Sport is for Every Body

By Michael Woods (He/Him)

This is the Sport is for Every Body podcast by Inclusive Sport Design. Join Michael Woods, inclusion in sport expert and Founder of Inclusive Sport Design talking all things inclusion in sport with am... more

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FAQs about Sport is for Every Body:

How many episodes does Sport is for Every Body have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.

Sport is for Every Body episodes:

March 03, 2025 Episode 11 - Navigating Neurodivergence in Elite Sport with Caragh McMurtry
🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
🎙️ About our guest
In this episode of 'The Sport is for Everybody' podcast, Michael Woods speaks with Caragh McMurtry, a former Olympic rower and founder of Neurodiverse Sport.

🔎 Highlights
Caragh shares her experiences as an autistic athlete, detailing the challenges of misdiagnosis and the lack of inclusivity in high-performance sports environments. She discusses her journey from youth sport to the Olympics and outlines the essential work her organization is doing to foster inclusivity in sports.
The conversation also touches on her life as a new mother and offers insightful inclusion tips. The episode encapsulates her advocacy for equity, the importance of lived experience in driving change, and the pressing need for adaptable sports environments.

00:00 Welcome
01:35 Introduction
01:56 Kara's Early Sporting Journey
03:58 Discovering Rowing
07:57 Challenges and Triumphs in Rowing
13:27 Misdiagnosis and Medication
16:53 High Performance Environment Issues
20:54 Starting Neurodiverse Sport
26:55 Understanding Neurodiversity
32:41 Examples of Sensory Sensitivities in Sports
35:33 Personal Struggles and Delegation
38:23 Importance of Lived Experience
53:23 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep11⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wt_2snMkr30
...more
55min
November 20, 2024 Episode 10 - Leading inclusion in Surf Life Saving with Sunaina Jaswal
Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!
🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
🎙️ About our guest
Sunaina is a 2025 Deakin Young Alumni Award finalist and is a sports management professional focused on expanding opportunities for women, girls, and underrepresented groups. Currently the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager at Surf Lifesaving Queensland. She's also a Worked with Tennis Australia and Tennis Queensland as well.
Sunaina moved from India to Australia in 2015 and holds a Masters in Sports Management from Deakin University and a Bachelor in Sociology. Her expertise spans sports development, gender equity and even event management.
🔎 Highlights
In this chat, we discuss Sunaina's role as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional in tennis and surf life saving. We explore her journey from India to Australia and highlight the importance of mentors and allies in DEI work.
00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgements
00:29 Guest Introduction: Sunaina Jaswal
02:59 Sunaina's Journey to Australia
06:40 Early Career and Transition to DEI
10:35 Challenges and Inspirations in DEI Work
16:37 Role at Surf Lifesaving Queensland
18:49 Developing a DEI Strategy
26:58 Measuring Success in DEI Initiatives
33:32 Engaging Priority Communities
35:26 Challenges in Promoting Inclusion
39:25 Understanding the 'Why' and 'How' of DEI
43:10 Current State of DEI in Australian Sports
49:06 The Importance of Allies and Mentors
55:43 Quickfire Questions and Top Inclusion Tip
58:32 Conclusion and How to Connect
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep10⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
1h 1min
March 28, 2024 Episode 09 - Bringing tennis to all with Ryan Redondo
Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
In this episode I talk with Ryan Redondo to hear about how he has been bringing tennis to diverse communities in San Diego, in the USA.

