Women in Leadership Roles
At Triathlon Ireland, we provide numerous opportunities, and support for women in Triathlon. We do this by nurturing strong female leadership within our clubs, nationally and internationally, our goal is to continue to foster and encourage up and coming role models through a leadership framework that truly reflects the diversity of our members.
Triathlon ireland women in leadership in numbers
Triathlon Ireland CEO Darren Coombes states that “Gender balance is and always has been baked into the DNA of the sport since its inception. We have worked hard to ensure we preserve and build on that strong legacy, with strategically targeted programmes delivered in partnership with our community and with other like minded National Federations, which have produced some outstanding female leaders who have contributed to the development of the sport nationally and internationally. The statistics speak for themselves, but contained within the numbers are some really powerful stories of personal growth and a massive passion for giving back to the sport from some truly inspiring women. We remain massively ambitious to continue to evolve and deliver in this space.
At Board level, we are compliant with Government requirements to achieve a minimum of 40% of each gender at Board, and that has led to a better performing and more representative Board. At Executive level, I am very fortunate to have some outstanding female leaders as part of the team here, and we are continuing to see a strong talent pipeline of strong female graduates with a passion for sport when roles open up within the organisation.”
In addition to the work we have achieved across our organisation to foster equity, our dedication to cultivating leadership is fortified through initiatives such as the TI Youth Commission, Making Waves Leadership Programme and WIS Leadership Programme. This underpins our commitment to nurturing leadership from grassroots level to the highest tiers of our sport. Don’t just take our word for it! Read below some insights from strong female leaders who have been on or are currently on some of our leadership programmes.
Chloe Kavanagh - TI Youth Commission Representative
“Leadership through the TI Youth Commission means influencing all in and around the triathlon community in a positive way to get involved in the sport of triathlon! By conveying personal opinions and viewpoints to Triathlon Ireland, we aim to show ways to increase participation, promote the sport, and overall convey what a positive experience it is to be a female athlete in the sport of triathlon, both physically and socially!”
Lara Dillon - Carlow Triathlon Club Chairperson
“For me the Making Waves programme was a tool or a kick-starter, I suppose you could say, to give me the contacts and confidence to progress within my club. Since then, I’ve completed the Tri-Leader course and Level One coaching. I’m coaching in my club and I’m the chairperson. Additionally, I’m the race director for the club’s first ever event on the TI Major Events calendar, so I suppose you could say a lot has changed since Making Waves.”
Maxine Strain - Triathlon Ireland Board Member
“During Women in Sport week, I am conscious of the impact having gender balance has on the organisation’s governance and leadership. Gender balance isn’t just a metric to be achieved; it shows the commitment the organisation has to inclusivity and diversity. It allows women’s voices to be heard and valued when they are represented in discussions that determine the future of our sport. In addition to gender balance, the range of skills and different backgrounds and experiences in the group, gives us several perspectives on the board. This enables us to approach challenges and opportunities more creatively, to find solutions which support all of our members. It’s about acknowledging that the strength and development of our sport lies in its diversity, fostering an environment where women are represented equally, paving the way for a more inclusive, vibrant triathlon community.”
Lisa Mulhall - Triathlon Ireland Technical Official
“Initially, when I started the Technical Official course, I didn’t realise that there were so few women in this role – as I did the shadowing, it became quite obvious that there are very few women. Hopefully, seeing more women in the role of Technical Official it might just encourage others to join the sport”
If you are interested in any of the Women in Sport programmes we run, please contact interim Women in Sport Lead, Eleanor Condon – eleanor@triathlonireland.com
