Victorian Sport Awards, Industry

Finalists announced for 2018 Victorian Sport Awards

Media Release

Wednesday 19 December, 2018

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The Victorian Sport Awards is the night of nights for the Victorian sporting community; celebrating participants, coaches, organisers and the volunteers behind the scenes from all levels of sport in Victoria.

Each year the Victorian Sport Awards honours those who have made an outstanding contribution to sport in Victoria as individual or team athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers from both metropolitan and regional areas in Victoria.

Entrants in the Awards are nominated by state sporting associations, regional sport assemblies, teammates, club members, coaches or their local community in recognition of their outstanding contribution to sport and active recreation.

This year Vicsport is pleased to announce the inaugural Peter Norman Inclusion Award, specially developed with Nova Peris OLY OAM, to recognise clubs and sporting organisations that are inclusive.

Here is a link to a short film titled I’ll Stand With You which highlights Peter Norman’s stance and why it’s important to celebrate inclusiveness in sport:

https://www.youtube.com/illstandwithyou

Vicsport Chairman Ron Gauci says:

The Victorian Sport Awards is a highlight event on the Victorian sporting calendar and Vicsport is pleased to celebrate the wonderful achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes, from community and grassroots to the elite level.

“Once again, the calibre of candidates and subsequently the finalists chosen are an indication of the health of our industry in Victoria and makes the process of judging winners more challenging and interesting. We look forward to rewarding the success of our finalists at the 2018 Victorian Sport Awards”.

Each year the Victorian Sport Awards receives hundreds of nominations which recognise and celebrate the exceptional members of the Victorian sporting community; the individuals and team athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers from both metropolitan and regional areas in Victoria.

The quality and breadth of the nominations received makes selecting the finalists a difficult endeavour, which is why the 2018 Victorian Sport Awards invites 32 highly qualified Victorian sports people to constitute the judging panels charged with picking the finalists across the 20 categories.

Judges include people from various diverse sporting groups and roles including:

• Steve Moneghetti AM OLY, represented Australia at four Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games and six World Championships. Winner of the 1989 and 1995 Male Athlete of the Year and 2001 Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award
• Kyle Vander Kuyp OLY, 12 times National Hurdles Champion, Olympic finalist
• Kitty Chiller OLY, Gymnastics Australia CEO and former Chef De Mission of the Australian Olympic Committee
• Jan Stirling AM, GM High Performance at Basketball Australia and former Opals Coach, FIBA Hall of Fame member
• Anne Marie Harrison – CEO Victorian Institute of Sport
• Dr Bridie O’Donnell - Head, Office for Women in Sport & Recreation, elite road cyclist and former professional rider in Europe and the US
• Vicsport Chairman Ron Gauci
• Nova Peris re the inaugural Peter Norman Inclusion Award
• Victorian Sport Awards Judges
• Victorian Sport Awards Finalists

The Victorian Sport Awards are presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport.

Held at Marvel Stadium, the Victorian Sport Awards will be attended by all entrants, nominees, family, friends, sporting organisations and clubs to celebrate the successes of community sport in Victoria.

Last year's Awards attracted 500 attendees including many of Victoria’s premier athletes and grassroots heroes.

The Awards are a night that recognises and celebrates the achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes and legends and all those who helped them get there.

Finalists in all categories of the 2018 Victorian Sport Awards are as follows; for detailed bios on each finalist, click HERE.

La Trobe University Victorian Coach of the Year

• Dean Vickerman (Basketball)
• Craig Jackson (Swimming)
• Samantha (Sammi) Lukey (Calisthenics)
• John Hart (Gymnastics)

Gallagher Victorian Community Coach of the Year

• Wes Canny (Rowing)
• Taylah Palmer (Gymnastics)
• Amy Johnson (Triathlon)
• Vicky Lee (Tennis)

Sports Accounting Australia Victorian Official of the Year

• Jessica Haintz (Gymnastics)
• Brian Hurley (Netball)
• Jacqueline Madden (Swimming)
• Andrew McGuire (Triathlon)