🎙️ About our guest
Ryan Redondo is the CEO of Youth Tennis San Diego and the Barnes Tennis Center.
Ryan has spent a career in racket sports, first as an all American tennis player, then as a developer of emerging junior American tennis talent. Ryan is also the tournament director of the WTA San Diego Open, and under Ryan's leadership, the Barnes Tennis Center is helping to educate and train future generations of American tennis talent from diverse backgrounds.
🔎 Highlights
In this chat, we talk about Ryan's lifelong love of tennis and how through his work he is creating opportunities for diverse communities to get involved in tennis through low and no cost programs, community outreach, and opening up pathways in the sport for thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds. We also talk about the influence of his cultural background on the work that he's doing. And we touch on the importance of leadership for inclusion to happen.
00:00 Intro
03:11 Ryan's background
09:28 About YTSD and BTC
12:28 What programs are on offer?
17:31 Dealing with diversity
22:44 Building capacity of coaches
26:03 Wheelchair programs
29:39 Impact of scholarships
33:35 Inclusive leadership
36:57 Encountering resistance
45:10 Quickfire questions
50:30 Ryan's top inclusion tip
53:44 Wrap up
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep09⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
56min
March 07, 2024Levelling the Deck - Ep01 Gender Equity in Swim Coaching
The Levelling the Deck Podcast aims to promote inclusivity and equity in the world of swim coaching and teaching.
In this episode, our host Michael Woods leads a discussion on inclusion and equity for women in swim coaching.
Our guests Joanne Love, Janelle Pallister, Marty Roberts, and Ash Delaney share their experiences and insights on the challenges faced by women in the swim coaching industry.

Some of the topics covered in the episode include:
The current landscape for women in sport and swimming coaching

The barriers and biases faced by women in the coaching profession

Strategies for creating a more equitable and inclusive coaching environment

The role of men in advancing gender equity in swimming

Key takeaways:
Self-esteem plays a significant role in the advancement of women coaches. Those with strong self-esteem tend to progress, while those with low self-esteem often struggle to move up the ranks.

Opportunities and biases also impact the advancement of women coaches. Some women face barriers in terms of employment opportunities and recognition, while biases and stereotypes can limit their growth.

Men have a crucial role to play in advancing gender equity in the swimming sector. They can listen, challenge biases, create space for women's voices, and collaborate with women coaches to create a more inclusive and equitable environment.
About our guests:
Joanne Love: Australian Dolphin, elite coach and researcher

Janelle Pallister: Australian Dolphin and Co-Coach at the Gold Coast High Performance Hub

Marty Roberts: Australian Dolphin and Head Coach of the Canberra Paralympic High Performance Hub

Ash Delaney: Australian Dolphin and Head Coach

People mentioned: 
Anna Walker: Program designer at Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia

Michael Bohl: Coach at the Gold Coast High Performance Hub

Brendan Ward: CEO of Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia

Resources:
Levelling the deck website

SWIM Coaches and Teachers Australia website

AUSPLAY Survey Data - Women in Sport

Swimming Australia Independent Panel Recommendations Response

Inclusive Sport Design website

The Levelling the Deck Podcast is Produced by Inclusive Sport Design for SWIM Coaches and Teachers Australia.
...more
51min
September 05, 2023 Episode 08 - Making fitness inclusive for all abilities with Brendan Aylward
Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 08 and today I talk with Brendan Aylward who is working hard to make the fitness industry more inclusive for people with disability in the United States and beyond.

🎙️ About our guest
Brendan Aylward is the owner of Unified Health and Performance, President of AdaptX, and Director of The Rick Hoyt Research Lab. His work revolves around making the fitness industry more accessible for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities.
🔎 Highlights
In today's chat, we discuss how Brendan found his way into this work as well as how he engages clients and adapts his programs and the gym environment. We also learn about some of the amazing work he is doing to educate gym instructors and owners to create inclusive gym environments for people of all abilities.
00:00 Introduction
02:13 Brendan's Backstory
06:29 About Unified Health and Performance
09:05 The need for adaptive equipment in the gym
11:28 People with and without disability in the gym
15:37 Engaging clients
21:22 Networks and partnerships
23:04 Adapting training sessions
29:03 Retaining clients
31:58 How clients are funded
34:27 Accessibility in the gym
39:19 About AdaptX
46:46 Quickfire questions
50:28 Brendan top inclusion tip
52:27 How to connect with Brendan
53:22 Conclusion
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep08⁠⁠⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
55min
August 02, 2023 Episode 07 - Inclusion and organisational practice with Dr Ryan Storr
Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 07 and today I talk with Ryan Storr to discover how he has been influencing inclusion in sport through research and practice in Australia.

