Siren 30: Christy Collier-Hill, By The White Line and women's sport merch
A Women in Sport Collective
It’s with sadness that we mark the passing of a pioneer of Australian cricket, Lorna Beal (née Larter). Lorna debuted for Australia in 1948 in the first women’s Test match Australia played against New Zealand.
A right-handed batter and wicketkeeper, Lorna first started playing cricket when she was only 12. She later played for the Hawthorn Ladies Cricket Club in the Victorian Women’s Cricket Association where she was part of a very successful team that won multiple premierships throughout the 1930s.
Lorna’s 1948 debut was followed by six more Tests for Australia. She played her final match during Australia’s 1951 tour of England after which she retired.
We honour Lorna’s legacy as a pioneer of her sport and of women’s sport more broadly.
Lorna played cricket at a time when women playing sport faced significant obstacles and challenges. The work she, her teammates, opponents and supporters did paved the way for women today to take to the field or the court and play the sport they love.
Women like Jamie Howell who is profoundly deaf and plays Aussie rules for the Yeronga South Brisbane Devils in Queensland. Over the weekend, the club shared footage of Howell’s teammates celebrating a win by signing the club’s song in Auslan. A grinning Howell can be seen signing ‘thank you’ in response.
It’s a reminder of just how good sport can be when it’s at its best. But it’s also a reminder that changing the way we communicate, or thinking more creatively about how we communicate can help us to create opportunities for real inclusion that can have real impacts beyond the footy field or the cricket pitch.
Sport can be a driver for social change—if we let it. It can also be a place for collaboration. And that’s something we embrace at Siren. So we’re excited to welcome our second official Siren Collaborator: Rachel Bach! You might know Rachel as the brains and talent behind By The White Line. We featured Rachel’s incredible work earlier this year and we’re thrilled to welcome her to Siren.
A quick note for our Super Netball fans—so everyone—you can find our Round 2 wrap up right here.
In this issue
Kasey Symons speaks with General Manager of the Melbourne Boomers, Christy Collier-Hill about the success of Australians in the WNBA and what the upcoming WNBL could look like. Alison Smirnoff and Kasey also round up the best women’s sport merch for you! And we introduce our newest Siren Collaborator Rachel Bach.
Boomers and Bubbles: Christy Collier-Hill on the WNBL’s return
By Kasey Symons
General Manager of the Melbourne Boomers, Christy Collier-Hill talks WNBL preparations amidst the pandemic and Ezi Magbegor’s WNBA journey.
New Siren Collaborator: By The White Line
Rachel Bach of By The White Line on the job. Photo: Matt Johnson
Today we're thrilled to announce to our second official Siren Collaborator, photographer Rachel Bach of By The White Line, known for her women's football photography!
Women’s Sports Merch Round-up
It’s no secret that women’s sports merchandise is few and far between, so we’ve rounded up as much as we can for you to find!
Halftime Huddle
It’s a Halftime Huddle throw back this week to when Sarah and Taylor spoke with Gridiron legend Kira-Lea Dargin Barsukoff who is many things—a proud indigenous woman, a mum, a survivor and a professional football player.
Give this episode a listen and find out more about her incredible story!
We’re so proud of Gabi Ruffels who came so close to taking out the US Women's Am. We know it was a devastating blow, but we’re excited to follow her career as she becomes a force to be reckoned with in golf.
Basketball Australia announced the 10 Directors of its new Local Organising Committee Board for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.
The Australian Women’s Cricket team shared the news that ASICS have created the first ever cricket shoe designed for women and we love how Alyssa Healy delivered the news to some very excited fans.
This piece by our friend Megan Maurice on how Alyssa Healy uses Covid downtime to break down barriers for women's cricket is also great reading.
There has been plenty of AFLW trade and sign action but hearing that the GOAT in Erin Phillips will be playing another AFLW season was a much needed good news in a tough time!
The women's 50-over World Cup, which was to be held in New Zealand from February 6 to March 7 next year, has been postponed to February-March 2022. But there has been plenty going on in the world of cricket with lots of WBBL player movement.
A new Monash University and VicHealth sports study for the Pride Cup has revealed that while the Pride Cup tackles homophobia in sport, discriminatory language is still foul.
Dr. Kelly Price tells the story of the brave women of the Suffrage Movement who targeted golf courses as they protested for the vote in the early 1900s.
This video from Netball Victoria that speaks to the game’s 100-year plus history is excellent— we love anything that highlights women’s sports history!
Hockeyroo Gabi Nance has announced her retirement from international hockey and we wish her all the best.
We loved reading about Nigerian golf pioneer Georgia Oboh in this interview in The Guardian.
The Australian Institute of Sport will be partly sold off and refashioned as Paralympic, women's sport centre of excellence.
Samantha Lewis wrote an excellent three part series for ESPN on the W-League's Next Steps. Make sure you read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3!
Was anyone not moved watching the Yeronga Devils perform their team song in Auslan to surprise their teammate Jamie Howell?? Beautiful.
Runner up
Look at this amazing level of Aussie representation in the WNBA! We love to see it!
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