Louisa Wall is a rare double international, who first played for the Silver Ferns at just 17 years old. She became a Black Fern six years later, winning a World Cup before launching a successful political career.

She’s now New Zealand’s Ambassador for Gender Equality in the Pacific, which includes using sport as a vehicle for equity and equality.

Louisa is in a great place to speak about equality within sports in areas such as culture, privilege, gender, and sexual orientation. In this episode of What I Know Now, she speaks with School Sport NZ CEO Mike Summerell about:

• How having a progressive father paved the way for her to enjoy sport
• Looking back on the significance of her childhood sport
• Being banned from playing rugby as a 5-year-old
• The importance of playing a range of sports, including soccer, karate, tennis, and more
• The hierarchy that exists between sports and how it influences opportunities for kids
• What she learned from doing all her homework at intervals or before school so she had time to play sport
• How people targeted some teams she played in for the number of gay players
• The difference today in how people are accepted within sport
• The significance of anticipating cultural diversity in sport
• How sport allows kids in poverty to talk about their issues
• How sport helps to build strong, resilient people
• How to involve young people in sport
• The role sport can play in making an equitable society

This is an engaging, in-depth conversation that showcases how sport creates a level playing field for all. It has great insight for parents, coaches, and administrators looking to make sports even more accessible so anyone can benefit from it.