🎙️ About our guest
Dr. Ryan Storr is a multidisciplinary researcher and consultant and is the Founder and Director of the Diversity Storr, a Melbourne-based diversity and inclusion consultancy. His PhD explored how diversity is understood and enacted within organizational contexts and has led several large scale research projects exploring LBTQI+ inclusion within sport and movement settings, and he is helped shape national and international policies and practices through that work. Ryan also founded LGBTQI+ sport charity Proud to Play.

🔎 Highlights
In today's chat, we hear Ryan's insights into what inclusion and diversity looks like inside organizations. Plus we chat about LGBTQI+ inclusion and hear about some of Ryan's groundbreaking work over the last few years. We also shine a light on an often overlooked issue that's faced by people with lived experience working in the inclusion field.
00:00 Introduction
04:12 Ryan's backstory
09:21 Ryan's motivations
12:30 Ryan's research
14:49 Inclusion in sport clubs
20:54 LGBT issues and homophobia
22:05 About Proud2Play
23:52 Ryan's LGBT work
29:15 What work still needs to be done?
34:21 Impacts of inclusion work on practitioners
44:25 About the Diversity Storr
50:44 Quickfire questions
54:36 Ryan's top inclusion tip
56:00 ISD Academy
57:51 Conclusion
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep06⁠⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
1h
July 01, 2023 Episode 06 - Connecting people with disability to sport with Emily Ayles
Please Subscribe, Follow, Rate and Share!

🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 06 and today I talk with Emily Ayles to discover how she goes about connecting people with disability to sport through her work at Novita in South Australia.

🎙️ About our guest
Emily Ayles is the connectability project officer at Novita, which is a leading disability service provider in South Australia. Emily has been delivering the Connectability service at Novita for over 12 years, and like me, and hopefully like you Emily loves to see the difference that sport can make in people's lives. In addition to this, Emily is a national classifier for the Paralympic sport of Boccia and is an experienced practitioner in Para-sport and adaptive physical activity.

🔎 Highlights
In today's chat, we talk about how Emily links participants to sport options that meet their needs, and we also discuss some of the barriers and challenges that her clients face, and more importantly, how to overcome those.
00:00 Intro
02:59 About Emily
10:09 About Connectability
17:17 Emily's process
20:35 Barriers
27:35 Success story
34:12 Role of the NDIS
41:35 Sport and rec in day services
48:04 Quick fire questions
53:29 Emily's inclusion tip
55:07 Conclusion
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at ⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep06⁠

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at ⁠https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast⁠

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451⁠
YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
1h
June 08, 2023 Episode 05 - Engaging multicultural kids in community sport with Jessica Scannell
🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 05. And today I am with Jessica Scannell to learn how she is making inclusion in sport happen for multicultural communities through her work at Welcoming Australia.

🎙️ About our guest
Jessica Scannell originally from Ireland has played basketball at an elite level, has lived a migrant experience in multiple countries and now calls Melbourne, Australia home. She has experienced first hand the power sport has to heal and develop a sense of belonging for people from migrant backgrounds and people with disabilities and is determined to create more opportunities for more people to access all the benefits she has gained through a life of sport.

🔎 Highlights
00:00 Intro
03:52 About Jessica
13:46 About Jessica' s work
16:11 What ensure success?
21:39 Connecting with the target audience
27:24 Adapting to participants needs
33:46 Funding
36:49 Trauma informed practice
45:47 Quick fire questions
49:08 Jessica's best inclusion tip
50:48 How we make the podcast accessible
53:51 Conclusion
🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep05

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
56min
May 04, 2023 Episode 04 - Collective approaches to inclusion in Canada with Andrea Carey
🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 04 and today I talk with Andrea Carey to learn how she is influencing outcomes in inclusive and Para-Sport across Canada through a range of amazing initiatives and projects.

