NRF has committed to supporting more women into leadership roles as part of our Gender Equity Action Plan.

We're pleased to share the story of Jannine Stewart, who is in her third year as Onehunga Sports President, having been part of the club since it was known as Cornwall, playing at Ferguson Park. 

"I just enrolled my older two children to play and became a manager of their team. I soon realised they needed help in the kitchen, the tuck shop, all of that sort of thing, and I put my hand up for that. When my daughter was turning 15, and there wasn't a team for her to go into, she ended up being in the women's team. The next season they asked if I wanted to play, even through I had only played Rugby League up 'til then, I decided to give it a go, and pretty much didn't look back, I just enjoyed it to death!":"  

"By that time, I'd been with the club for so long, I knew so many people who in there running the place, that it just made sense to help them out. So it pretty much started off as a mum on the sideline, then into a player, then into a player manager, then helping around the club. I took over as junior and youth coordinator. That was a mission, but when Mark our previous president stepped down, I decided yeah, okay, I'll do it." 

Jannine is proud that Onehunga Sports now has girls-only teams playing in all youth grades, which took plenty of work and planning to reach this milestone. 

"When I first took over the role, I was trying to improve our girls and women's space and trying to get those numbers to grow, but also make it so that girls found it inviting to be here, and after three years we've finally got it back up to the level where we've got one team per grade."  

It's important to Jannine to make people feel welcome and that they can contribute to the club if they put their hand up. Research backs up that clubs with diverse representation on committees are perceived as more welcoming than those without. 

"I make a point of trying to get to know as many people in the club as I can, parents and children, I think that's opened the doors to lots of people approaching me and going, oh, can I help you do that? Because I'm not like the person that runs the club, but a volunteer like everyone else. People want to help, but often don't know where to start or are shy, so I want to show them they're welcome and what they do is valuable."  

"I've also opened it up to people throughout the club, if they want to get on board and do coaching that you know that you are more than happy to give them all the information they need, send them along to all the courses. It's like you make your connections with people within the club, and just appeal to the parents and helpers out there that want to do a little bit more, but they just don't know how to get involved."  

"Personally, I'm proud of being able to offer these kids and their parents somewhere that their children can be active, and also just helping kids who are shy make new friends, because our club have a large group of kids from the local primary schools. I've heard so many times from our players that the kids love their team and request to be back with the same group the next season because all of their friends are in that team, and they only see them on the weekends, during the training days, because they all go to different schools. I think that's what is that, that's what keeps me going."

Article added: Wednesday 02 April 2025