Mary Konstantopoulos and Ladies Who League.

#GreekGirlsCan 💪♀️🇬🇷

Mary Konstantopoulos the founder of Ladies Who League, " Be kind to each other.  It is so powerful when women work together and support each other." 

It was a great honour to chat with this amazing and inspiring women today! 

Her words gave me strength to continue my work with Greek Girls Can. 🙏❤

1.Hi Mary, thank you for being with us today! You are such an inspiration for women's sport. Tell us more about yourself?

Thanks for having me.

I am 31 years old and live at home with my mum, dad and youngest brother David.

I am a practicing lawyer and at the moment work in the regulatory team at a telecommunications organisation in Sydney.

I was born in Sydney, but my father was born in Greece and my mother was born in Cyprus.

When I am not doing my day job as a lawyer, I am working on my side business, ‘Ladies who League’ which is all about encouraging women to get involved in conversations about sport and promoting and encouraging women involved in sport.

Between that, my day job, my family (I visit my grandparents every weekend without fail) and my partner James, it doesn’t leave time for much else, but I also love to read and listen to music.

2.Which was your favourite sport as a child? 

My favourite sports to play were the ones I could play at school being hockey and waterpolo.

But my favourite sport to watch was rugby league.  I almost look back on my childhood with a sense of shame, because I never thought to ask whether girls could also play rugby league.  I don’t know why I associated the sport I loved the most solely with men.  The reason is simple really and its because you can’t be what you can’t see and at that point, I couldn’t see any women playing rugby league.  Fortunately this has changed now.

3.Do you currently play any sports?

Given my work responsibilities and how busy ‘Ladies who League’ and its various spin offs keep me, I don’t have much time to play organised sport, but I do enjoy yoga and running!

4.What does rugby league mean to you?

This is a hard one, because it is hard to put into words.

I started following rugby league when I was eight years old because I wanted to spend more time with my dad and brothers.  So when I think about rugby league, I think about family and the many games I have watched with my dad and brothers on television, but also walking through the streets of Parramatta to watch games live.

But that family also extends much further than my direct family, because I like to think of the wider rugby league community as the rugby league family.  I am so proud to be part of this community, particularly one that has been so focused on inclusivity and diversity in recent years.

5.You started Ladies who league 6 years ago. What was your inspiration to start this blog?

I started ‘Ladies who League’ to encourage more women to get involved in conversations about rugby league.  It’s important to mention that at the start, I focused on celebrating the women who were visible to me, namely women involved in media and administration.

But after a few months, I found out about a talented group of women called the Australian Jillaroos, who are Australia’s female rugby league team.  I realised that if I didn’t know who they were then there would be others who wouldn’t either.  From that moment the focus shifted to include women who played the game and once I started advocating for these women, I have never looked back. 

6.Did you face any difficulties? How easy was for people to accept something significantly new as women in Rugby League?

Overall, the experience has been really positive and I have always felt really welcome and included by the rugby league community.

At times, of course there have been trolls, but over time I have learnt do deal with this better.

I have learnt that I am really not interested in someone’s feedback unless they are also in the arena with me, advocating and working for the betterment of rugby league.  It’s interesting that severe criticism rarely comes from people I care about or whose opinion I hold dear.

I’ve learnt to use the block, delete and mute buttons on social media.  I consider social media like my home – I wouldn’t allow someone to come into my home and disrespect me – so I take the same approach on my social media.

And additionally, I’ve learnt that if you are being trolled, you are probably pushing in the right direction or challenging well established thinking.  That always gives me the strength to stick to my purpose and to keep striving for a more diverse and inclusive game.

7.How much have the women's rugby league increased in the last years and what do you believe is the most important that teams could do to improve women's game?

The growth in women’s rugby league has been absolutely exceptional.  It has been wonderful to see our female athletes recognised and the way the players were consulted throughout the process of bringing the NRL’s Women’s competition to life.

Some have criticised the slow approach that the game has taken, particularly when only four teams were introduced initially in the NRLW.  But I applaud this decision because it means that we have a quality product which is marketable and a sustainable growth model.

It’s important that teams and clubs continue to give women the opportunity to play rugby league and that similar opportunities, when it comes to coaching and facilities are also afforded to women.

As fans we also have an important role to get our bums on a seat and to demonstrate our ongoing interest in the women’s game.

8. What are the barriers that stop women from playing more sports and how can we help each other to break down these barriers?

There are many barriers, but I think the most important one is the availability of competitions and teams for women to participate in.  I think there has been an increase in the offerings for girls and this coupled with greater visibility of female athletes means that no doubt, more girls growing up will know that traditionally male sports like rugby league and cricket are there for women and girls to play too.

9.If you could say one thing to all women out there, what would it be?

Be kind to each other.  It is so powerful it is when women work together and support each other.  I urge each of you to be a woman that encourages and inspires others.  We often talk about bringing one woman along for the ride with us – my good friend Kristin Ferguson, the founder of the Celebrating Women movement, says that’s not enough.  I agree with her.  Instead of pulling one woman up with you, cast out a fishing net and bring everyone along.  This is not a zero sum game and we can all get better together.

Don't be afraid to ask for help.  I've had some wonderful guests on my podcasts - Todd Greenberg, Ruan Sims, Charlotte Caslick most of the Australian Women's Cricket Team and plenty more.  I got these people onto my show because I ask.  So ask.  The worst that can happen is someone says no.  But what I always remember when someone asks me for help, is the many people who have assisted me on my journey.  Helping others, and particularly the next generation is the least I can do to say thank you to those people that helped me on my journey.  

Mary thank you so much for your time and all the great work that you are doing to support women around the world! 🙏❤