The Melbourne Boomers’ 21/22 WNBL Championship Win is paving the way for female athletes.
The Melbourne Boomers are the longest-running elite-level women’s sports team in Australia. Their iconic brand has achieved global recognition, most notably for being home to more Olympians and Opals than any other basketball club in Australia.
In April, the Content Smith team were lucky enough to join the passionate WNBL supporters in attending the televised Australian WNBL 2021/22 Championship game. We saw one of our most inspiring clients, the Deakin Melbourne Boomers play against the Perth Lynx after a thrilling final series. The championship is the second win in history for the Boomers, their dedication and team spirit proved indispensable for their 84-66 win.
Professional women’s sport is becoming increasingly valued in Australia. The nation has come a long way in promoting female sports participation and supporting women’s teams from various leagues. However, there is still much room for improvement and growth. We are so proud to be a part of this positive change in Australian culture, and thoroughly enjoy the rewarding work we are able to do with the Boomers, through collaborating to grow their digital presence to inspire more young girls.
Research by Fox Sports suggests that the increased visibility of women’s sports in the media has positively changed its public perception. The research showed that 66 per cent of Australians watched women’s sports on television and those polled stated that the increased media coverage of games and athletes was the primary reason for this. ABC Sport partnered with Siren to feature 50/50 gender-balanced sports coverage in 2021. Changes such as these are allowing women’s sports to be accessible to a far greater audience. However, there is a long way to go before female athletes are valued as highly as their male counterparts culturally and financially. With the encouraging growth in media coverage and support of women’s sports, the more opportunities we can offer to the next generation of female athletes.
We truly believe in the initiatives the Boomers are devoted to, along with the extensive support network they have developed over their 38-year history. The organisation is making strides to change the way women’s sport is perceived in Australia and offers camps and clinics to young Australians to facilitate their passion for basketball and encourage equal futures in the sport. The organisation has also been working on a docuseries following the team’s journey to their first championship in a decade and their determination to stand up against gender inequality, racial discrimination, lower pay and the constant pressure to justify their existence as female athletes in a male-dominated industry. The series is set to be released later this year, but the post-production process has been difficult to achieve with little access to funding. This gripping and passionate project will allow the voices of players to be heard and understood like never before. Make a tax-deductible donation of any size here.
We were also fortunate to attend the team’s awards ceremony with the club’s ‘nearest and dearest’ at Melbourne Zoo to celebrate the Championship season and recognise the hard work and achievements of everyone involved in the club. This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the win for the entire community after years of dedication. On the night, Rachel Brewster, sponsored by Content Smith, was awarded for her dedication and resilience within the team. She deservingly took home The Deakin University School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences High-Performance Player of the Year. We are delighted to be able to empower and support a player with such a bright future ahead of her.
Note: The Boomers Academy Clinics are still opening and welcoming enrolments! If you know someone who is interested in basketball and wants to learn from the 2021/22 WNBL Championship team, register here.