World-beaters on land and sea to inspire women in sport
Published on 22 February 2024
Champion Australian netballer Liz Ellis AO and surfing trailblazers Pauline Menczer and Jodie Cooper are set to inspire Lake Macquarie as part of this year’s Women in Sport Festival.
Ellis, Australia’s most capped netballer, will speak at the Lake Mac Inspirational Women in Sport Breakfast at Club Macquarie on Tuesday 5 March, sharing her remarkable sporting and life journey, and participating in a Q&A session.
Ellis said she hoped sharing her story would resonate with all generations of attendees.
“I’m looking forward to sharing some of my experiences and I think women and girls of any age or sporting ability will be able to take something away that they can apply to their life on and off the field,” she said.
“No matter what sport you play or at what level, there’s so much to be gained in terms of health and social benefits just by participating.
“Sport has opened many doors for me throughout my life and I put a lot of my personal and professional success down to the confidence I gained along the way.”
The festival will also feature a screening of ‘Girls Can’t Surf’ and a Q&A with two of its stars, world champions and paradigm shifters Menczer and Cooper.
The documentary, which will screen at Warners Bay Theatre on Wednesday 6 March, follows a band of renegade surfers who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever.
Menczer, a former world champion and Surfing Hall of Fame member, defied the odds to spend two decades on the world circuit, winning 20 World Championship Tour events in a decorated career.
Cooper won 13 international events in a stellar career, which included a Hollywood appearance as stunt double for Lori Petty in the cult classic film Point Break.
The pair will be on hand to recount their epic stories of clashing personalities, sexism, adventure and heartbreak, and their journey to the professional ranks as part of the special screening.
The festival highlights don’t stop there, with the first Lake Mac Women in Leadership and Careers Expo also in store.
Former Australian cricket captain and sports administrator Belinda Clark, AO and elite AFL, rugby union and basketball multisport athlete Chloe Dalton OAM will share their personal and professional stories in the Saturday 9 March session at The Place, Charlestown, focusing on leadership.
The Women in Sport Festival will run from 2-10 March 2024, visit lakemac.com.au for more information.
The ever popular ‘try a sport’ day will be held on Sunday 3 March at Speers Point Park from 10am to 2pm.
For more information or to book tickets to an event head to visitlakemac.com.au/events
Please note the inspirational breakfast has sold out.
The Lake Mac Women in Sport Festival is funded in partnership with NSW Government through the 2024 NSW Women’s Week Grant program.