The percentages are way up, often over fifty percent.  The problem with these boards is that they’re often unpaid directors.  On paid corporate boards, women still hover at around a 10 percent.

Sport NSW, the peak body representing sport in the state, has just appointed three women to its board, seeing its female representation hit the 60% mark.

And according to Sport NSW CEO Cheryl Battaerd, it wasn’t actually that hard to find the women. By seeking new names for its three open board positions via a nomination process, which hadn’t previously been done, they invited applications by advertising widely — including with Women on Boards, Pro Bono Australia and within their own existing newsletters.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen women dominate a sporting board: Netball Australia and Pony Club Australia have boasted female representation around the 80% mark for a number of years.  According to 2013 research by Women on Boards, 24.4% of directorships at national sporting bodies are held by women, a handful still do not have any women on their board. So far this financial year, less than 30% of new such board appointments have gone to women.

The organisation is also supporting the training and development of more female directors, running a three-day foundation course for women aspiring to join boards in the future.

Sport NSW has tipped the balance well past the 30% mark, uncovering new talent that will bring exceptional skills and expertise to the table. These women widen the pool of experienced female board directors, and hopefully the list of women who’ll recommend other women for such roles in the future.