Dr Alyce Barnes is the kind of person who makes you want to get up and move. Warm, grounded and passionate, she brings expertise to her work but delivers it in a way that feels human and instantly relatable. She’s an early career researcher who has already helped design world-first programs for girls and families, while juggling her own family life, coaching sporting teams and being actively involved in her local soccer and touch football clubs.
That combination of credibility and heart is exactly one of the reasons Alyce was named the 2025 Lake Mac Ambassador and Sports Leader of the Year. It is also why she is the perfect fit for a role that celebrates locals making a meaningful impact.
Alyce’s career began in the classroom as a specialist primary PE teacher. Even then, she could see how differently children experienced movement and sport. “I witnessed first-hand the limited confidence and competence some kids had in their fundamental movement skills,” she says. “That really fired my commitment to fostering a more inclusive and empowering environment.”
Dr Alyce Barnes is an early career researcher who has already helped design world-first programs for girls and families, while juggling her own family life, coaching sporting teams and being actively involved in her local soccer and touch football clubs.
2025 Lake Mac Ambassador and Sports Leader of the Year
Curiosity and drive soon led her into research. She completed a PhD focused on improving physical activity levels, confidence and wellbeing in mothers and their primary-school aged daughters. “My research found that mother and daughter intervention demonstrated strong feasibility and satisfaction, significant increases in mothers’ vigorous physical activity and role-modelling behaviours, and positive trends in daughters’ psychosocial outcomes. It really reinforced the value of positive role modelling,” she says.
Now as a mother of three girls, her research feels especially personal. “I want to be the best version of myself as a role model,” she says. “I am grateful to have a passion that is aligned with my research and daily life as a mother and active member of my community.”
Alyce currently works with the National Centre of Implementation Science at the University of Newcastle. A large part of this is helping high schools embed evidence-based physical activity programs that actually stick. She supports teachers through the Physical Activity for Everyone (PA4E1) initiative, which focuses on long-term change. “We are looking at how we can sustain programs in high schools,” she says. “How can we support schools to embed an evidence-based physical activity program over the long-term without losing the positive effects on adolescent health and wellbeing?”
Now as a mother of three girls, her research feels especially personal. “I want to be the best version of myself as a role model,” she says. “I am grateful to have a passion that is aligned with my research and daily life as a mother and active member of my community.”
A big focus for her is helping girls in particular feel confident enough to participate. “There is fear of being judged, gender-based stereotypes, accessibility and cost, low confidence, body image and uniforms,” she says. “All of these play a role.” Uniforms remain one of the simplest barriers to fix. “When girls are wearing uniforms that are suitable for movement, they are more likely to achieve physical activity recommendations,” she says. “Feeling self-conscious or restricted can really hold them back.”
Her work in schools spans the Hunter New England region and parts of rural NSW, where she sees the difference that location and resources can make. “It has been humbling working with rural schools and seeing what limited resources they have,” she says. “We need to work towards more equity.”
Alyce’s connection to Lake Macquarie is a huge part of what drives her. Originally from Muswellbrook, her family now lives in the Dudley/Redhead area. She walks her girls to school, spends weekends at the Dudley Redhead Junior United Football Club and the Swansea Belmont Surf Lifesaving Club and uses the area’s natural beauty as part of her own wellbeing routine.
“Lake Mac has so many free opportunities,” she says. “Pathways, bushwalks, beaches. Being out in nature is so important for mental health.” Having that everyday connection to the community helps her understand what local families value and what they need. It also means her advocacy is grounded in lived experience, not just data.
Being named a Lake Macquarie Ambassador has opened the door to new leadership opportunities, including community events, advocacy and conversations with decision makers. “It has been a great platform to be able to speak with members of Parliament,” she says. “To see what funding is available and how I can use my voice to advocate.”
A recent standout moment for her was attending the Take Back Our Path event on the Fernleigh Track, which highlighted community safety on shared pathways. “It was such a pivotal moment,” she says. “As women, we should be able to exercise and access those spaces safely.”
As she looks ahead, Alyce hopes her ambassadorship can shine a light on the importance of confidence, inclusion and lifelong movement for girls. She wants to continue building research that is practical, scalable and sustainable for local schools and communities. And she wants families across Lake Macquarie and the wider region to feel supported in raising active, resilient kids.
“One of my goals is to break down the barriers girls face and be part of research that delivers scalable, sustainable solutions,” she says. Her vision is simple: “I want every girl, regardless of background or ability, to feel confident, included and capable of living an active life.”
It’s clear that Alyce’s leadership will leave a mark on the region. Not through slogans or complicated strategies, but through the everyday example she sets. As a teacher, researcher, coach, community member and mum, she is exactly the kind of ambassador Lake Macquarie can be proud of.
Alyce’s top tips for encouraging kids to stay active:
1. Move Together.
Kids feel more confident when they’re active with someone they trust. Whether it’s a parent, sibling or a group of friends, co-physical activity creates a safe, supportive space to try new things, and shows kids that being active is something we all do.
2. Make it fun and follow what they enjoy.
Connect movement to the things they already love for example; music, exploring nature, being at the beach or lake, playing games in the park, or spending time with friends. When movement feels enjoyable and social, kids are far more likely to want to keep engaging.
3. Keep trying new things and build simple habits.
Not every activity will stick, and that’s okay. Offer gentle encouragement to explore local trails, beaches, bushwalks or community spaces, and help kids build confidence by finding what feels good for them. Small, positive routines add up to sustainable habits.
4. Keep girls (and women) in the game.
Encouraging girls and the women and men who support them to stay active benefits physical health, emotional wellbeing, confidence and social connection. Fun, inclusive activities shared with friends help girls feel engaged, supported and motivated, fostering habits that last a lifetime.
