Member Spotlight: Karolina Eisenkolb

For Karolina, sport has always been more than just a game. It has been a home, a connector and a platform for leadership.

Originally from Germany, Karolina moved to Australia four and a half years ago for her partner’s work. Like many people navigating a new country, sport became her way in. Olympic handball offered not only familiarity, but instant connection.

“After moving here, sport was a great opportunity to connect to people,”she shares.

Since arriving, Karolina has thrown herself into the handball community.She plays with UTS, coaches at the NSW Handball Junior Academy, and this year was elected as a Director on the Handball Australia Board. She also serves asAssistant Coach for the U19 and U17 women’s national teams, and recently represented Australia at an international tournament in the Cook Islands.

Despite handball being a smaller sport in Australia, Karolina sees its potential clearly.

“Even though we are a small sport, it’s still something not many people get to experience,” she says of working with national teams and competing internationally.

Finding belonging through sport

Karolina’s love of sport began long before her move to Australia.Growing up, team sport offered her a sense of belonging and support that stayed with her into adulthood.

“Sport always gave me a second home,” she reflects. “Especially in team sports, I always found a place of support and belonging.”

Those early experiences shaped her desire not just to participate, but to give back. Leadership came naturally. She began coaching at just 17, became a head coach by 20, and later took on youth coordination roles in her local club.

When she arrived in Australia and noticed gaps in structure and organisation within the sport, Karolina chose action over frustration.

“I didn’t just want to complain, but find ways to actively get involved and help develop the sport,” she says.

Growing into confident leadership

Despite her impressive leadership journey, Karolina openly acknowledges that confidence and self reflection were areas she wanted to strengthen. That is what drew her to the Empowered to Lead program.

“I know I struggle a lot with confidence and self reflection,” she explains. “I wanted to be a more confident leader.”

What she found exceeded her expectations.

“I was extremely surprised how much I learned, but also how interactive and supportive the community was,” she says.

A standout moment came during preparation for the final presentation, when Karolina paused to reflect on her growth.

“I really realised how much I had grown and better understood myself and the leader I want to be in these five weeks.”

That learning quickly translated into action. In a challenging meeting shortly after the program ended, Karolina found herself speaking up in ways she previously found difficult.

“I reminded myself why I’m doing this and used my inner heroine to comeback to the purpose of the discussion and clear next steps.”

Looking ahead with courage

For Karolina, sport has taught many lessons, but one stands out above all. “You can’t please everyone.”

Looking to the future, she hopes to see greater visibility and appreciation of women’s sport, without constant comparison to men’s competitions.

“We need to stop comparing female disciplines with male counterparts and start seeing the unique beauty of female sport,” she says.

In the months ahead, Karolina is focused on embedding what she has learned and continuing to grow her confidence as a leader.

“To be more confident and brave to take risks,” she says simply. When asked what it means to Play Like a Girl, her answer captures the essence of her journey. “It’s being able to be your strong and confident self without fear.”

She is deeply grateful for the support that made her participation inEmpowered to Lead possible. “This program helps women and girls like me recognise who we are and who we want to be,” Karolina shares. “It’s a community of women and girls who support each other, cheer for each other and bring positive vibes, with no room for judgement.”

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