1. CHAIR ELECT – SPEECH FOR WOMENSPORT QLD
YOUR EXCELLENCY, MR MCCOSKER, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN,
WELCOME ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND STAFF OF WOMENSPORT
QUEENSLAND.
I AM VICKY DENNER AND I AM PROUD TO BE THE DEPUTY CHAIR OF
WOMENSPORT QUEENSLAND. YOU MAY WONDER WHY IT IS THE
DEPUTY AND NOT THE CHAIR ADDRESSING YOU ALL TONIGHT
……………………………………………
WELL AT WSQ WE ARE TRULY COMMITTED AND EMBEDDED IN THE
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE RUN. WSQ NOT ONLY SUPPORT
WOMEN IN SPORT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE ALSO SUPPORT
“WOMEN FOR SPORT” – RUNNING A SERIES OF PROGRAMS DIRECTED
AT SPORTING BODIES, ADMINISTRATORS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS
WSQ IS MENTORING WOMEN WITH RANGE OF BOARD AND MEDIA
TRAINING PROGRAMS.
WE ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE, WE
OFFER MENTORING AND SHADOWING OPPORTUNITIES AND LOOK FOR
AND RECOGNISE THE POTENTIAL IN THE BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN
AROUND US.
THE JOURNEY TO ENSURE DIVERSITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT WOMEN IT IS
TRULY ABOUT DIVERSITY BE THAT AGE, GENDER OR CULTURE. I
WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK SANDRA
SAMPSON THE CHAIR OF WSQ FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO STEP UP TO
THIS ROLE AND ALSO FOR GIVING ME THE PRIVILEGE OF ADDRESSING
YOU ALL ON BEHALF OF WSQ TONIGHT.

2. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PARTICULARLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE
EFFORTS OF OUR CEO EMMA JANE CLARKE IN BRINGING TOGETHER
THIS EVENT TONIGHT. EJ IS PASSIONATELY COMMITTTED TO OUR
ORGANISATION AND THIS SHINES IN ALL THAT SHE DOES.
A BIT ABOUT US:
WSQ ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH SCHOOLGIRLS AND REMOTE
COMMUNITIES THROUGH A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES INCLUDING THE
SCHOOLGIRLS BREAKFAST HOSTED BY THE LORD MAYOR AND THE
CATHY FREEMAN PROJECT ON PALM ISLAND. WE WOULD LIKE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF THE CATHY FREEMAN FOUNDATION
AND ALSO THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR FUNDING RECEIVED TO
ASSIST IN OUR ONGOING EFFORTS AS A NOT FOR PROFIT
ORGANISATION.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE AGAIN PARTNERED WITH OTHERS ON PROGRAMS
SUCH AS SAFETY IN CONTACT SPORTS – WOMEN’S SERIES, WOMEN IN
HARD HATS AND GET IN THE GAME JUST TO NAME A FEW AND WILL
CONTINUE TO FOSTER THESE RELATIONSHIPS OF WORKING TOGETHER
FOR WOMENSPORT. – THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ABOUT WORKING
TOGETHER AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE ABOUT MY
MYSELF, I AM THE MOTHER OF 3 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, WITH A
CAREER STARTING IN THE AIR FORCE OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS I HAVE
WORKED FOR BOTH PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT ENTERPRISES AND
CURRENTLY WORK FOR AURIZON (THE PRIVATISED PART OF THE
RAILWAY). THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONNECTIONS THROUGH SPORT
HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN ME ACCESS TO A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND
A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK TO CALL UPON WHATEVER THE NEED.

3. IN MY FULLTIME JOB WITH AURIZON I WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE
“WOMEN IN OPERATIONS” PROGRAM AND AS PART OF THE MENTORING
HAD MORNING TEA WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR BOARD – JOHN
PRESCOTT. WHILST TRYING TO ENSURE JOHN FELT I WAS WORTHY OF
THEIR CHOICE FOR THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM…………………. I WAS
RATTLING OFF A SERIES OF QUALIFICATIONS AND LISTS OF
EXPERIENCE. WHEN I FINISHED JOHN’S COMMENT – ………………………
WHICH STILL STICKS IN MY HEAD WAS
“I LIKE THAT, A WOMEN WHO UNDERSTANDS AND RESPECTS THE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE WORKING
WITH THE NOT FOR PROFIT SECTOR, WELL DONE”. TO MY SURPRISE HE
WAS REFERRING TO MY COMMITMENT TO WSQ.
IF I CAN PASS ON THIS WISDOM TO ANY OF YOU TONIGHT, THE GIFT IS
IN THE GIVING, THE REWARD FROM GIVING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY
IN SUPPORT OF THE WELL BEING OF THE COMMUNITY FAR OUT WAYS
THE ATTAINMENT OF A MASTER DEGREE OR AN EXECUTIVE SALARY
PACKAGE.
WOMEN HAVE MANY AND VARIED ROLES IN THE WORKPLACE,
COMMUNITY AND SPORT ALL OF WHICH ARE MOST SUCCESSFULLY
EXECUTED WITH “SUPPORT”. WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE WSQ BOARD
AS SOME OF YOU WILL KNOW, MY HUSBAND WAS DEPLOYED TO
AFGHANISTAN FOR MOST OF THE YEAR, I HAD A NEW BABY, HAD
ACCEPTED A CHALLENGING LEADERSHIP POSITION AT WORK, A ROLE
ON ANOTHER NFP BOARD AND WAS TRYING TO “LOOSE THE BABY
WEIGHT” WITH A VIGOROUS EXERCISE PROGRAM……
……………….OVER COMMITED – MAYBE………..

4. BUT I TRULY LOVED EVERYTHING I WAS DOING…………………. “WELL,
MAYBE NOT THE GYM” LET’S BE HONEST …………..
BUT I JUST NEEDED A LITTLE SUPPORT.
WSQ GAVE ME THIS. IT WAS THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNTED, THE
KIND PHONE CALL JUST CHECKING I WAS ON MY WAY WHEN I WAS
ALREADY LATE FOR THE BOARD MEETING, THE CHEESE AND BISCUITS
ON THE TABLE AT THE MEETINGS - AS I AM SURE THEY KNEW I DIDN’T
HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT DINNER, …….
I WAS UNSURE THE “TIMING” WAS RIGHT AND THAT I COULD “DO IT
ALL” BUT SLOWLY AND SURELY “SOMETIMES WITH A BABY IN TOW” I
GOT THERE – WSQ SUPPORTED ME IN SOME CHALLENGING TIMES AND
CONTINUES TO NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP OTHERS THROUGH AND
IN SPORT.
IT IS MY HONOR TO OFFICIALLY WELCOMING YOU ALL TO THE QLD
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS FOR 2013.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE AWARD NOMINEES AND PLEASE ENJOY THIS
WONDERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION WITH US.