Member Spotlight: Jaymee Dudley

Jaymee Dudley has had a ball at her feet for 25 years. At "29 years young," she runs her own business, has played soccer in Australia and the UK, and has competed at tournaments in Sweden and Singapore. This year she took on something new, completing Play Like a Girl's Empowered to Lead program at the same time she stepped into her first official leadership role at her soccer club.

Where it all began

Jaymee's love of sport started on the sidelines. "My passion for sport sprouted from my dad being involved in the soccer world," she says. "Like me, he grew up with a ball at his feet, and as a kid I used to spend my Saturday afternoons on the sidelines of his games, or watching sport on TV, whether it was soccer or F1."

Her dad has played many roles in her sporting life since then. "Sharing this passion with him has hugely shaped my personal sporting journey, from having him as my official coach, my 'unofficial' coach, and my biggest supporter, pushing me to accept a challenge and run with it."

Along the way she tried swimming, tennis,volleyball and softball, but one sport always came first. "When I became double booked for training and competition, soccer always took priority."

That commitment took her to England. In 2015, playing for the Birmingham City Women's Football Academy, Jaymee's team reached the ESFA Colleges Trophy Final at St Andrew's, the home of Birmingham City Football Club. They won three nil, and she scored one of the goals. "I played for Birmingham City, at St Andrew's, and scored. That was a good day!"

In 2026 Jaymee joined the leadership team at her soccer club, her first official leadership role. "I learned a lot about myself, how I work, how I think, and how I act, along with a lot about how other characters and individuals act when given a title." It confirmed something she had felt for years. "True leadership doesn't come from an armband. It comes from listening, observing, empathising, believing, supporting, respecting and sharing experiences and knowledge."

Finding her people

About 18 months ago, Jaymee started her own business. Watching others around her lead with conviction and confidence, she wanted to "step outside of my comfort zone and grow as an individual and a business owner."

A conversation with Holly from Play Like aGirl made the decision easy. "I knew that I wanted to do this surrounded by other females, where everyone has their own stories, empathise with each other, are striving to support and empower those around them, and celebrate success, however big or small."

"Honestly, I didn't know what to expect," she admits. As an analytical person, she imagined learning some techniques, taking notes and working on them quietly by herself. "For the old me, that was perfect. But the Empowered to Lead program was way more than that, was way better for me than that, and sky rocketed my development more than I can put into words."

The difference was in the format and the people. "Open conversation rather than death by PowerPoint, sharing stories, meeting others from so many different worlds, all whilst having Holly sprinkle us with her positivity, confidence, and natural leadership qualities truly makes me feel like I am now Empowered to Lead."

The moment that stayed with her most came in the final session, when everyone shared their vision boards. "We were provided just enough guidance so we knew what to do, but also so much freedom to make it our own, that two will never be the same," she says."Whether I cross paths with all the individuals again, or not, I felt a connection to every single person, and felt that we had all experienced our light bulb moment throughout the program."

Leading with clarity

Jaymee describes herself as "hugely pocess driven," so the program's frameworks gave her a clear way in."The introduction and explanation of different frameworks and cycles has given me a step by step guide on how leadership works, meaning I can now analyse any current situation, then confidently apply the relevant framework to keep progression on track."

Learning about DISC profiles changed how she approaches conversations. "My ability to read someone else, identify theirDISC profile, and apply the relevant communication styles means I feel like I can talk to anyone, adapt my approach, and create success from conversation."

Because the program ran alongside her season,she could put it to work straight away. When the group explored the stages of team development (forming, storming, norming and performing), she recognised her own team moving through them in real time. "I was able to speak directly to our head coach, applying this model, and could articulate my thoughts and opinions with much more clarity," she says. "Fortunately, we survived the storming phase, and did eventually progress to performing!"

Sport has taught her lessons that now shapeher everyday life. "Respect as a leader is earned not given, and the ability to be human, empathetic and vulnerable at times is not a weakness, it's a strength." Today she carries that into every interaction,"acknowledging everyone has their own story, and taking the time to understand them before making assumptions, and creating deeper and more meaningful connections."

What comes next

Asked what would create more opportunities for women and girls, Jaymee doesn't hesitate. "100% the continuation of the Empowered to Lead program!"

She would also love to see the Play Like a Girl ripple effect spread into workplaces. "The ability to merge the passion and love for sport with leadership experience and opportunities within the workplace could mean that the sporting leagues, committees, and management can be influenced directly by women, resulting in immediate impact and continued progression for the next generation of women and girls."

For her own next chapter, Jaymee is focused on networking, building connections and growing her business "to the stage that I will expand and lead a team of like minded, successful individuals."

And what does it mean to Play Like a Girl? "To me, to Play Like a Girl means to be proud of who you are, live and play with fierceness and passion, lean into your empathy and care, and continue to strive for greatness."

From her dad's Saturday games to scoring at St Andrew's, Jaymee has always backed herself to take on a challenge. Empowered to Lead gave her the tools, the language and the community to do it with even more conviction. Every woman who finds her voice as a leader opens the door a little wider for the girls coming after her, and Jaymee is already holding it open.

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