News
Sport is woven into the fabric of Fintona, and in February we were proud to host the 2026 GSV Sport Leaders’ Breakfast, welcoming 150 student leaders and staff from member schools.
The annual event featured an inspiring panel of accomplished sportswomen and Girls Sport Victoria (GSV) alumnae: AFL umpire Kaitlin Barr, Executive General Manager of Women’s Football at Collingwood Jess Burger, AFLW players Abbie McKay (Carlton) and Fintona alumna and former Sports Captain Sarah Poustie (Western Bulldogs). Sports Coordinator, Iain Rowe, led a dynamic and engaging discussion.
The focus of the session was on the importance of girls’ school sport. GSV’s central belief is that ’being part of a school sporting team helps [girls] feel valued by and connected to their school community. Girls who play sport not only benefit from the physical activity of training and playing sport, they develop friendships with their team mates, learn about the highs and lows of life, but importantly, maintain a healthy balance between study and co-curricular activities which ultimately assists them to perform well academically.’
Sharing their unique pathways in sport, the panellists spoke candidly about resilience, leadership and the determination required to succeed in traditionally male-dominated environments. Their stories carried a powerful message for our student leaders: to meet challenges with confidence, seek support when needed and build strong networks that sustain growth through every high and low.
Kaitlin reflected on competing directly with male umpires for selection, while Sarah and Abbie highlighted the strong culture of mutual respect and collaboration across men’s and women’s teams. Jess offered insight into navigating the significant mental load of the COVID period while stranded for an extended time during an interstate work trip.
The event came as Fintona celebrates an outstanding year in GSV Sport. Among many achievements, our students claimed first place in the GSV Triathlon Senior Team event, third in the Senior Individual event, and secured Fintona’s first GSV Swimming Premiership as Division 3 Champions. Our Diving Team also achieved a historic podium finish and earned promotion to Division 2.
With GSV representative selections continuing throughout the year, Fintona’s sporting momentum continues to build. Beyond the results, these achievements speak to the strength of character, leadership and determination our students embody. Inspired by trailblazing women in sport and by one another, Fintona girls continue to lead with confidence, integrity and purpose, both in competition and in life.
