Making history at Eastlake

Posted on 15 May, 2019

When Louise Morris was in primary school, she longed to play football, but at the time there were two obstacles—there weren’t enough girls and it “wasn’t well accepted” by her peers.

Fast forward 20 years and Louise is now the newest female director of the Eastlake Group, which includes four licensed clubs, a pub and two successful football franchises – the Eastlake Demons and the Canberra Demons.

It’s a very different time for the sport, thanks to the emergence of the women’s Australian Football League (AFL), not to mention a thriving local women’s football league.

“I’ve watched with great interest and enthusiasm as the women’s competition has gained traction and more girls are taking it up,” Louise says.

Proudly, Eastlake’s women’s football team is hugely successful after winning the flag last year and making history by adding a second women’s team for the 2019 season.

“The contribution that the Eastlake Group is making to the Canberra community is so important – not just for Football. I’ve got a lot of good feelings about the club and I want to see it succeed.”

A property lawyer with a background in property development and construction, Louise says she was delighted when the club approached her last year.

“As a member and a long time Canberran who’d had dealings with some of the Eastlake board members in a professional capacity, it was a wonderful opportunity,” she says.

Previous work experience meant Louise was no stranger to male-dominated industries, so being the only female member on the board wasn’t an intimidating experience.

“Having had a career in construction and property development, and as women partners of law firms are still in the minority, I am used to being outnumbered,” Louise says.

“The inclusive and kind approach of all board members and staff has demonstrated to me that diversity is truly valued here. In my varied experience, this seriously sets Eastlake apart, especially as a workplace. Eastlake have always had at least one female representative on their board and we are actively seeking a greater participation by women in our board.”

Jenni Dowling, Louise Morris and Louize Glenn

Two other women who have been vital in the Eastlake Group’s success, though off the field rather than on, are Corporate Affairs Manager Louize Glenn and HR Coordinator Jenni Dowling.

Having worked in various roles within the Club industry throughout her career, Louize says she made the move to the Eastlake Group “to help tell their story.”

“Eastlake has a great relationship with the community it surrounds and is such an important part of the social fabric of Canberra,” she says.

“I want to tell Canberra the stories I hear every day and let people know of the support we provide our various community partners. I know from being on the inside that the Eastlake Group are so much more than schnitzels and football.”

One of the biggest changes Louize has seen is the regulation around the club industry, which has changed dramatically over the years. As the member representing Clubs on the ACT Governments Liquor Advisory Board, Louize can ensure Eastlake and the industry are involved in those changes and can help drive them from the inside.

“Clubs are changing, our business models have been revamped to adapt to the reduced income from gaming machines.  The Eastlake Group is embracing this change and there is a real and strong focus on diversification and building other forms of income to help continue our support for Canberra and Eastlake Football.”

With each club a 21-hour business, work-life balance can be tricky, admits Louize.

“There is not much that is Monday to Friday 9-5 about this position,” she says.

“On any given day I can go from a television interview about our community partners to approving artwork; liaising with the ACT Government on upcoming legislative changes to meeting with our Chefs about Mother’s Day. It’s diverse—eclectic but so enjoyable.”

Jenni believes the next five years will be a crucial time for the Eastlake Group, with several exciting projects on the go.

“With the opening of our fourth licensed club last year, we’ve doubled our workforce over two years – it’s been a challenge, but it’s been great.  We really value our staff and all they do, everyone has a story and I really enjoy learning about our staff and how we can help them reach their goals.”

“The connection to the community is evident and growing for Eastlake, the promotion of sport has such a strong history within the Group, and Louize [Glenn] is a strong link bringing the licensed clubs, football and the community together” she says.

“I am surrounded by strong women, who do their best, give their best and are doing great things—we are really making a contribution to the success of the Eastlake Group.”

The Eastlake Group are proud partners and contributors to the ClubsACT Women in Clubs Network.

the essentials 

What: Eastlake Football Club
Where: Calwell, Griffith, Gungahlin and Kaleen
Web: eastlakefc.com.au

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