Former and current Australian female athletes and coaches came together to inspire the next generation of young women at City of Parramatta’s 2026 Girls in Sport Festival.
Students heard firsthand stories of perseverance, achievement and leadership from a panel featuring former Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua, Parramatta Eels NRLW player Layne Morgan, lawyer and professional cheerleader Raween Albarouki, cricket coach Aarya Shipurkar and NFL and IFAF Flag Football ambassador Kodie Fuller.
The free annual festival, held at Cricket Central in Sydney Olympic Park, welcomed 243 students aged 13 to 18 from ten local high schools.
Students also had the opportunity to try a range of sports and activities, including cricket, flag gridiron, basketball, tennis, pickleball and mobile rock climbing in a supportive and inclusive environment.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the festival continued to give young women opportunities to build confidence, connect with role models and discover new interests through sport.
“Sport builds confidence, resilience, leadership and lifelong friendships. These are skills that extend far beyond the playing field and help shape the next generation of leaders in our community,” Cr Zaiter said.
With the ongoing support of Cricket NSW, the Girls in Sport Festival has more than doubled in size over the past four years, growing from 87 students representing four schools to more than 240 students.
The 2026 event attracted 243 students from ten schools, continuing the festival’s growth as one of City of Parramatta’s major youth participation programs.
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