because of the increased popularity of sports like Education Coordinator, said: “These AFL and rugby, women have been treated a lot young improvements to women’s sport must be having better. The sporting future for women is going to women.” a positive impact on girls participating in sports. be much bigger. I also think many mums don’t I remember speaking to a group of Year 9 girls want their daughters playing rough sports and a few years ago and discussing how exciting it is that many think rugby is a guy’s sport. I think the pay never really professional sport is a viable option for these students. And stopped many females playing the sport they did until they to have Maggie Gorham selected in the AFLW draft just found out how much the men got paid compared to the shows what some of our students are capable of”. women! That was a huge reason for females to stop the sport Maggie Gorham, recent graduate, said “I think when young they loved. But now that in some (hopefully all sports in the kids see that there could be a career in sport, it motivates future) men and women get paid equally, it gives women in them to give sport a go and see what they might be good at. sport hope”.
34 | independent education | issue 1 | Vol 50 | 2020