🎙️ About our guest
Andrea Carey is a highly credentialed Canadian inclusion practitioner who works to support clients and partners to create cultures of belonging and inclusion. She has worked extensively on inclusion and improved access for indigenous peoples new arrivals, persons with disabilities, as well as women and girls. But in her day job, Andrea runs Inclusion Incorporated, which is a diversity, equity, inclusion consulting firm that works with clients across Canada. Andrea is also the co-founder and current executive director of One Ability, a nonprofit dedicated to providing sport opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages. She's also co-chair of the Canadian National Para Collective, which is an initiative that Andrea co-founded in 2020, and Andrea's also spent 10 years with the Canadian Paralympic Committee as board director and chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and, currently sits on the Board of Kids Sport Victoria.

🔎 Highlights
00:00 Intro
02:32 About Andrea
08:20 About One Ability
12:35 What is Collective Impact?
13:45 Benefits of working together
19:16 Building connections and understanding needs
23:10 Things that shifted Andrea's thinking
25:04 Minorities are the majority
29:09 Maintaining connections
32:51 Importance of education
35:34 How to maintain quality of delivery
38:24 How to keep people involved
42:17 Role of geography
43:46 Role of resources
46:58 Andrea's burning issue
51:44 Quickfire questions
57:14 Andreas best inclusion tip
58:20 Conclusion
“...we have to kind of keep at the forefront in all of this work that term nothing about us without us, and be really intentional about ensuring that we have voices at the table with lived experience. All the time.”
“...if we start with yes, we open that door and we create space for something to transpire. And I think that's really important advice right now and sort of thinking about how we create more inclusive spaces, how we create a world that leans into equity and that supports people to belong.”

🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep04

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IncSportDesign
...more
1h
April 02, 2023 Episode 03 - Measuring inclusion impact with Lauren Schwaar
🎬IN THIS EPISODE🎬
This is episode 03 and today I talk with Lauren Schwaar to explore how she's shaping the future of sport by measuring the impacts of what we do. Plus we talk about Lauren's coaching experience in multiple countries and how religion influences Lauren's life and work.

🎙️ About our guest
Lauren is a basketball coach turned tech entrepreneur that was inspired to solve the pain and measurement of evaluation after completing a master's degree in sport policy. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Lauren has lived in multiple countries, coached basketball around the world, and is building her tech startup Fathom Performance. Now, Fathom Performance is an app that aims to change the way we demonstrate impact both in the sporting industry and for our inclusion efforts everywhere. Lauren is working to make it possible to evaluate inclusion initiatives more effectively and accurately so they can be improved, scaled and reproduced.

🔎 Highlights
00:00 Sport is for Every Body Podcast Ep03 - Lauren Schwaar - cut
00:00 Introduction
02:46 About Lauren
06:03 Lauren's coaching experience
09:03 Role of religion in Lauren' s life
19:15 Religious tensions in sport
22:03 Getting into sport policy
27:12 Measurement challenges
35:44 What makes good impact measurement
46:28 Quickfire questions
50:25 Lauren's top inclusion tip
51:22 Wrap up

“So if everybody is able to see a little bit more clearly and objectively, What their efforts are translating into you know, that creates a wealth of benefits for everybody involved. So that's our goal is to make change more visible.”
“One of the best starting places though, for any organization that wants to do better monitoring and evaluation is to sit down and think about the outcomes that they actually theorize or think are, are being achieved through their programming.”

🗒️ Full Show Notes
Get the full show notes for this episode (including links, resources and transcript) at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast/ep03

🎧 More ways to watch and listen
Find all the ways you can watch and listen at https://www.inclusivesportdesign.com/podcast

👍 Follow ISD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IncSportDesign
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/incsportdesign
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/12952451
YouTube: @incsportdesign
...more
54min

FAQs about Sport is for Every Body:

How many episodes does Sport is for Every Body have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.