Courtney’s story is one of self discovery, shaped by a lifelong connection to sport and a deeper journey into understanding who she is beyond performance. Growing up around elite AFL umpiring through her father’s career, sport was never just something she watched. It was the rhythm of everyday life.
“I feel like I was born into sport,” she says. “We continued to live that lifestyle throughout my childhood.”
But as she grew older, Courtney began to notice something within herself. A strong performance mindset had taken hold, where expectations and perfection quietly shaped how she saw the world. Sport was always there, but so was the pressure to get everything right.
Umpiring became both a passion and a challenge. Surrounded by structure, rules and expectation, Courtney found herself slipping into autopilot. Over time, she began to feel disconnected from the instinct and presence that first drew her to sport.
“I felt lost for a while and became quite robotic, umpiring without myself,” she reflects. “I wasn’t finding the art in it.”
It was during COVID that things began to shift. With time and space for personal reflection, Courtney started to reconnect with herself. When she returned to umpiring, something had changed.
“Those first few games back when I found my freedom and my true self were some of the best moments of my life,” she says. “I found my flow, it felt easy, and I felt genuinely happy.”
That sense of flow became a turning point, not just in sport, but in how she understood herself.
Courtney does not define her leadership by a role or position. Instead, she sees it in how she shows up for others in her workplace and community.
“I don’t necessarily have leadership in my title,” she says. “But I lead people within the communities I serve and in the office.”
Her approach is grounded in kindness, presence and authenticity, even in difficult moments. For Courtney, leadership is not about control. It is about staying connected to who you are.
“I’ve learned to approach situations with love and kindness, even when things feel chaotic or stressful,” she shares. “Staying true to myself allows me to lead from the heart.”
Courtney joined Empowered to Lead after being encouraged by colleagues who saw the value in deepening her self awareness and leadership approach. What she expected was a focus on professional development. What she experienced was far more connected than that.
“I expected to learn mainly work related topics,” she says. “But what stood out was how strong the connection is between how you show up at work and how you show up as a person.”
That connection between personal and professional growth became one of the most powerful parts of the experience for her.
The final program task, creating personal boards and presenting them, pushed her outside her comfort zone in a meaningful way.
“As a perfectionist, it’s the type of task I would normally never start,” she says. “But it pushed me to put myself out there and accept what I created.”
For Courtney, that moment reflected a deeper shift. Learning to let go of perfection and embrace progress became a key part of her leadership growth.
Since completing the program, Courtney has noticed real change in how she responds to challenges. Instead of withdrawing or falling into self doubt when things go wrong, she is learning to stay steady and grounded in who she is.
“It’s given me the confidence to courageously be myself in a world that constantly tries to define who you are,” she says.
Even in moments of mistake or pressure, she is choosing a different response. One rooted in self trust rather than fear.
“I practised staying confident, true to myself and brave enough to keep going,” she explains. “Instead of withdrawing like I normally would.”
These small but powerful shifts are shaping how she continues to grow across both sport and life.
For Courtney, sport will always be more than competition. It is a space for learning, reflection and growth. The lessons she has gained continue to shape how she shows up every day, whether in sport, work or life beyond both.
“If I miss a lesson, it tends to come back around,” she says. “And that’s when I know it’s time to do the work and be brave enough to show up.”
At the heart of her story is a simple but powerful truth. Growth is not about perfection. It is about awareness, courage and the willingness to keep showing up as yourself.
Through sport and through Empowered to Lead, Courtney is continuing to step into that truth, one moment at a time.
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