Some of the best in their chosen sports, Erin McKinnon (volleyball), Saskia Horley (cricket), Jayde Jensen (softball) and Simaima Taufa-Kautai (rugby league) were more than eager to discuss their careers and inspire students, before getting them to try some different sports.
Mayor Steve Christou said the “Girls Get Active” program was run by the council as part of the “Healthy Kids” initiative he started in 2019 and provides the opportunity for teens to engage with successful athletes both on and off the field, explore new sports, build confidence and be more active.
He hopes the program will encourage more girls to get involved in sport despite some of the challenges.
“Women have many more hurdles and challenges than their male counterparts,” he said.
“They excel on the field while balancing university studies and part time jobs. Women are still required to work other jobs, whereas many males can often play sport full time professionally.”
