Finalists announced for 2019 Victorian Sport Awards
The Victorian Sport Awards is the night of nights for the Victorian sporting community, recognising and celebrating the achievements of our home-grown premier athletes, grassroots heroes and those who have shown commitment and dedication to community sport in Victoria.
Presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport on Wednesday 26 February, 2020 at Marvel Stadium, the Victorian Sport Awards honours individual and team athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers from both metropolitan and regional Victoria.
Each year the Victorian Sport Awards receives hundreds of nominations from State Sporting Associations, Regional Sport Assemblies, Local Government Authorities, teammates, club members, coaches or their local community in recognition of their outstanding contribution to sport and active recreation.
The Outstanding Media Coverage of Sport Award is new this year. This inaugural Award recognises the coverage of elite and community sport to the wider public via various online, digital, broadcast and/or print media platforms in 2019.
The Hon. Martin Pakula, Minister for Racing, Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events says:
“Congratulations to all the finalists, from world-beaters like Scotty James and Liz Watson to the community teams, volunteers and coaches who lead the way at grassroots level.”
“Juniors and masters, volunteers and professionals, individuals and teams – the Victorian Sport Awards recognise the very best in our sporting endeavours.”
Vicsport Chairman Ron Gauci says:
“The Victorian Sport Awards is a premier event on the Victorian sporting calendar. Vicsport is delighted to recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes, from grassroots and community through to the elite level.
“The calibre of nominations in 2019 and subsequently the finalists chosen are an indication of the strength of our industry in Victoria and makes the process of judging winners a challenging but rewarding one. We look forward to honouring the success of our finalists at the 2019 Victorian Sport Awards in February.”
The quality and breadth of the nominations received makes selecting the finalists a difficult endeavour, which is why the 2019 Victorian Sport Awards invites 39 highly qualified people from the Victorian sports industry to constitute the judging panels charged with picking the finalists across the 18 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 Victorian Sport Award
- Sharelle McMahon, Two-time Netball World Champion, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist
- Bill Mildenhall, all-time NBL referee games record holder, two-time Olympic referee
- Kyle Vander Kuyp OLY, 12 times National Hurdles Champion, Olympic finalist
Event details:
Wednesday 26 February, 2020
Marvel Stadium, Docklands
6pm – 7pm – Refreshments and canapes
7pm - 9.30pm - Awards ceremony
9.30pm - 10pm - Post-event networking and refreshments
To purchase tickets, visit https://vicsport.com.au/events/view/1278.
Finalists in all categories of the 2019 Victorian Sport Awards are as follows:
Southern Cross Trophies Coach of the Year
- Lisa Alexander (Netball)
- Jeff Hopkins (Football)
- Peter McNeil (Mogul Skiing)
- Scott Talbot (Swimming)
Gallagher Community Coach of the Year
- Hannah Every-Hall (Rowing)
- Yvonne Fantin (Tennis)
- Karen Garrard (Swimming)
- Dee Stark (Gymnastics)
Sports Accounting Australia Official of the Year
- Sandy Gagnon (Curling)
- Kim Ivett (Billiards & Snooker)
- Susan Taylor (Badminton)
- Christine Wallis (Equestrian)
Vicsport Community Official of the Year
- Robert Graham (Motorsport)
- Meg Hopper (Netball)
- Tony Ruddick (Triathlon)
- Sally Whitehouse (Swimming)
SportsTG Sports Administrator of the Year - Eunice Gill Award
- John Ballis (Reclink Australia)
- Grant Cosgriff (Triathlon)
- Libby Mears (Leisure Networks)
- Andrew Skillern (Hockey)
Volunteer of the Year
- Athena Babo (Football)
- Ron & Beryl Banbury (AFL & Netball)
- Ronda Jenkins (Athletics)
- Pauline Zealley (Netball)
Love the Game Community Sporting Club of the Year
- Carrum Bowling Club (Bowls)
- Corio Bay Rowing Club (Rowing)
- Kyvalley Tennis Club (Tennis)
- Ocean Grove SLSC (Life Saving)
Involve Creative Masters Athlete of the Year
- Patrick Galvin (Swimming)
- Bradley Norton (Track Cycling)
- Mark Thompson (Swimming)
- Shirley Whitaker (Tennis)
Sportslink Travel Team of the Year
- Senior State Table Tennis team (Table Tennis)
- Victorian Fury (Netball)
- Victorian Physical Disability State side (Bowls)
- Williamstown IRB Female Tube Rescue team (Life Saving)
View Melbourne Young Team of the Year
- Archery Victoria Compound State team (Archery)
- Under-14 Victoria Boys Blue (Volleyball)
- Victorian Equestrian Interschools team (Equestrian)
- Victorian Junior Road team (Road Cycling)
Global Wellness Tracking Young Athlete of the Year
- Amy Lawton (Field Hockey)
- Gabriella Peiniger (Swimming)
- Cooper White (Tennis)
- Hayley Wilson (Street Skateboarding)
Governor's Award Victorian Male Athlete of the Year - Frank Wilkes Award
- Dylan Alcott (Tennis)
- Mitch Gourley (Para Alpine Skiing)
- Scotty James (Snowboard Halfpipe)
- Matthew Temple (Swimming)
Governor's Award Victorian Female Athlete of the Year - Kitty McEwan Award
- Jakara Anthony (Mogul Skiing)
- Anna Lynch (Billiards)
- Lucy Stephan (Rowing)
- Liz Watson (Netball)
Bunnings Local Government Initiative of the Year
- Casey Stadium- City of Casey
- 2x2 Basketball Tournament- City of Port Phillip
- Creating Change Through Policy- Moreland City Council
- The Sports Capacity Plan: Sports Fields- Mornington Peninsula Shire
VicHealth Active Recreation Initiative of the Year
- Bowling with Babies- Port Melbourne Bowling Club
- Gym4Me- Gymnastics Victoria
- Melbourne Tennis Month- Tennis Victoria
- Social Football Wonthaggi- Bass Coast Breakers
My Sport Live Community Sporting Event of the Year
- Festival of Sport- Kardinia Park Stadium Trust
- Waverley Toyota Good for Footy Event- Mazenod Panthers All-Abilities Football team
- Tennis Victoria Country Week- Tennis Victoria
- Victorian Sikh Games- Victorian Sikh Games Organising Committee
Sport Group Peter Norman Inclusion Award
- Emma Staples (Cricket)
- Gymnastics Victoria (Gymnastics)
- Naomi Symington & Janet Jones (Life Saving)
- Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd. (VACSAL) (AFL/Netball/Basketball)
Outstanding Media Coverage of Sport (inaugural award)
- Chicks Talking Footy (AFL)
- Football Victoria (Football)
- Lachlan Rayner (Athletics/Little Athletics)
- Andrew Weiss (all sports)
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