Kirby Sefo's inspiring new chapter
Kirby Sefo, former Australian 7s and XVs player, has moved from the rugby field to the podcasting chair with her own business.
Forced to retire due to an injury, Kirby is now inspiring other women to succeed on and off the field with open conversation.
‘Sport is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me,’ Kirby says.
‘I’ve been given incredible opportunities, made a lot of healthy relationships and developed a great skill set.
‘But I did experience a lot of resistance being a female in a male-dominated space and it’s not something I want others to experience.’
Currently studying psychology, Kirby is devoted to empowering other females through online courses, workshops, and mentoring through her program, Sub Her In.
“It’s important that young females are catered for during their journey because there were missing links in providing women with support and development opportunities.”
— Kirby Sefo
She has also worked with Logan City Council in the Inclusive Clubs program, which supports sporting clubs in nurturing women to achieve leadership positions.
‘I was the 2019 recipient of Council’s Game On for Women bursary – it’s so humbling to be back in this program as a resource,’ Kirby says.
Her goal is to create a safe space through sport, where young female athletes can speak about social issues.
Kirby’s podcast, where she and other high-performance female athletes discuss their experiences, bring topics like mental health and resilience to the forefront.
‘It’s really uplifting and encouraging to talk with other successful women about the adversity they’ve overcome,’ she says.
‘Athletes have to cope with an incredible amount of pressure and there are so many contributing factors to mental illness, like lack of income and visibility along with parenting duties.’
During her transition into professional rugby, she struggled with depression and anxiety.
‘In my own experience, there was a lack of resources, funding and support for women in the field,’ Kirby says.
‘It’s important that young females are catered for during their journey because there were missing links in providing women with support and development opportunities.’
Learn more about the Sub Her In program here.
Images via ABC and Women in Rugby.
By June Ho
