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2017 | SEMESTER 1
BOND BACKS WOMEN’S SPORT
PROFESSIONAL women’s sport is not new:
think tennis, surfing, golf and swimming.
What is new is the rise of women’s team
sports, especially in the traditionally male
dominated football codes.
Late last year, Super Netball players signed
a dramatic increase to the minimum wage,
the Australian Women’s Sevens team won
the gold medal at the Rio Olympics, and
the Women’s AFL Competition kicked off to
widespread acclaim.
Bond University is at the forefront of this
new push for women’s sport, which has
been embraced by the public and the sports
community at large.
“Sport is part of Bond’s DNA,” says
Executive Director of Sport, Garry Nucifora.
“We are staunch champions of women’s
sport and the creation of pathways to
enable more opportunities for young
players to develop into elite female
athletes and professionals through
coaching, conditioning, mentoring and
education,” he said.
The University’s support of women’s
team sport has a four-pronged approach,
spearheaded by its roles as the Official
Coaches’ Partner of the Brisbane Lions
Women’s team in the Women’s AFL.
“In the past few months we have witnessed
the nation getting behind women’s football
to an extent never seen before, and Bond
University is proud to cement its support of
women’s AFL through this partnership with
the Brisbane Lions,” says Mr Nucifora.
Additionally, Bond is a naming-rights
sponsor of the Golden South Jaguars in
netball and of the Gold Coast City Football
Club women’s senior team in the NPL.
The University is also represented in the
new National Sevens University Series this
year – Australia’s first national women’s
sevens rugby competition.
Jackie Parra, Manager of Sports and
Programs, says the University has an
emphasis on equality.
“Women’s team sport is making headway
into the Australian sporting landscape and
it is really exciting and productive that Bond
is partnering with some of the highest
levels of female sporting teams,” she says.
“These girls are elite athletes and also
wonderful role models, and we want to help
provide a pathway for female athletes to
achieve their sporting goals and dreams.”
2017 is Bond’s third year as a naming
rights partner of the Golden South Jaguars,
which competes in the Queensland State
Netball League, and two Bond students are
playing in the division one team: Ashleigh
Keefe, the 2017 ADCO Sports Excellence
Scholarship holder; and Laura King.
Two Jags players recently competed at the
highest level of domestic competition, the
Super Netball League, including the club
captain Kristen Oxenford.
“It shows the Jaguars are a high performing
team that provide a stepping stone to the
top level of netball in Australia, and they
have had several outstanding performers,”
says Ms Parra.
Golden South Jaguars head coach Linda
Peterson says the sponsorship has allowed
the team to step up its training programs.
“It is a big step up for the girls, and for
netball in the region. The sponsorship
means that we can run full strength and
conditioning programs with access to the
new Sports Centre – once a week we have
a squad session there,” says Ms Peterson.
These partnerships not only allow Bond
to attract elite athletes as students, but
provide existing students with pathways to
the top level of sport, both for competitors,
and sports science students, who get the
opportunities to work with the teams. It is a
win-win for women’s sport in the region.
Bond
Women’s
AFL team
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www.arch.bond.edu.au