Sarah Walsh on creating the conditions for high performance at the Matildas

Culture First with Damon Klotz

Sarah Walsh has been integral in making women’s football in Australia what it is today. Following a club career that saw her play in the NWSL in the United States and in the A-League Women in Australia, she won 70 caps for Australia’s national team the Matildas and has spent the second half of her career fighting for equity and equality for today’s athletes.

In the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the Matildas captured the hearts of Australia and the world with record breaking audiences glued to their screens to see the Matildas secure Australia’s highest-ever finish at a World Cup.

The timing of this episode was made even more special by the announcement that the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement from Football Australia has gone even further to create the right conditions for high performance.

For Sarah, the years and years of work leading up to this moment in time just keep paying off, and to hear her fully grasp the enormity of what she has achieved as she speaks with Damon in this episode is truly special.

Sarah and Damon recorded this conversation live at the inaugural SXSW Sydney in front of a standing room only audience. They discuss the conditions needed for high performance, the importance of culture on and off the pitch and the pivotal moments in Sarah’s life that saw her become the trailblazer she is today.

Show notes:

This episode pairs well with Damon’s recent conversation with Jamila Rizvi, who detailed exactly what we need to do to make work and the workplace a better, safer and more equitable place for women.

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Learn more about the Matildas at www.matildas.com.au

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