The Port Adelaide Football Club congratulates Jenny Williams and Vicky Welgraven on their respective Australia Day honours.
Ms Williams was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to women’s sport while Ms Welgraven was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to women through social welfare organisations, and to Indigenous health.
Ms Williams has a remarkable history in women’s sport at a national and state level.
Ms Williams represented Australia in lacrosse and was a member of the 1986 World Champion Gold Medal team. She captained Australia from 1989 to 1992 winning a bronze medal in the 1989 World Cup and then coached the Australian team to a world silver medal in 1997.
Ms Williams also represented South Australia in six sports – Lacrosse, Indoor Lacrosse, Touch Football, Soccer, Cricket and Football.
In 2003, Ms Williams was awarded the AFL Football Woman of the Year and in 2013 she was inducted into the South Australian Sport Hall of Fame.
Off the field, Ms Williams has dedicated her life to sports administration, psychology and leadership.
Ms Welgraven, a member of Port Adelaide’s AFLW steering committee, is a White Ribbon Australia Community Partner and a Director on the Our Watch Board where she promotes gender equality and respectful relationships and advocates for an end to Family and Domestic Violence.
Ms Welgraven was inducted into the South Australian Women’s Honour Roll in 2015, in recognition of her work as a strong advocate and an ambassador for Aboriginal women’s rights.
In 2018 Ms Welgraven won the ‘Individual Flame of Change Unifying Support Awards’ for her outstanding advocacy and campaigning for an end to Family and Domestic Violence.
Ms Welgraven was also a Finalist for 2019 South Australian / Australian of the Year Award and for the ‘2019 Women in Innovation Awards in the category of Innovation and Intrapreneurship in Government’ for her innovative approaches to reconciliation, Aboriginal history and culture, promoting gender equality, respectful relationships and an end to family violence.
Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson congratulated Ms Williams and Ms Welgraven on their Australian Day honours.
“On behalf of the Port Adelaide Football Club I congratulate Jenny, Vicky and their families on being bestowed this prestigious honour,” Mr Richardson said.
“Jenny is a most worthy recipient having contributed so much to women’s sport as a player, and then beyond that as a coach, leader, mentor and performance psychologist.
“Jenny has a long and proud association with the Port Adelaide Football Club and I know our community will join me in congratulating her on this recognition.
“Vicky is a member of our club’s AFLW steering committee and her extraordinary contribution to women through social welfare advocacy and Indigenous health is peerless.
“She richly deserves this honour for her long-time dedication to promoting gender equality, respectful relationships and an end to domestic violence.”