Chelsea Pitman - Part 2: Sport & The Bigger Issues

Part 2:  Money, Role Models & Charity.

In having the opportunity to interview Chelsea Pitman it gave me the chance to talk about some of the issues in sport besides the expectations of the next season and what drives a person in sport.  I was able to get the perspective from someone inside the game rather than what some panel of former players or sideline expert thinks (myself included).

I for one was surprised that the salary cap for teams in the ANZ Championship in netball was only $260,000.  A paltry amount when you see players in the NRL and AFL who have not even played for their country commanding and demanding million dollar contracts.  Quite simply I put in in plain terms, how much harder is it for women in professional sport to survive financially?  Chelsea did not hesitate and without any doubt the answer was refreshing to hear, "not an issue,  love sport.  Give us a $100 a game and we would still do it".  This could be said for anyone in sport but it was what came next that started to show the true character of Chelsea.

"I would love to do it (play netball) full time, most (players) work full time.  It teaches life experience."

Life is a balance and the players who have to earn money off the field learn how to balance their life.  Is this the lesson in life that our young sportsmen need?  Should clubs be making their young players do more than just train and do preparation for life after the game?  I know that clubs around Australia make their players do more than just train but when you have to work to survive it teaches you humility.

Chelsea is well aware of where netball sits in Australia and knows that when it comes to sponsorship and media coverage there is a pecking order and in Queensland the Firebirds are competing in what is essentially a male dominated arena and Queensland has many teams and very successful teams at that.  With Netball having a great partnership with Network Ten though the slow process of enhancing the game is happening and now the media coverage is good, it should only be a matter of time before netball gets its fair share of general coverage in the mainstream and with that the sponsorship dollars that follow.

When the day comes that women in professional sport can survive through the sport alone, I hope that the culture they presently have does not change.  I don't think it will change though.  One conversation with Chelsea showed a maturity and sensibility in women's sport that is not always there in men's sport.  Behaviour off the field is a reflection of this maturity and sensibility.  This is one that will always get more headlines than a great performance on the field and has many administrators of sport scratching their heads every year.

Rarely if ever will you read a story in the press about a female sports person in an off field incident.  I put this to Chelsea as I wonder whether the lack of spotlight on the players is why little is heard.  Chelsea was adamant that if the media spotlight was there like the NRL and AFL has, there would still be nothing found.  When referring to the Firebirds in particular it was indicated that they are role models naturally which is a sign of their upbringing and environment.  Simply put "If in a uniform or not, it is not hard to behave".

Alcohol is an issue and one that society in general is dealing with and when I mentioned this to Chelsea she stated, "It is a privilege to be where you are", they know there is extra scrutiny and as for maturity and behaving, "It is my job."    It is about the "beginning culture" and having the right leadership groups.  If players are brought into a culture that has problems and the leadership group is part of the problem or refuses to handle it then the culture will not change.

It is because of the great role models women in sport like Chelsea make that should have the media showcasing more of the efforts that are done off the field, especially when you consider that they are holding down full time jobs as well.  Chelsea came across as a natural role model through her maturity and intelligence.  I asked Chelsea about what the Firebirds do for charity as I knew nothing about what they do until I delved deeper.  Currently Netball Queensland have a campaign called Stand Tall which is about spreading the message that "netball will stand up in a time of adversity, now and in the future".  This is a great campaign that has evolved from the flood relief in 2011.  The Firebirds are looking forward to what new ways they can assist the community in the future and have some exciting adventures in the pipeline. Chelsea has become an ambassador for the Zig-Zag Foundation aimed at helping children aged 0-18 who are sick and underprivileged and is looking forward to doing some great work with this foundation by lending her time as much as she can. For Chelsea if she can "pass on some goodness and help change paths" then she knows she has made a difference. As the Firebirds and Netball get bigger in the media Chelsea will look for more involvement in charity.

This interview has really highlighted to me a what surely is obvious to most. Why have male sporting organisations not taken a leaf out of women's sport if they want to improve their public image?  Women's sport do it all without the big money and the horde of sponsors and still get it right. Avoiding bad press is something that men's sport is always dealing with and struggling to fix yet the answer is readily available.  Only trouble is whether or not they are man enough to ask the women how they do it. Because if I was a sponsor I would be wanting to sponsor the team that has the players with positive press stories.