Sportspeople in region to tap into wealth of industry knowledge in first Great Southern Sports Forum

Sports stars Nina Kennedy, Sophie McDonald and Declan Mountford will headline an exciting first edition of the Great Southern Sports Forum next month.

Sportspeople in the Great Southern will get the chance to gain valuable knowledge and experience during the new event.

It will run in conjunction with the revamped Albany Sportsperson of the Year awards.

The forum is open to sports clubs, volunteers and athletes from the region with a focus on industry trends and challenges within sport and recreation.

The event will be the first of its kind and run by the City of Albany at Retravision Stadium on Friday, February 16 and set the tone for the future of sport and recreation throughout the Great Southern.

Australian pole vault star Kennedy, AFLW defender McDonald and former AFL midfielder Mountford make up a talented trio that will take part in a panel discussion.

Kennedy is fresh off winning a gold medal at the World Championships last year, McDonald is one of the emerging young stars of the West Coast Eagles and Mountford, who played in the AFL for North Melbourne and West Coast, is the captain of Claremont in the WAFL.

Attendees will also hear from key speakers including game development expert Troy Kirkham, performance psychologist Jodii Maguire, digital marketing professional Alecia Hancock, critical thinking coach Bethan Winn, culture consultant Matt Angus, and leadership guru Ian Crawford.

The forum will tackle industry trends and challenges, exploring the key themes of inspire, innovate, and connect.

Facilitated by MC Mark Readings, the forum will cover topics including youth retention in community sports, building high-performing clubs, community activation through social media and the intricacies of the coach-athlete relationship.

Those attending will have the chance to be part of a dynamic question and answer panel discussion with Kennedy, McDonald and Mountford who will delve into their own personal journeys, challenges and triumphs as professional athletes.

Former rugby league player Matt Fuller will also be a keynote speaker at the event.

Albany mayor Greg Stocks said the forum would have a transformative impact within the region.

“I am thrilled to welcome the Great Southern Sports Forum to our community,” he said.

“This is a landmark event for our region, bringing together professionals, athletes, and community leaders to champion innovation and excellence in regional sports.

“By fostering discussions on youth engagement, high-performance clubs and community activation, we are investing in the future health and vitality of our community.

“Regional communities thrive when we bring people together. This event will be an exciting opportunity for our community to share knowledge and inspire positive change in sports.”

The forum runs from 8.30am to 4.30pm on February 16 and registrations close on Sunday, February 4.

For more information and to register for the forum visit cityofalbanyevents.com/sportsforum.