Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
Driven by the thrilling Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), the electrifying Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) and the dominance of the Australian team, the rise of women’s cricket in recent years has been nothing short of remarkable. At the heart of this transformation is Kate O’Brien, Queensland Cricket’s Women & Girls Lead, who tirelessly champions gender equality within the cricket community and spearheads meaningful change every day.
A former water polo player, Kate was fortunate to experience a sport that was uniquely gender-equal. “I never had that moment where I thought, ‘This isn’t fair,'” she says. “But I understand that many women don’t have that same experience. That’s why I’m so passionate about accelerating change, especially in a sport like cricket, where there’s a unique opportunity to make a real difference.”
At Queensland Cricket, Kate found the perfect platform to champion gender equality on a larger scale. “Community sport offers a chance to not only support health and well-being but also to create spaces that foster inclusion and empowerment,” she explains. “What I love about cricket is its accessibility—it’s a sport that unites people from all walks of life and backgrounds.”
However, Kate is aware that the road to change is often slow, even with strong support. “In Queensland, we want more women and girls involved in cricket, but there are still barriers we need to break down. Change needs to happen at every level—from grassroots clubs all the way to the top of the sport,” she says.
With this in mind, Kate’s mission is clear: ensure that the momentum for female participation in cricket is not only sustained but accelerated. “I ran the first-ever women and girls’ conference last year, and it was incredibly rewarding to see so many people eager to support this shift,” she shares. “The more I work in this space, the more passionate I become about it.”
One of her proudest moments came when she helped launch a girls’ program in Ipswich. “A parent sent me an email about her daughter who had fallen in love with cricket through the program. She even made a poster with Grace Harris as her idol. That’s the moment we’re all working towards—when girls find their community in sport, feel confident, and discover something they love.”
Through her efforts, Kate is helping cricket clubs across Queensland become more female-friendly by developing a toolkit to guide them in implementing the necessary changes. She is also focused on building more girls-only programs to provide young women with the space to grow and excel in the sport.
But this work is not something Kate can accomplish alone. In November last year, a Female Volunteer Recognition event was held at a WBBL game to honour the invaluable contributions of female volunteers in community cricket. “The event was a way to acknowledge and thank our amazing female volunteers for all they do for their clubs,” she says. About 100 female volunteers—coaches, managers, administrators, umpires, and canteen coordinators—attended the event, representing 26 clubs across South East Queensland. “It was incredible to see so many women in one room, each of them dedicating so much time and effort to community cricket. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
As Kate continues to accelerate change for women in cricket, her vision extends beyond the present moment to the lasting impact of her work. “We want to create a legacy where every girl who picks up a cricket bat feels like she belongs,” she says. “I want women and girls to feel like they can find their community in cricket.”
Kate’s journey is a powerful testament to how accelerating action in small but meaningful ways can lead to lasting transformation, inspiring women and girls everywhere to find their place in sport.
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Name of Author: Queensland Cricket
Queensland Cricket, previously the Queensland Cricket Association, is the governing body for cricket in Queensland, Australia. Established in 1876, it oversees the Queensland Bulls, Queensland Fire, Allan Border Field, and Queensland Premier Cricket. Terry Svenson is the current CEO, and Kirsten Pike is the Chair of the Board of Directors.
