2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast
AFL Barwon with support of The Athlete's Foot, is proud to present the 2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast – a morning dedicated to celebrating, recognising and empowering women and girls in sport across the Barwon region.
Hosted by former Australian Diamond and elite netballer Madi Browne, the event will bring together local sporting clubs, community leaders, athletes, schools, and the wider public to shine a light on the contributions and achievements of females in sport at all levels.
Purchase Tickets to the 2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast
Introducing the 2025 Breakfast Host
Madi Browne
Whether courtside, in studio, or behind the mic, she thrives on connecting with driven people and sharing stories that spark momentum.
Based on the Surf Coast, Madi is fuelled by purpose, grounded by family, and committed to creating meaningful outcomes through strong partnerships.
Introducing the 2025 Guest Speakers
Jaz Shelley
Jaz Shelley is a professional Australian basketball player currently competing for Geelong United in both the WNBL and NBL1 South.
A former WNBL Rookie of the Year with the Melbourne Boomers, Shelley played college basketball in the U.S. at Oregon and Nebraska, where she became one of the top three-point shooters and playmakers in Cornhuskers history.
In 2024, she was selected 29th overall in the WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury before returning to Australia as Geelong United’s inaugural WNBL signing.
Debbie Lee
Debbie Lee is the National Women’s and Girls Football Lead at the AFL and a pioneering figure in women’s Australian rules football.
A former player and coach, she gave up a WNBL career to found the St Albans Spurs in 1992. Lee is a five-time Helen Lambert Medalist, six-time All-Australian, and former president of the Victorian Women's Football League.
She played a key role in launching the AFLW through her leadership roles at Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. In 2021, she became the first woman inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Taylah Hassett
Taylah Hassett is the current Geelong Cats VFLW Head Coach, taking on the role in season 2025 after coaching Grovedale to Division 1 Premiership success in 2024.
Having played football since the age of 15 years old, Taylah progressed from her community club in Colac, through to the Geelong Falcons Program, before joining Grovedale in 2022. A community minded individual, Taylah understands the importance of giving back and supporting community.
Meagan Mifsud
A life member at Torquay FNC, Meagan Mifsud has dedicated a lifetime behind the scenes towards the success and sustainability of the Torquay Netball Program. Meagan has fulfilled such roles as Club President, Treasurer, Coach, Team Manager - and just about any other role you can think of! During her time as an administrator, Meagan has been the beneficiary of league awards, including Administrator of the Year, and was also at the helm of Torquay Netball when the club won the overall ‘Club Championship’ award due to their success on the court and field. Meagan’s passion for community is something to be admired, and we look forward to hearing her story.
What is the Female Festival of Sport?
The Female Festival of Sport is an AFL Barwon initiative which began in 2022 that is designed to celebrate, recognise and empower females who work, volunteer, spectate, or participate in sports within the Barwon region & across Victoria.
The Festival features a week of activities that enable young females to engage in our sports in a fun way, acknowledge females making positive change in the region, and brings the community together to showcase the stories of inspiring females in sport.
The feature event of the week is the Female Festival of Sport Breakfast, which falls on the final day of the Festival. The Breakfast event features a diverse panel that discuss female-related themes and topics with the aim of inspiring and empowering the audience.
The First Female Festival of Sport
The Female Festival of Sport has its first year in the Barwon region, with a variety of events throughout the week and the inaugural Breakfast event held at St Mary's Sporting Club.
The Female Club Champion Award is introduced
The 2023 Female Festival of Sport featured an action-packed week of activities, with the introduction of the "Female Club Champion Award" aimed at recognising a specific female at each club.
The breakfast feautured a panel including Daisy Pearce, Lily Edwards, Sarah Albon & Emily Green - facilitated by Renee Garing.
2024 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast
Supported by The Athlete's Foot, the 2024 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast was held on Friday the 31st of May, 2024.
Hosted by Connie Bolger, General Manager of Partnerships and Marketing at Geelong United Basketball, we heard from an inspiring panel of women in sport. The panel included Kelly Cartwright (Paralympic Gold Medallist), Ali Waight (Queenscliff FNC President), Emma Daffy (All-Abilities & Lara FNC Netballer) + Erin Hoare (Geelong Cats AFLW Player)
