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Navigating the many seasons of life is a universally shared experience for– women – balancing roles as mothers, daughters, professionals, and friends, each with its own demands yet all interconnected in shaping who they become. For Shona Eichorn, sport has been the common thread that weaves these roles together, shaping her strength, resilience, and values of teamwork, perseverance, and leadership, leaving an enduring impact on countless lives.
For over three decades, Shona has been at the heart of regional sports development, youth mentorship, and community building. Her work underscores the transformative power of sport as a means of fostering connection, shaping values, and driving personal growth. As CEO of the Northern Inland Academy of Sport (NIAS), her leadership has guided the paths of thousands – both on and off the field.
Sport has been a part of Shona’s life since her early years in Lismore, where her family lived and breathed it. “Sport was always a focal point for our family,” she recalls. But it wasn’t just about competition; it created lifelong connections and friendships, like her mother’s enduring relationships with fellow cricket mums – names like Gilchrist, Phelps, Fields and McLean – that have lasted for decades. From these early experiences, Shona developed a deep belief in sport’s power to build character and community – principles that have shaped both her personal and professional life.
Her parents’ volunteer work shaped Shona’s own dedication to sport and community. For her, sport became more than just winning; it was about service, teamwork, and building strong communities – values that have guided her throughout her career.
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Sweden, Shona embraced handball among many other sports like skiing and ice-skating, and later, during another Rotary exchange in the USA, she developed a passion for NFL, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. These international experiences strengthened her belief in the power of sport to bring people together. Always with a view to giving back, Shona joined Rotary as a member in 2022. Her dedication to ‘service above self’, a core Rotary principle, is evident in her leadership at NIAS, where she prioritises not just athletic success but also personal growth and community contribution.
In 1992, she saw an opportunity to blend her passion for sport with her community-driven values when she accepted the role of CEO at NIAS and moved to Armidale. Throwing herself headfirst into the position, she quickly recognised the need to promote the academy’s benefits. With the support of regional media and her tireless fundraising efforts, Shona helped raise awareness and secure sponsorships to keep NIAS afloat and grow. The early days were both challenging and exciting, with her balancing numerous responsibilities as the sole employee.
From day one at NIAS, Shona’s leadership was defined by the values she had learned through sport – resilience, teamwork, and a commitment to lifting others. These qualities allowed her to successfully grow the academy and create pathways for countless young athletes, continuing the cycle of sport as a vehicle for personal and community development.
Over the years, NIAS expanded, adding more sports and helping athletes like Stacey Porter (Australian softball captain), Dean Widders and Nathan Blacklock (rugby league), and Kate Jenner (Hockeyroos) to name a few, achieve national and international success.
But for Shona, NIAS’s greatest success lies beyond the achievements of top athletes.
“The highlight for me is seeing the positive impact we have on athletes overall, watching them grow, and witnessing those who give back to their communities,” she shares. A standout moment was when Armidale-born Dean Widders recently gave an impromptu talk to young Indigenous athletes at a Talent Identification Day, encouraging them to aim higher.
“And I thought then, that’s success… we had made a small, positive impact in his life,” she reflects.
The juggle is real
Her commitment to NIAS spans over 32 years. After a hiatus to raise her sons and work in independent schools, Shona returned in 2021, just as Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Olympics, reigniting her passion for leading the academy. She refers to her return as “coming home, but to a house that has been extensively renovated” with more resources, opportunities, and expectations than before. “There’s always something more to do,” she adds. “I love it!”
Earlier this year, Shona was instrumental in securing the Your Local Club Academy Games for Tamworth, a three-year tenure that will bring both economic and social benefits to the region. The Games will showcase talent fostered by the 11 Regional Academies of Sport across NSW, attracting attention to the quality of regional athletes. “This will be huge for our region,” she says, eager for the opportunities and tourism it will generate.
Challenges come with the territory of regional sports promotion. Distance is always a factor, but Shona has never been one to shy away from obstacles. “For every challenge, there is a solution and an opportunity!” she says, always on the lookout for ways to improve NIAS’s offerings and better support talented athletes and coaches on the pathway.
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympics on the horizon, Shona sees this as a culmination of everything she has worked for: an opportunity to show how sport can inspire a generation, bring communities together, and create legacies of excellence and service.
“Brisbane is just up the road and it’s an incredible opportunity for our aspiring athletes and our region. I would love to see NIAS athletes on the podiums at the 2032 Olympics and beyond, or achieving equivalent success in other fields,” she says, adding that she hopes these athletes will give back to the communities that nurtured them.
Balancing her professional commitments with personal life, especially on the 100-acre property she shares with her husband Rod and their sons Riley, Hudson and Blair, is an ongoing challenge. “Life: Work balance… what’s that?” she laughs, admitting that it’s a work in progress. Between the demands of work, family, and running a farm, there’s little time to switch off. Yet, just as in sport, where discipline and resilience are key to success, she approaches this challenge with the same principles – hard work, teamwork, and perseverance. “I’m always on – always thinking of how we can do things better.”
Shona’s life has been defined by her ability to fluidly adapt to the many roles she has taken on – mother, leader, mentor, and community advocate. Through it all, sport has been the driving force, instilling values of resilience, teamwork, and leadership that have shaped not only her career but every aspect of her life. These lessons continue to guide how she balances her commitments, ensuring that her legacy is not measured by titles, but by the countless lives she has positively influenced. Using sport as a tool to build stronger communities and empower the next generation, Shona leaves an enduring impact that goes far beyond the field.
