Women’s sport to benefit from new heroes

When we consider who are Australia’s great female sports heroes, our focus naturally draws to our Olympic stars such as Cathy Freeman, Susie O’Neill and Sally Pearson, and tennis players such as Evonne Goolagong.

Apart from their brilliant sports performances, these amazingly talented stars competed and were seen by millions at events where Australian men also competed and become household names.

As we hurdle towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, more great female athletes will emerge and join the current batch of stars such as swimmers Caite and Bronte Campbell.

Now think who have been the past greats of women’s football, women’s cricket, women’s rugby and women’s AFL?

Not too many names come racing to mind do they.

It has only been in recent years where the media and public spotlight – outside of the quadrennial Olympic and Commonwealth Games sports – has seriously been focused on women’s sport.

And hasn’t it been terrific!

The growth in profile, together with the high standard of competition in sports such as women’s football, women’s cricket, women’s rugby and women’s AFL, has led to new female sports stars such as Elyse Perry, Alyssa Healy, Sam Kerr, Erin Phillips and Ellia Green and others becoming household names.

Despite the accelerating interest in elite women’s sport competitions and the growth in young girl’s sport participation, there is still an alarming drop-off rate when young girls become teenagers.

There are many social pressures on girls when they hit their teens, but the lack of female sports role models is one area which has hurt the growth of women’s sport.

Boys and young men live and breathe sport and aspire to become the next Cameron Smith, Buddy Franklin, Tim Cahill or Pat Cummins. Afterall, they are viewed regularly on live TV broadcasts and seen in news media and youngsters want to follow in their footsteps.

But have girls and young women previously had similar female role models? Probably not.

However, the current growth in profile in the W-League, AFLW, WBBL and SuperW competitions has seen the emergence of a new generation of female sports role models who are set to lead, galvanise and inspire the young girls of today to be the sports heroes of tomorrow.