Jody van Heerden building real inclusion in sport 

For Jody van Heerden and her family, sport has always been part of life. “I played volleyball for my province in South Africa, my siblings played at the Commonwealth Games, and we were raised on a tennis court,” she recalls. So when her son was born with both hearing and physical disability, she and her husband were determined to give him every opportunity to play.

They’ve tried it all – horse riding, walker soccer, surfing, race running, and even indoor skydiving. “We started him as soon as he was able to toddle onto something,” Jody says. Some experiences have been transformative, but access is patchy. “Eighty percent of what we find is word of mouth. There’s no central place where you can see what’s out there. You only know if it’s inclusive once you arrive.”

Barriers are often as basic as parking or toilets not meeting real needs. “So many venues only have the most basic accessible bathroom, which isn’t enough. True inclusion means having the right facilities and staff who can actually communicate with him.”

For us, it’s not just about creating superstars – it's about making sure every child and young person has the chance to belong, to play, and to feel included.”

Jody is a strong advocate for collecting participation data. “If we ask the right questions, we’ll see patterns in the barriers. Then we can target solutions, not just guess.” But she’s also clear on respect.
“Families need to know why data is being collected and how it will be used to drive change.”

Her vision for the future is simple but powerful. “For us, it’s not just about creating superstars – it's about making sure every child and young person has the chance to belong, to play, and to feel included.”