Page title

Swimming WA’s ‘Girls Leading the Lane’ event on International Women’s Day has helped build visibility and pathways for women and girls both in and out of the pool.  

While swimming already boasts strong female participation, leadership roles have traditionally told a different story.

‘In Australia, we’re lucky that nationally, we’ve got a female-dominant athlete majority in the pool,’ Matt Nelson, General Manager of Swimming WA’s Pathways program said.  

‘Outside of the lanes, though, we’ve a very male-dominant leadership group from senior coaches to technical officials,’ Nelson said. 

‘Our Girls Leading the Lane event…is not only bringing together women and girls in the pool but also showing them there’s a pathway outside of the pool for aspiring women and girls.  

‘We have some incredible female coaches and technical officials who have had some amazing international achievements.  

‘For us, it’s about showcasing their success and those pathways back to our community.’ 

For Swimming WA, supporting women and girls in sport is about more than statistics, it’s challenging outdated perceptions. 

‘It’s important for us that we’re able to play a part in breaking down perceptions and showing women and girls that success and leadership isn’t bound by gender,’ Nelson said.  

Through other progressive initiatives such as the ‘Coffee and Chat’ pilot program – led by female coaching leaders Brooke Kemp and Deb Jones – Swimming WA is helping foster stronger connections between women coaches and building a more supportive environment across the State. 

‘In 2024, 70 per cent of our performance pathway teams were led by female coaches and a Western Australian female was appointed as the National Head Coach of the Paralympic Program,’ Nelson said. 

‘We’ve also been able to support 4 female technical officials on international pathways through World Aquatics, which has helped further strengthen women’s representation at that elite level.

‘You can’t aspire to be something you can’t see. We need to show that women and girls have a place in sport and can shape the way that the industry is delivered.’

Swimming WA’s plans are simple: that women and girls never feel disadvantaged because of their gender, and that the entire community can rally behind the next generation. 

As Power Her Play rolls out across March, stories like these showcase the depth of female talent and leadership in Western Australia’s sporting community — and the importance of continuing to create spaces where women and girls can thrive, lead and inspire the next generation.  

Photographs courtesy of Swimming WA