I'm from Hull originally, and I was a passionate Rugby League fan.
There was an advert when I was 17 in a Rugby League programme. I applied to be a referee, and then when I rang up and said, "I'm a girl," they went, "Oh, we don't really accept girls." And eventually, I got to a society meeting, and my first game after that first meeting was under 11s. There was no training. I was just thrown in the deep end. But it wasn't until I got to London that I became the first woman to referee men's open age. Again, with no training, no support, so I had to prove myself constantly. But I learned how to referee. I went to Australia in 1988, and they trained me, showed me how to hold my whistle, where to stand, how to interpret the laws, and suddenly I had the tools. So I started going up the ranks, doing internationals and things like that, and I started training some women in officiating.
I was always told I would never go to university. I came here later at 23, because I really believed that I couldn't do it. I did a sports science degree to help me be a better referee. Being here was really formative in my education because I suddenly realised it's not right the way they're treating me. We need to do a lot of work in sport to really make a difference and make it equal for women.
I eventually became director of development in Rugby League, brought in 208 million, set up a festival of World Cups so everybody, the wheelchair, the women, the students, the armed forces, could have their own World Cup. And then quite recently, I've got into the heritage of the women's sport, getting those pioneers of the past recognised. It's been really interesting, people realising how hard it was for me to come through. Some of those senior referees, I see them now and they go, "You made it look so easy and simple, but we didn't know how hard you were having it."
I do think women's sport has come a long way, and I champion those women that get those opportunities. But if I was to speak to someone now, I would say, "Do not accept you can't do something." And we need to challenge those that say women shouldn't be commentators or women shouldn't be... We need to challenge it and make sure that your voice is heard.
Getting this award today is just really, really important, particularly being in a sport that's all men. You're so often told you're not able to achieve because you are a woman. That's what this is about, is celebrating my story. And to get that recognition now is absolutely brilliant.
1996
2026
