+ Despite the global challenges of COVID-19 being severely disruptive to all planned sporting events and competitions, WSA maintained national prominence and influence in 2020 due to advocacy via social media channels, media interviews and podcasts. Social media followers continued to increase and WSA’s media releases and requests for media interviews resulted in WSA appearing in the media on multiple occasions.
+ WSA ran the Women in Sport Photo Action Awards (#WISPAA) for the second year in a row. Hundreds of images were submitted once more with 30 finalist images announced and both a professional and amateur winner crowned. A big thank you to 2020#WISPAA judges Federal Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck, author and journalist Samantha Lane, photographer Ryan Pierse and WSA President Carol Fox as well as partners AAP, ISPT, MMR and Quality Mind. In September WSA held a webinar online event with #WISPAA winners Michael Willson (professional) and Casey Sims (amateur).
+ WSA’s Women in Sport Mentoring Program continued to evolve in 2020. After a face-to-face workshop in Adelaide, the program pivoted to an online format to adapt to COVID-19. Three online programs took place with mentees able to place in the program from all across Australia. A bespoke leadership and mentoring program also took place for SA Country Basketball. We hope to be able to run networking events with these mentees in the new year.
+ WSA were involved in a wide range of events and forums both in-person early in the year and online later in the year. These events included the Governor of Victoria’s Australia Day reception, The ICC T20 Women’s World Cup on International Women’s Day, Change Our Game Community Sport Symposium in Victoria, Sport Australia National Integrity Forum, Gymnastics Victoria Women In Sport Breakfast, the Melbourne Press Club Moving the Goal Posts webinar and the Sports Management Association of Australia and New Zealand Online Conference.
+ WSA’s board was strengthened with several new Board Directors – Samantha Culbert, Stefan Grun, Hanna Heptinstall, Tamatha Harding and Cherie Nicholl. In October, Carol Fox retired from the Board with Gen Simmons elected into the position of President, Rebecca Read appointed Deputy Chair, David Bond was re-elected Treasurer and Tamatha Harding became Secretary.
