Women in Sport

Victoria University is committed to creating no boundaries for women and girls in sport and physical activity.

Find out about our work aimed to advance women and girls in sport and physical activity based on five objectives to impact change:

create research insights and action
strengthen industry alignment and collaboration
build career pathways
advance workforce development
invest in women in sport.

Victoria University supports the Sustainable Development Goals.

Proud partners of Women in Sport

Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation
Tobin Brothers Funerals: ‘Do what you want to do, Be what you want to be – now’.

Research & industry insights on women in sport

Reports, research & expertise

Local to global industry-based research to influence sectors on policy and strategy that will increase opportunities for women and girls (updated quarterly: September, December, March and June).

Institute for Health & Sport

Learn more about our range of research expertise within the broader field of health and sport.

Research turned into practical action

We welcome opportunities to collaboratively partner with public and private sectors to provide global and local evidence-based knowledge to help drive action.

See examples of our studies below. Feel free to contact the lead researcher of a project to learn more.

Advancing leaders

A cross-sector approach to encourage women as leaders in male-dominated sectors, Professor Clare Hanlon, Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, Dr Wendy O’Brien.
A Guide for Action: To encourage women from culturally diverse backgrounds as leaders in sport, Professor Clare Hanlon, Dr Kara Dadswell, Dr Elliott Flowers
Building leadership and employment opportunities for women with disability. Professor Clare Hanlon, Associate Professor Zali Yager.
Change Our Game Champions to drive women as leaders in sport. Professor Clare Hanlon.
Good practices to encourage women as high-performance coaches. Damien Taylor, Professor Clare Hanlon, Dr Andrew Dawson.

Increasing participation

Factors relating to women and girls’ participation (retention and dropout) in sport, Professor Rochelle Eime, Dr Aurelie Pankowiak, Dr Jack Harvey, Melanie Charity, Professor Hans Westerbeek.
Women's Participation in Sport and Active Recreation in Melbourne's West: Action Plan for Change. Professor Ramon Spaaij, Professor Clare Hanlon, Dr Fiona McLachlan, Professor Rochelle Eime.
Longitudinal trends in sport participation and retention of women and girls. Professor Rochelle Eime, Dr Jack Harvey, Melanie Charity, Professor Hans Westerbeek.
Barriers to adolescent female participation in cricket. Professor Rochelle Eime, Jenna Fowlie, Katrina Griffiths.
The implications of female sport policy developments for the community-level sport sector. Professor Rochelle Eime, Dr Meghan Casey, Jenna Fowlie, Melanie Charity, Dr Jack Harvey.
Sport participation in Victoria, 2019. Research Summary. Professor Rochelle Eime, Melanie Charity, Professor Hans Westerbeek, Dr Aurlie Pankowiak, Dr Jack Harvey.
What girls need in uniforms to feel comfortable to play sport and physical activity in school and sport settings. Professor Clare Hanlon, Associate Professor Zali Yager, Dr Elliott Flowers, Dr Kara Dadswell.
Physical literacy for girls: The need for schools to develop girls who are physically literate. Professor Clare Hanlon.

Embracing social change

Co-designing sport programmes with African Australian refugee-background young women to name, critique and transform the barriers they face in sport. Dr Carla Luguetti, Loy Singehebhuye and Professor Ramón Spaaij.

Building community & organisation capacity

Reconfiguring women’s professional sport on and off the pitch. Professor Tracy Taylor, Professor Clare Hanlon, Professor Kristine Toohey.
The needs of players: NRL women’s premiership. Professor Tracy Taylor, Professor Donna O’Connor, Professor Clare Hanlon.
Evaluation of Gender Inclusion Strategy and Practices with Wyndham Basketball Association. Associate Professor Brent McDonald, Dr Fiona Mclachlan, Sophie Byrnes.
The Change Makers Project: Empowering Football Clubs on the Journey to 50/50. Associate Professor Brent McDonald, Dr Fiona McLachlan, Dr Carla Luguetti.

Promoting healthy & active lifestyles

Exercise interventions for improving health in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Dr Alba Moreno-Asso, Rhiannon Patten, Luke McIlvenna and the late Professor Nigel Stepto.
Physical Adherence Psychological Health and Immune Outcomes (PAPHIO Study) in women with breast cancer. Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, Associate Professor Kathy Tangalakis, Dr Susan Irvine, Professor Lily Stojanovska, Professor Remco Polman, Katherine Harkin, Supa Pudkasam.

