Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬 🎙️ About our guest Sunaina is a 2025 Deakin Young Alumni Award finalist and is a sports management professional focused on expanding opportunities for women, girls, and underrepresented groups. Currently the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager at Surf Lifesaving Queensland. She's also a Worked with Tennis Australia and Tennis Queensland as well.

Sunaina moved from India to Australia in 2015 and holds a Masters in Sports Management from Deakin University and a Bachelor in Sociology. Her expertise spans sports development, gender equity and even event management.

🔎 Highlights In this chat, we discuss Sunaina's role as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional in tennis and surf life saving. We explore her journey from India to Australia and highlight the importance of mentors and allies in DEI work.

00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgements 00:29 Guest Introduction: Sunaina Jaswal 02:59 Sunaina's Journey to Australia 06:40 Early Career and Transition to DEI 10:35 Challenges and Inspirations in DEI Work 16:37 Role at Surf Lifesaving Queensland 18:49 Developing a DEI Strategy 26:58 Measuring Success in DEI Initiatives 33:32 Engaging Priority Communities 35:26 Challenges in Promoting Inclusion 39:25 Understanding the 'Why' and 'How' of DEI 43:10 Current State of DEI in Australian Sports 49:06 The Importance of Allies and Mentors 55:43 Quickfire Questions and Top Inclusion Tip 58:32 Conclusion and How to Connect

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep10⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

In this episode I talk with Ryan Redondo to hear about how he has been bringing tennis to diverse communities in San Diego, in the USA.

🎙️ About our guest

Ryan Redondo is the CEO of Youth Tennis San Diego and the Barnes Tennis Center.

Ryan has spent a career in racket sports, first as an all American tennis player, then as a developer of emerging junior American tennis talent. Ryan is also the tournament director of the WTA San Diego Open, and under Ryan's leadership, the Barnes Tennis Center is helping to educate and train future generations of American tennis talent from diverse backgrounds.

🔎 Highlights

In this chat, we talk about Ryan's lifelong love of tennis and how through his work he is creating opportunities for diverse communities to get involved in tennis through low and no cost programs, community outreach, and opening up pathways in the sport for thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds. We also talk about the influence of his cultural background on the work that he's doing. And we touch on the importance of leadership for inclusion to happen. 00:00 Intro

03:11 Ryan's background

09:28 About YTSD and BTC

12:28 What programs are on offer?

17:31 Dealing with diversity

22:44 Building capacity of coaches

26:03 Wheelchair programs

29:39 Impact of scholarships

33:35 Inclusive leadership

36:57 Encountering resistance

45:10 Quickfire questions

50:30 Ryan's top inclusion tip

53:44 Wrap up 🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep09⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

The Levelling the Deck Podcast aims to promote inclusivity and equity in the world of swim coaching and teaching.

In this episode, our host Michael Woods leads a discussion on inclusion and equity for women in swim coaching.

Our guests Joanne Love, Janelle Pallister, Marty Roberts, and Ash Delaney share their experiences and insights on the challenges faced by women in the swim coaching industry.

Some of the topics covered in the episode include:

• The current landscape for women in sport and swimming coaching ​

• The barriers and biases faced by women in the coaching profession ​

• Strategies for creating a more equitable and inclusive coaching environment

• The role of men in advancing gender equity in swimming

Key takeaways:

1. Self-esteem plays a significant role in the advancement of women coaches. ​ Those with strong self-esteem tend to progress, while those with low self-esteem often struggle to move up the ranks. ​

2. Opportunities and biases also impact the advancement of women coaches. ​ Some women face barriers in terms of employment opportunities and recognition, while biases and stereotypes can limit their growth.

3. Men have a crucial role to play in advancing gender equity in the swimming sector. ​ They can listen, challenge biases, create space for women's voices, and collaborate with women coaches to create a more inclusive and equitable environment. ​

About our guests:

• Joanne Love: Australian Dolphin, elite coach and researcher
• Janelle Pallister: Australian Dolphin and Co-Coach at the Gold Coast High Performance Hub
• Marty Roberts: Australian Dolphin and Head Coach of the Canberra Paralympic High Performance Hub ​
• Ash Delaney: Australian Dolphin and Head Coach ​

People mentioned: ​

• Anna Walker: Program designer at Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia ​

• Michael Bohl: Coach at the Gold Coast High Performance Hub ​

• Brendan Ward: CEO of Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia

Resources:

• Levelling the deck website
• SWIM Coaches and Teachers Australia website
• AUSPLAY Survey Data - Women in Sport
• Swimming Australia Independent Panel Recommendations Response
• Inclusive Sport Design website

The Levelling the Deck Podcast is Produced by Inclusive Sport Design for SWIM Coaches and Teachers Australia.

Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

This is episode 08 and today I talk with Brendan Aylward who is working hard to make the fitness industry more inclusive for people with disability in the United States and beyond.

🎙️ About our guest

Brendan Aylward is the owner of Unified Health and Performance, President of AdaptX, and Director of The Rick Hoyt Research Lab. His work revolves around making the fitness industry more accessible for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities.

🔎 Highlights

In today's chat, we discuss how Brendan found his way into this work as well as how he engages clients and adapts his programs and the gym environment. We also learn about some of the amazing work he is doing to educate gym instructors and owners to create inclusive gym environments for people of all abilities. 00:00 Introduction

02:13 Brendan's Backstory

06:29 About Unified Health and Performance

09:05 The need for adaptive equipment in the gym

11:28 People with and without disability in the gym

15:37 Engaging clients

21:22 Networks and partnerships

23:04 Adapting training sessions

29:03 Retaining clients

31:58 How clients are funded

34:27 Accessibility in the gym

39:19 About AdaptX

46:46 Quickfire questions

50:28 Brendan top inclusion tip

52:27 How to connect with Brendan

53:22 Conclusion

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep08⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

This is episode 07 and today I talk with Ryan Storr to discover how he has been influencing inclusion in sport through research and practice in Australia.

