Leadership is not always about age.
At 15 and 22, Ebony Stevenson and Katelin Gunn are already showing what leadership can look like at the elite level.
Fresh from international duty with the Australian Gliders at the Asia Oceania Championships, Stevenson and Gunn have attended both the Women’s Wheelchair Pathway camp and the She Hoops Leadership and Confidence Scholarship camp, applying their development across two key pathway environments.
“Being one of the leaders alongside Ebony and a few others, it was a different role to what I have within the Gliders environment,” Gunn said.
“I was keen to bring more leadership into my game and see what I could do with that responsibility.”
Participating in last week’s Women’s Wheelchair Pathway camp led by Under-25 Devils Head Coach Jeremy Synot, also provided space to reset after a challenging international campaign.
“Coming off the AOZs, any trip takes a lot out of you,” Stevenson said.
“This camp was a really good opportunity to rebuild confidence and practice leadership in an environment where development was the key focus.”
“I think about what I would have wanted at my first camp and try to give that to the girls now.”
The camp also carried a sense of familiarity for Gunn, reflecting her own experiences coming through the pathway.
“The setting was very similar to where I was a couple of years ago,” she said.
“There were lots of new faces, which was awesome to see. I try to check in with people, see how they are going, and make things feel as supportive as possible.”
This week, Stevenson and Gunn transitioned into the She Hoops camp as Leadership and Confidence Scholarship holders.
“Coming into She Hoops is a very different environment,” Gunn said.
“It can feel uncomfortable at times because it’s not just para-athletes like we are used to, but that is where growth happens.”
The She Hoops Leadership and Confidence Scholarship has played a significant role in shaping how both athletes understand leadership, both on and off the court.
“One of the biggest lessons has been learning how to look after yourself first,” Stevenson said.
“The She Hoops scholarship has taught us how to preserve ourselves so we can show up better for others.”
That learning has translated directly onto the court.
“We have learned how to reset and not dwell on mistakes. If you miss a shot, you just have to move on.”
“Dwelling can actually take away from the team.”
Gunn said that same perspective now shapes how she leads.
“Leadership is about choosing how you show up. I have learned how much my energy on court affects the people around me,” she said.
