| Mayor of Parramatta: "Sport builds self-confidence, resilience, leadership, and creates lifelong friendships. |
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Girls in Sport Festival inspires Parramatta’s future female leaders26/08/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: Former and current female Australian athletes and coaches came together to inspire the next generation of young women at City of Parramatta’s 2026 Girls in Sport Festival today.
Students heard firsthand stories of perseverance, achievement and leadership from an influential athlete panel featuring former Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua, NRLW Parramatta Eels player Layne Morgan, lawyer and professional cheerleader Raween Albarouki, cricket coach Aarya Shipurkar and global NFL and IFAF Flag Football ambassador Kodie Fuller.
The free annual festival, held at Cricket Central in Sydney Olympic Park, welcomed 243 students aged 13 to 18 from ten local high schools, also included gave students the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones and try a variety of sports and activities, including cricket, flag gridiron, basketball, tennis, pickleball and mobile rock climbing, in a fun, supportive and inclusive environment.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the festival continued to create meaningful opportunities for young women to build confidence, connect with role models and discover new passions.
"Celebrating Girls in Sport has grown into one of Council's most successful youth programs, bringing together hundreds of students to experience the benefits of sport, teamwork and leadership," Cr Zaiter said.
"Sport builds confidence, resilience, leadership and lifelong friendships. These are skills that extend far beyond the playing field and help shape the next generation of leaders in our community,"
"The energy, enthusiasm and participation on display throughout the day was incredible. Events like this show young women what is possible when they back themselves and seize new opportunities.
With the ongoing support of Cricket NSW, the festival has more than doubled over the last 4 years, growing from 87 students representing four schools to 241 students from nine schools. |
