This International Women’s Day Triathlon NSW is proud to launch a new leadership program focused on working toward breaking the gender imbalance in coaching.

The Triathlon NSW ‘Inspire to Tri’ program has been designed to increase coaching and leadership opportunities for women in the sport, thanks to funding from the NSW Office of Sport ‘Her Sport Her Way’ grant program.

Facilitated by Triathlon NSW Female Performance Coaches, a new cohort of Foundation Coaches and those wishing to progress to Development level will embark on an online mentoring and leadership program. Inspire to Tri (I2T) will provide a range of activities within the online space that will provide mentorship, upskilling opportunities, and empower females as they progress through the coaching pathway.

In addition to the online section, Triathlon NSW will bring together female coaches from across the state for a leadership camp that will upskill female facilitators with skillsets and proficiencies for the delivery of future coaching courses. The camp will encompass an Assessor and Presenter Course conducted by the NSW Office of Sport and all attendees will be offered the opportunity to hear from a range of guest speakers as well as participating in public speaking workshops, that will enhance their ability to deliver quality courses and bring an added confidence to this space.

The percentage of females in coaching positions declines throughout the coaching pathway stages with females accounting for 52% of Foundation accredited coaches in NSW, while only making up for 26% of accredited coaches at the Performance Level.

Robyn Low-Hart Coach Education and Pathway Lead at Triathlon NSW and Triathlon ACT said that the new program marks a new and exciting step towards reaching gender equality in the sport.

“It’s a very exciting time for female coaches in NSW. To balance out the gender inequalities will be a great achievement – currently only 39% of coaches (in NSW) are female. If we can increase that percentage by giving women more opportunities each year with leadership programs like I2T, we could (and need to) be looking at a 50% ratio sooner rather than later. It’s a great step forward in advancing female leaders in triathlon”.

Together we can forge women’s equality and with the implementation of programs such as Inspire to Tri, Triathlon NSW looks to take affirmative action in their commitment to women and a gender equal world, by breaking the bias.

Celebrating women’s achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality is key.    

Triathlon NSW looks forward to kicking off the I2T program next week by introducing and shining a spotlight on a handful of our accredited coaches including Nicky Western, Nicole Ward, and Lisa Redmond.

From Foundation to Performance, female coaches in NSW will benefit from the I2T program as they upskill, empower, and inspire the next generation of female coaches.

Expressions of Interest for the Inspire to Tri Foundation and Development Coaching Course are NOW OPEN.

For more information, contact Robyn-Low Hart via development@nsw.triathlon.org.au