Navigating sponsorship opportunities and aligning athlete and sponsor values can be challenging territory for athletes and sporting teams alike.
Minerva Network Queensland’s first event for 2023 brought together an expert panel to demystify the topic of athlete values and sponsorship in sport, equipping athletes with the skills and confidence they need to navigate in this arena.
Around 40 Minerva Athletes and Mentors joined the Brisbane workshop led by Minerva Queensland Co-Chapter Lead Dr Sarah Kelly OAM, with panel members Netball Queensland CEO and Minerva Mentor Kate Davies and Suncorp’s Executive General Manager, Brand & Marketing Mim Haysom.
Athletes and mentors from across the country also dialled into the discussion, including members of the Aussie Hockeyroos from Perth just before taking on China in their international series.
The vibrant Q&A session revealed many helpful tips and perspectives for athletes to consider, with open communication being a key factor.
Minerva Chairman Christine McLoughlin AM hosted a lively networking session following the workshop. Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Women the Hon. Shannon Fentiman MP sent a warm video welcome all the way from Papua New Guinea and expressed her strong support for the impact that Minerva is creating for athletes and the whole community through our mentorship initiative.
Representing the Queensland Minister for Sport, the delightful Jonty Bush MP joined the event in Brisbane. Jonty’s own sporting experiences as a 4th division footballer included having to get changed outside under the trees due to the absence of women’s change rooms, and she shared her aspirations to move beyond that to being able to support much bigger and better things for women’s sport.
Christine chatted with the extraordinary Janine Watson PLY who made history as Australia’s first ever Para-athlete to compete at the Paralympics Games in the sport of Para-taekwondo where she became Australia’s first Para-taekwondo medallist, taking home the bronze. Janine’s unique sporting journey includes a stellar career in education as well as winning four consecutive Australian Singles titles in wheelchair tennis and taking on a sports board role. And now she has her sights set on Paris in the wheelchair badminton competition. Janine acknowledged her Minerva Mentor Kerri Griffiths for being an important part of her journey. Thanks Janine for sharing your amazing story.
When Minerva Legend Natalie Cook OAM OLY took to the stage with Christine, the ever-effervescent, five-time Olympian revealed her three key Ps for sponsorship success – Purpose, Performance, Pay – and the need to get the first two right for the third to follow. She also spoke about the power of female role models which is coming to light in her own family right now, with a tennis-loving daughter who wants to be like Ash Barty.
Minerva’s Queensland members made the most of the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, including newly appointed Queensland Operations Manager Louise Sturgess. It was encouraging to see phone numbers, ideas and experiences being exchanged across the evening.
Our thanks go to the brilliant team at Suncorp for generously hosting the event on the top floor of their stunning, near-new, six star building in Brisbane’s CBD.
