Pre-seasons, pay deals and possible statues, what a week it’s been in women’s sport
Former Australian Diamonds captain Natalie von Bertouch details her top five moments in women’s sport this week. It comes as no surprise, she can’t stop smiling.
Women's sport
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Is it just me, or has this week felt particularly momentous for women’s sport? To commemorate the week just gone, here are my top five moments:
1. MATILDAS PAY DEAL:
This week’s Football Federation Australia announcement about the Australian men’s and women’s soccer teams having pay equity is almost beyond words.
The announcement means that Tier 1 Matildas players will earn $83,000 a year – the same as top Socceroos. How does this compare? In 2019, the top-earning Matildas were paid $55,000.
Congratulations to the FFA for making the call that women deserve equal pay for equal work; it is another example of sport taking the broader fight for equality to the next step.
2. THE THUNDERBIRDS GOT BACK TO WORK:
That’s what professional sport demands: the off-seasons are short. But as I continue as an assistant coach, what heartens me most is that our squad has only seen two changes for the 2020 season: Maisie Nankivell has been elevated to the squad and Lenize Potgieter has come in for the departing Maria Folau.
In 2014, nine out of 12 contracted T-Birds returned from the year before, but since that date it’s been a flurry of changes, so it’s great to see so much stability with our team because that’s the springboard for on-court success: on-court understanding and success is impossible without stability.
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I’m really excited about season 2020, new head coach Tania Obst established a game plan that was carried out in 2019 and will continue to be built on next season as the players understand what is required of them. We are no longer starting from scratch and that is a vital ingredient to success. Bring on 2020.
3. CRICKET’S ON A GOOD WICKET:
It’s exciting to see the Women’s Big Bash League’s “Big Weekend” venturing to Adelaide on Saturday and Sunday. Four teams – including the Strikers – will play three games at Karen Rolton Oval. I applaud Cricket Australia’s decision to turn the WBBL into a standalone event, entirely separate for the men’s Big Bash, which starts next month. What I like about this move is the faith CA is showing that the women’s game doesn’t need to piggyback with the men to get crowds and publicity. I encourage everyone to get along to the games – it’s free to get in! – because it’s a great opportunity to see these cricketers in action.
4. AFLW PRE-SEASON STARTS MONDAY:
I’ve been closing following our state’s female footballers on social media as they farewell their off-seasons in style and prepare for the AFLW’s pre-season period starting on Monday.
While it’s meetings until the first training session on November 25, I wish the Crows girls well as they mount their 2020 premiership defence and in particular the eight new players who have joined the side through the AFLW draft last month.
5. STATUE UPDATE:
And then to finish it all off, came word from the wonderful Basil Sellers – the businessman and philanthropist who has funded the majority of sporting statues at Adelaide Oval.
Over the past few weeks I’ve written about the need for a statue of a sportswoman to join the nine men who are immortalised in bronze at our sporting mecca.
While Mr Sellers’s criteria is strict and restricts the number of female athletes who fit (including that they have played on Adelaide Oval, are retired at least five years and are household names), I was very happy to read that he does believe a woman could be honoured some day.
Asked whether in time it would be possible to see a sportswoman statue around Adelaide Oval Mr Sellers said: “Oh, absolutely”. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later.
BUT NOW WHAT?
Of course, the challenge moving forward for women’s sport remains the same: people must come through the gates and fill the stands. They need them to watch on television. They need to read online articles about women’s sport so that the improved coverage continues. Support for our sportswomen takes many forms; may it continue to prosper.