🎙️ About our guest

Dr. Ryan Storr is a multidisciplinary researcher and consultant and is the Founder and Director of the Diversity Storr, a Melbourne-based diversity and inclusion consultancy. His PhD explored how diversity is understood and enacted within organizational contexts and has led several large scale research projects exploring LBTQI+ inclusion within sport and movement settings, and he is helped shape national and international policies and practices through that work. Ryan also founded LGBTQI+ sport charity Proud to Play.

🔎 Highlights

In today's chat, we hear Ryan's insights into what inclusion and diversity looks like inside organizations. Plus we chat about LGBTQI+ inclusion and hear about some of Ryan's groundbreaking work over the last few years. We also shine a light on an often overlooked issue that's faced by people with lived experience working in the inclusion field. 00:00 Introduction

04:12 Ryan's backstory

09:21 Ryan's motivations

12:30 Ryan's research

14:49 Inclusion in sport clubs

20:54 LGBT issues and homophobia

22:05 About Proud2Play

23:52 Ryan's LGBT work

29:15 What work still needs to be done?

34:21 Impacts of inclusion work on practitioners

44:25 About the Diversity Storr

50:44 Quickfire questions

54:36 Ryan's top inclusion tip

56:00 ISD Academy

57:51 Conclusion

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep06⁠⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

This is episode 06 and today I talk with Emily Ayles to discover how she goes about connecting people with disability to sport through her work at Novita in South Australia.

🎙️ About our guest

Emily Ayles is the connectability project officer at Novita, which is a leading disability service provider in South Australia. Emily has been delivering the Connectability service at Novita for over 12 years, and like me, and hopefully like you Emily loves to see the difference that sport can make in people's lives. In addition to this, Emily is a national classifier for the Paralympic sport of Boccia and is an experienced practitioner in Para-sport and adaptive physical activity.

🔎 Highlights

In today's chat, we talk about how Emily links participants to sport options that meet their needs, and we also discuss some of the barriers and challenges that her clients face, and more importantly, how to overcome those.

00:00 Intro

02:59 About Emily

10:09 About Connectability

17:17 Emily's process

20:35 Barriers

27:35 Success story

34:12 Role of the NDIS

41:35 Sport and rec in day services

48:04 Quick fire questions

53:29 Emily's inclusion tip

55:07 Conclusion

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep06⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

This is episode 05. And today I am with Jessica Scannell to learn how she is making inclusion in sport happen for multicultural communities through her work at Welcoming Australia.

🎙️ About our guest

Jessica Scannell originally from Ireland has played basketball at an elite level, has lived a migrant experience in multiple countries and now calls Melbourne, Australia home. She has experienced first hand the power sport has to heal and develop a sense of belonging for people from migrant backgrounds and people with disabilities and is determined to create more opportunities for more people to access all the benefits she has gained through a life of sport.

🔎 Highlights 00:00 Intro 03:52 About Jessica 13:46 About Jessica' s work 16:11 What ensure success? 21:39 Connecting with the target audience 27:24 Adapting to participants needs 33:46 Funding 36:49 Trauma informed practice 45:47 Quick fire questions 49:08 Jessica's best inclusion tip 50:48 How we make the podcast accessible 53:51 Conclusion

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep05

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬

This is episode 04 and today I talk with Andrea Carey to learn how she is influencing outcomes in inclusive and Para-Sport across Canada through a range of amazing initiatives and projects.

🎙️ About our guest

Andrea Carey is a highly credentialed Canadian inclusion practitioner who works to support clients and partners to create cultures of belonging and inclusion. She has worked extensively on inclusion and improved access for indigenous peoples new arrivals, persons with disabilities, as well as women and girls. But in her day job, Andrea runs Inclusion Incorporated, which is a diversity, equity, inclusion consulting firm that works with clients across Canada. Andrea is also the co-founder and current executive director of One Ability, a nonprofit dedicated to providing sport opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages. She's also co-chair of the Canadian National Para Collective, which is an initiative that Andrea co-founded in 2020, and Andrea's also spent 10 years with the Canadian Paralympic Committee as board director and chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and, currently sits on the Board of Kids Sport Victoria.

🔎 Highlights

00:00 Intro 02:32 About Andrea 08:20 About One Ability 12:35 What is Collective Impact? 13:45 Benefits of working together 19:16 Building connections and understanding needs 23:10 Things that shifted Andrea's thinking 25:04 Minorities are the majority 29:09 Maintaining connections 32:51 Importance of education 35:34 How to maintain quality of delivery 38:24 How to keep people involved 42:17 Role of geography 43:46 Role of resources 46:58 Andrea's burning issue 51:44 Quickfire questions 57:14 Andreas best inclusion tip 58:20 Conclusion “...we have to kind of keep at the forefront in all of this work that term nothing about us without us, and be really intentional about ensuring that we have voices at the table with lived experience. All the time.”

“...if we start with yes, we open that door and we create space for something to transpire. And I think that's really important advice right now and sort of thinking about how we create more inclusive spaces, how we create a world that leans into equity and that supports people to belong.”

🗒️ Full Show Notes

Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep04

🎧 More ways to watch and listen

Find all the ways you can watch and listen at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast

👍 Follow ISD

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign