Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2014

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The following programmes that have been implemented at Girls Grammar follow the guidelines published in the Montreal Toolkit — a reference manual that contains tools to help effect positive changes in women’s sport around the world (Kent, 2002). These strategies prepare and encourage girls, coaches and teachers for the challenges of national leadership positions in coaching, administration and beyond. Progressing from participant to coach and leader All beginner coaches are financially supported by the School to gain accreditation as a qualified coach. Over 60 per cent of our coaches are old girls and more than 80 per cent of our coaches have acquired their coaching accreditation while coaching for the School. There are a number of current Year 11 and 12 students who will take on assistant coaching positions in sports such as Fencing, Rowing, Netball, Swimming and Softball. This experience will give them the training and qualifications they need to take on greater responsibilities once they graduate from Girls Grammar. Ms Annie Brock (2010) began a swimming coaching career while still in Year 12 in 2010. She has now just completed her fifth season of coaching, having gained additional coaching qualifications as she worked with the swimming programme. This year, she became a mentor and also took on greater responsibilities in the running and organisation of the swimming training sessions, under the guidance of the Swimming Head Coach. In the process of gaining her qualification, Annie has developed outstanding confidence in her coaching abilities and has been offered further employment beyond the Girls Grammar swimming season at a local swimming club. Mentoring and role models The literature highlights the need for women to have mentors who ‘go to bat for them’ and provide guidance throughout a career. Just like the buddy system in the School, our young coaches are provided with a mentor. Mathematics teacher Ms Trish Palmer is a Level 2 qualified Track and Field Coach and is currently supervising two of our very talented and enthusiastic Cross Country Coaches — old girls Ms Emily Perrin and Ms Lauren Mewing (2012). Similarly, our Head Basketball Coach, Ms Wilhelmina Smith, with over 20 years of coaching experience, is mentoring Junior Coach Ms Isabella Fyfe (Old Girl 2013) as they work together to coach the Open Basketball team. The presence of a successful and confident leader in front of our younger coaches is key to influencing positive outcomes for all who are engaged in sport at the School. The exceptional teachers in the Health Studies Faculty, the highly accomplished teachers throughout the School who have a passion for sport, and the excellent quality of our seasonal coaches enriches the leadership experience. Three Olympians are coordinators of sport and a number of national level athletes who now coach or coordinate, are the role models our athletes and coaches can admire. Coach education programmes A free workshop for all Girls Grammar coaches was held in March this year on the topic of Mental Toughness. The evening was specifically marketed

to overcome some of the barriers that women face in continuing education. It was held at 6 pm and provided light refreshments to maximise the attendance of working mothers, as well as busy professionals and young university students. Identifying the gaps in coach education, and also the ways to make skills acquisition simpler, made the idea of tackling the harder, more challenging coaching and leadership roles a little easier. The delivery of the specific content in the workshop provided coaches of all levels of experience with an opportunity to come together and share ideas, philosophies and coaching strategies. The evening was a resounding success! Networking By virtue of the above strategies, a stronger network of old girls, coaches and administrators will provide more women with opportunities to use their leadership skills in sport. The Sportswomen of Excellence Celebration, held annually since 2012, has returned old girls such as Ms Sophie Smith (2003), Ms Alissa Castrisos (2001, pictured opposite page) and Ms Geordan Shannon (2002, pictured opposite page) to the School sporting environment as guest speakers. The many sporting fixtures that are held throughout the year provide a more social opportunity for networking for old girls and all of our coaches, who can use these opportunities to advance their careers with the connections they make while coaching or supporting sport at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. These strategies will educate and encourage girls, coaches and teachers to be prepared to challenge for national leadership positions in coaching, administration and beyond. They will also continue to educate our staff and girls about the importance of ‘taking a seat at the table’, (as advocated by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO) in order to be heard. Without delay, the representation of the decision-makers in sport must be the participants — all participants. It will come as no surprise that our girls will be very well represented. REFERENCES Fitzsimmons, T. W. (2011). Navigating CEO appointments: Do Australia’s top male and female CEOs differ in how they made it to the top? PhD Thesis, UQ Business School: The University of Queensland. Harvey-Short, P. (2011). To become fine sportswomen: The history of health, physical education and sport at Brisbane Girls Grammar School 1875—2010 . Brisbane: Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Kent, J. (2002). The Montreal Toolkit . Developed as a result of the 3rd International Working Group on Women and Sport: Investing in Change, Montreal, Canada. Montreal: IWG. Irick, E. (2011). NCAA Race and Gender Demographics, 1995–2011 . Retrieved from the National Collegiate Athletic Association website: http://web1.ncaa.org/ rgdSearch/exec/main National Federation of State High School Associations. (2013, June). 2012–13 High School Athletics Participation Survey . Retrieved from http://www.nfhs.org/ content.aspx?id=3282 Sandberg, S. (2010). Why we have too few women leaders. TED: Ideas worth spreading . http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_ha ve_too_ few_women_leaders Women on Boards. (2013, January). National Sporting Organisations 2013 . Retrieved from http://www.womenonboards.org.au/pubs/bdi/2013/nso.htm Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation. (2013). Trophy women? NGB Leadership Audit 2013 . Retrieved from http://www.wsff.org.uk/system/1/assets/ files/000/000/474/474/49193d130/original/Trophy_Women_2013_(3).pdf

WINTER ISSUE / 2014