Former Australian Rower Tory Toogood Keynotes WISS 2026 Lineup to Drive Grassroots and Leadership Pathways

Former Australian national rower, pelvic health physiotherapist, and sports administrator Tory Toogood has been confirmed as a featured keynote presenter for the Women in Sport Summit (WISS) 2026, taking place at the Adelaide Oval from 19–22 October 2026.

The announcement, released last week by Ministry of Sport, highlights a strategic push to bridge the gap between grassroots athletic development and executive sports leadership.

Drawing on four decades of multi-faceted involvement across sub-elite, elite, coaching, and medical roles in Australian sport, Toogood’s presentation will focus on leveraging high-performance athletic habits to build sustainable, long-term commercial and administrative career pathways.

Addressing delegates across Australia’s sports management and high-performance sectors, Toogood, will explore the commercial necessity of developing structured, consistent transition programs for athletes entering corporate and administrative positions.

Her session will also highlight the foundational importance of grassroots and state-level sporting bodies in maintaining the national talent and governance ecosystem.

“There are lots of different pathways along the way.”

“Nothing works without our grassroots and without our state level opportunities as well as the bigger national and international opportunities.

“The way to be happy and to find satisfaction in being able to contribute locally, in being able to even move in and out of sporting organisations over the years as life changes and as different opportunities arise, but maintaining connections over a lifetime is something really wonderful as well,” Toogood said.

Toogood’s inclusion reinforces WISS 2026’s focus on long-term workforce retention, athletic transition strategies, and grassroots sustainability across the Australian sports landscape.

The Women in Sport Summit runs from 19–22 October 2026 at Adelaide Oval, with the Leadership Summit taking place on Wednesday 21 October. Secure a ticket here now!!!