Still a long way to go despite recent women's sport push, says coaching great

Coaching guru Ric Charlesworth is wary of the motives of Australia’s major sporting bodies as they boost women’s professional competitions.

The AFL is set to join Cricket Australia (WBBL) and Football Federation Australia (W-League) in promoting pro women’s leagues, earning plaudits but hockey great Charlesworth, who guided the Hockeyroos to back-to-back Olympic gold medals, has cautioned that they must be in it for the right reasons, rather than just jumping on a trend to grab self promotion or money.

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“I hope their motivation isn’t just about image or commercial gain,” said Charlesworth, who became an officer of the Order of Australia recipient on Monday. “Are they really committed to the women’s game? We’ll have to wait and see.”

Cricket Australia’s WBBL will have an increased 12 games televised this year, 10 of them on Network Ten’s main channel and the AFL will launch its own women’s competition next year, with at least eight teams set to be aligned with AFL clubs.

Rugby league’s Australian Jillaroos also had a Test against New Zealand telecast last month, while Football Federation Australia has introduced Socceroos double-headers with Matildas matches. And while Charlesworth welcomed the development, which comes as broadcasters see more opportunity in women’s sport, he said the work was by no means done.

“There’s been good progress in elite women’s sports and there’s been a fair bit of noise from soccer, cricket and football about expanded competitions and building a pathway to the highest level,” said Charlesworth, who is an ambassador for Australian Womensport and Recreation Association.

“These gains are not easily won and the progress must be real and sustained. But it is not fast enough or big enough. We’re still a long way off the pace when comes to full recognition for women in sport. The playing field is still tilted.”

Charlesworth, who has also worked in high performance with AFL club Fremantle and played 47 matches of first class cricket for Western Australia, called for an increase of women in senior and leadership roles at sporting clubs.

“We need to get rid of this historical stereotyping and the chauvinistic environment that exists at all levels of society and in sport,” he said. “We’ve still got a long way to go.”