A motorsport driver, a sports tech startup CEO, a rowing coach, a football match official, a sports podcast founder, a basketball club treasurer and a remote sports administrator are the inaugural recipients of the Women Sport Australia (WSA) Shona Joy Scholarship.

WSA and Australian-owned fashion brand Shona Joy launched The Shona Joy Scholarship last month to make career development opportunities more readily available for women working in sport across Australia.

The scholarship includes fully subsidised participation in the WSA Women in Sport Mentoring Program which features a three-hour leadership workshop and one-on-one mentoring sessions with a senior leader, a 12 month WSA Membership and access to WSA networking and events.  

“Access to additional resources such as this mentoring program enables me to put funds back into my own racing, meaning more time to showcase motorsport as a pathway for women in sport, in that they can be successful, strong and fearless,” said WA scholarship recipient Laura Byrnes.

With a total of eight Shona Joy Scholarships available, one for each State and Territory, the selection panel of Shona Joy General Manager Danielle Millar, WSA President Gen Simmons and Mentoring Program facilitator Carol Fox had a challenging time reviewing applications and selecting the successful recipients.

“There was a fantastic selection of women from a variety of roles within the sports industry who applied for the scholarship. The women we have selected are incredibly well deserved with the potential to thrive in the sporting industry, said Danielle Millar.

WSA President Gen Simmons agreed about the quality of the applicants and expanded on how the recipients were selected.

“We really tried to look for women who were going above and beyond with their commitment to their role in sport and particularly those who were volunteering or doing things on the side of other jobs. The recipients we’ve chosen all tick those boxes,” said Gen Simmons. 
 
The 2021 Shona Joy Scholarship recipients are:

ACT: Delfina Dimoski – Capital Football (Match Official/ Capital Football Zone Council Member)

NSW:  Alicia Nagle – Zonely (Founder & CEO)

NT: Leanne Bennett – Northern Territory Rugby Union (Commercial & Events Manager)

QLD: Olivia Mendonca – Stuartholme School (Year 10 Rowing Coach)

SA: Sonny Ogrodowski – South Australia Basketball Club (Treasurer)

VIC: Annie Poulton – Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office (Graduate Lawyer); Founder and Co Host at The Forward Line Podcast (TFL)

WA: Laura Byrnes – Red Shamrock Racing (Driver, Journalist, Content Creator)
 

Despite the Shona Joy Scholarship no longer being available for 2021, the price of the Women in Sport Mentoring Program has been reduced by 45% for 2021 also thanks to Shona Joy.

For $250 any women working in sport or aspiring to work in sport can participate in the program; registration information and upcoming intakes can be found at: https://www.womensportaustralia.com.au/mentoring/