Improving performance

Sex-Specific Epigenetic Adaptations to Exercise Training. Professor Nir Eynon, Dr Sarah Voisin, Associate Professor Severine Lamon, Shanie Landen.
The relationship of team and individual athlete performances on match quarter outcome in elite women’s Australian Rules football. Emily Cust, Dr Alice Sweeting, Associate Professor Kevin Ball, Hamish Anderson, Professor Sam Robertson.
Biomechanical characteristics of elite female Australian rules football preferred and non-preferred drop punt kicks. Emily Cust, Associate Professor Kevin Ball, Dr Alice Sweeting, Professor Sam Robertson.

Intervening early for safety and wellbeing

Towards improving the safety and wellbeing of women in sport, Professor Alex Parker, Associate Professor Camilla Brockett, Dr Michaela Pascoe, Dr Aurelie Pankowiak, Dr Mary Woessner.

Katherin Sloan standing in front of AAMI Park.

Industry alignment & collaboration

VU Women in Sport ambassadors

Seven former elite athletes, current entrepreneurs, and leaders in the world of sport business are our Women in Sport ambassadors.

Australian Women in Sport Advisory Group

The Australian Women in Sport Advisory Group was established for two years (2019-2020) to guide a strategic and coordinated approach within and across sectors focused on gender equality for girls and women in sport in Australia.

Winyarr Ganbina Women Arise; green indigenous art

Sports inclusion for Indigenous people with a disability

Resources for sport organisations to improve access to sport for people with disability, in particular women and people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island backgrounds.

Build career pathways

Innovative curriculum

Based on industry demand, our innovative courses are designed to strengthen career pathways in sport for women.

Women in Sport Scholarships

Each year, two women will receive a scholarship towards studies in sport at Victoria University. They will also potentially have the opportunity to receive mentoring from a VU Alumni sport community leader.

Annual Careers for Young Women in Sport Forum

In 2022, over 180 young women and their teachers from the broader Melbourne region gained insights on careers in sport and participated in masterclasses with 13 VU Alumna women who have forged diverse careers across the sporting industry.

Advance workforce development

Career, development and employability

Each year our students complete placements with one of 350 different host organisations in the following fields: sport & exercise science, sport management, sport coaching, recreation, outdoor education.

Helping female footballers achieve their AFL dreams

I chose VU for its focus on the sporting industry. The University provided me with not only a quality education but some incredible networks and mentors.

Claudia Davey — Bachelor of Sport Science and Master of Business Administration

Claudia's story

Foot in the door to a stellar sports career

The practical nature of the education at VU equipped me with the skills to work with athletes and general populations alike.

Cecilia Pettersson (Sweden) — Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice)

Cecilia's story

100% outcome

All completed placements had outcomes from references through to gaining employment with their placement host.

16,655

placement hours

Placements were undertaken in all areas of metro Melbourne (not just in the West).

Top placement hosts

Western Bulldogs, Netball Victoria,Williamstown Seagulls, Maribyrnong Sports Academy.

Invest in women in sport

Establishment of the Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair

The generous support of Dr Susan Alberti AC has enabled Victoria University to establish the Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair.

Professor Clare Hanlon, the inaugural Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair

The role of the Chair is to increase the pace to advance women in sport. This will be achieved by strengthening sector alignment and collaboration, facilitating research insights to enhance decision making and advocate the career pathways for women in sport through Victoria University’s innovative curriculum design.

"This is an exciting time for women in sport. There is an increased understanding in the industry about why it is good for business to have more women and girls involved in sport, and the momentum is growing. To support this growth, we need to ensure innovative and strategic approaches are adopted."

Professor Clare Hanlon, Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair.

Watch Susan Alberti interviewed about women in sport (YouTube)

Text on group shot image reads "Our people are our strength"

Tobin Brothers are proud partners to help build community and organisational capacity to create inclusive sport environments, with a particular focus on opportunities for women and girls.

VU news about women in sport

Does menstruation & contraception impact performance in elite athletes?

23 November 2023

VU and Western Bulldogs celebrate AFLW Pride Round

9 November 2023

Volunteers in community sports clubs play a vital role in supporting female participation

27 October 2023

The Beckham doco & controlling parents in sport

24 October 2023

View all news & media

How Maeve balances study & athletic success

VU was a natural choice because of its reputation as one of the best sport universities, with great facilities and support networks for elite athletes.

Maeve Coughlan — Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice)

Maeve's story

Sport strategy & commitment

Victoria University plays a critical role in providing industry-based research nationally and internationally.

One of the seven priority areas in the VU Sport Strategy is Women in Sport.

Download VU's Sport Strategy

Footy umpire Mel discovers the key to career happiness

I feel so lucky to be involved in the game I love.

Melissa Sambrooks — Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports Science, Master of Teaching (Secondary)

Melissa's story

Study at VU

Partnerships

Research

About VU