Victorian Community Official of the Year

• Jenny Forssman (Gymnastics)
• Nicole Lopes (Little Athletics)
• Peter Cramp (Touch Football)
• Phillip Craig (CAMS)

SportsTG Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year - Eunice Gill Award

• Christian Hamilton (Golf)
• Rosie King (Netball & Hockey)
• Grant Cosgriff (Triathlon)
• Karen Pearce (Basketball)

Southern Cross Trophies Victorian Young Volunteer of the Year

• Josh Barila (Swimming)
• Catherine Phillips (Ultimate & AFL)
• Joe Pignataro (AFL)
• Aaron Stewart (Ultimate)

Love the Game Victorian Community Sporting Club of the Year Award

• Collingwood Basketball Association (Basketball)
• Werribee Bowls Club (Bowls)
• Melbourne Frontrunners Inc (Running)
• South Gippsland Bass Swimming Club (Swimming)

Involve Creative Victorian Masters Athlete of the Year

• Glenn Busby (Tennis)
• Sally Cumming (Life Saving)
• Anna Davis (Cycling)
• Patrick Galvin (Swimming)

SportsLink Travel Victorian Team of the Year

• Melbourne Ice Women (Ice Hockey)
• Melbourne United (Basketball)
• Melbourne Victory (Football)
• Western Bulldogs (AFLW)

Victorian Young Team of the Year

• Victorian 14 & Under Girls State Indoor Cricket Team (Cricket)
• Victorian Age Diving Team (Diving)
• Victorian U19 Netball Team (Netball)
• South Melbourne Seahorses - U/15 Rescue & Resuscitation Team (Life Saving)

Victorian Young Athlete of the Year

• Destanee Aiava (Tennis)
• Jakara Anthony (Ski & Snowboard)
• Alexandra Eade (Gymnastics)
• Jemima Montag (Athletics (Walks))
• Harry Garside (Boxing)

Governor's Award Victorian Male Athlete of the Year - Frank Wilkes Award

• Scotty James (Ski & Snowboard)
• Mack Horton (Swimming)
• Dylan Alcott (Tennis)
• Chris Goulding (Basketball)

Governor's Award Victorian Female Athlete of the Year - Kitty McEwan Award

• Melissa (Milly) Tapper (Table Tennis)
• Carla Krizanic (Bowls)
• Jemima Montag (Athletics (Walks))
• Lucy Stephan (Rowing)

Victorian Local Government Initiative of the Year

• Activities and Outings for Seniors - LEAP Program (City of Whittlesea)
• All Abilities Day and Fit and Fun (Mornington Peninsula Shire)
• Casey Wolves BMX Track - Regional BMX Track & Sports Cycling pavilion (City of Casey)
• City of Ballarat - Sport & Active Living (City of Ballarat)

Victorian Outdoor/Active and Recreation Initiative of the Year

• DonateLife Female Football Showcase (Women’s AFL)
• Escaping Your Comfort Zone (Hiking)
• Rock Up Netball Train (Netball)
• Victorian Wheelchair Football League (VWFL) (AFL & DSR)

VicHealth Sport Development Initiative of the Year

• Bowling with Babies (Bowls)
• Walking Netball (Netball)
• 'Learn Support Lead: activating female leaders in sport' (Sport North East)
• Women in Sport Good Governance Program (various sports)

My Sport Live Victorian Community Sporting Event of the Year

• Tennis Victioria Country Week (Tennis)
• Victorian Senior Aboriginal Football and Netball Carnival (The Carnival) (Football & Netball)
• Melbourne International 3 Day Event (MI3DE) (Equestrian)
• Australian Lacrosse Association Under 15 National Tournament (Lacrosse)

State Government of Victoria Service to Victorian Community Sport and Recreation

• Elaine Duyvestyn (Softball)
• Andrew Guerin (Rowing)
• Gary Barclay (Swimming)
• Barbara Schembri (Artistic Swimming)

La Trobe University Peter Norman Inclusion Award

• Erik Denison (Rugby)
• Karen Pearce (Basketball)
• Matthew Shawcross (Cricket)
• Raise the Bar Academy (Athletics & Melbourne University)

Purchase your tickets here

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