Finalists Announced for 2022 Victorian Sport Awards

Following a record number of nominations from the Victorian sporting community, finalists have been announced for the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards (VSAs), an event that recognises and celebrates the achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes at both a grassroots and high-performance level.

Across 19 award categories, over 215 nominations were received which honour those who have made an exceptional contribution to sport and recreation in Victoria during the 2022 calendar year.

Individual and team athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media personnel and the initiatives that promoted participation from both metropolitan and regional areas were acknowledged as well as the elite sportspeople who shone at national and international tournaments including the Commonwealth Games, Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics.

The quality and breadth of the nominations received made selecting the finalists a difficult endeavour. To this end, 37 highly qualified Victorian sports people were invited to constitute the judging panels charged with selecting the finalists, and eventual winners, across the 19 award categories.

Judges included four-time Olympic marathoner Steve Moneghetti AM OLY, Head of Female Cricket at Cricket Victoria Sharelle McMahon as well as CEOs from the Victorian Institute of Sport (Anne Marie Harrison), Netball Victoria (Andrea Pearman), Bowls Victoria (Tony Sherwill) and Disability Sport & Recreation Victoria (Liz Tesone).

Presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport, the VSAs will be held on Wednesday 7 June, 2023, in the Victory Room at Marvel Stadium.

In addition to the 19 awards nominated by the Victorian sporting community, the most prestigious award of the night, the State Government Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport Award, will be bestowed to an individual for their lifelong commitment to sport in Victoria.

Previous recipient of this award include Peggy O’Neal AO, Malcolm Speed AO, Cadel Evans AM and Nicole Livingstone OAM.

Vicsport Chair Ritchie Hinton says:

“Vicsport is delighted to recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of the sport and recreation community in Victoria during 2022.

“We received a record amount of nominations this year and that, combined with the calibre of nominations, is a fantastic showcase of the successes throughout our industry. My thanks to the esteemed panel of judges who have the challenging but rewarding task of deciding finalists and winners and I look forward to honouring those recipients at the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards in June.”

The Hon. Ros Spence, Minister for Community Sport says:

“It’s fantastic to see this latest group of outstanding Victorians nominated by their communities for going above and beyond at all levels of sport. Congratulations to all the finalists.”

Event details:

Wednesday 7 June, 2023
6.00pm – 10.00pm
Victory Room
Marvel Stadium, Docklands

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased through the Vicsport website.

Finalists in the 19 nominated categories of the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards are:

Southern Cross Trophies Coach of the Year

• Angela McMillan – Aerobic Gymnastics
• Jack Lewis – Sailing
• Mary Hanna – Dressage
• Will Enzinger – Eventing

Gallagher Community Coach of the Year

• Christine Cardwell – Life Saving
• Presley Naea – Rugby Union
• Ricky Baldwin – Basketball
• Vicky Lee – Tennis

Sports Accounting Australia Official of the Year

• Clare Taylor – Short Track Speed Skating
• John Roberts – Lawn Bowls
• Kevin Taranto – Equestrian
• Kirrily Guinan – Triathlon

etrainu Community Official of the Year

• Anna Devonish – Athletics
• Christine Christie – Athletics
• David Hendy – Cycling
• Kylie Clark – Life Saving

AFL SportsReady Young Team of the Year

• Saalim Naser and Riley Dumsday – Tennis
• St. Catherine's School 1st Eight – Rowing
• Under-18 Women's Team – Lacrosse
• Victorian Women's Under-21 Team – Hockey

AED Authority Team of the Year

• Anglesea SLSC – Life Saving
• Melbourne Boomers – Basketball
• Melbourne Football Club – Australian Rules Football
• Special Olympics Team Victoria – various

My Sport Live Community Sporting Event of the Year

• Australian Netball Championships - A Positive Start – Netball Victoria
• GO Soccer Mums Cup Day – Football Victoria
• Junior Victorian Championships – Gymnastics Victoria
• West Gippsland Female Football Festival – Gippsport

Love the Game Community Sporting Club of the Year

• Barwon Valley Golf Club – Golf
• Coburg Tennis Club – Tennis
• Melbourne University Women's Football Club – Australian Rules Football
• Officer City Soccer Club – Football

GameDay Sports Administrator of the Year - Eunice Gill Award

• Danielle Lowerson – Tennis Victoria
• Megan Carr – Golf Australia
• Petrina Astbury – Motorsport
• Stephanie Millar – Calisthenics Victoria

Leasexpress Sport Initiative of the Year

• Community Sport Flood Recovery – Regional Sport Victoria
• Injury Surveillance Project – Yarra Junior Football League
• Reflecting their Community – Red Cliffs Golf Club
• Women Leaders in Tennis – Tennis Victoria

Bunnings Trade Local Government Initiative of the Year

• Creating LGBTIQ+ connection and inclusion through sport and active recreation – Cardinia Shire Council
• Disc Golf Activations – City of Kingston
• Nillumbik Women in Sport Breakfast – Nillumbik Shire Council
• Promoting Healthy and Active Living: Innovation in engaging CALD communities – Maribyrnong City Council

VALO Volunteer of the Year

• Harry Saltis – Taekwondo
• Mark Goldspink – Netball
• Meagan Keating – Basketball
• Sandra Klippel – Swimming

VicHealth Active Recreation Initiative of the Year

• Lacrosse Together – Lacrosse Victoria
• Regional Youth Communities Connection through Softball – Softball Victoria
• Victorian Blind Tennis Program – Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria
• Women's Only Slide Night – WaterMarc Banyule

Involve Masters Athlete of the Year

• Jarrod Broadbent – Tennis
• Jordan Morgan – BMX
• Samantha Barrow – Life Saving
• Tanja Nishibata – Rowing

rebel Young Athlete of the Year

• Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva – Rhythmic Gymnastics
• Amy Lawton – Hockey
• Dyson Daniels – Basketball
• Willis Droomer – Surfing

View Melbourne Outstanding Media Coverage of Sport Award

• 2022 Australian Open – Golf Australia
• Chris Tetaz – Victorian Institute of Sport
• Girls on the Grid Podcast – Priya Richards & Tenayah McLeod
• National Premier League Coverage – Radio 3ZZZ

Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award

• Christine Granger – Proud 2 Play
• Culture on Court – Tennis Victoria with Anglicare Victoria's Buldah Yioohgen
• Indigenous Surfing Program – Surfing Victoria
• Southern Lights – Ice Hockey

Frank Wilkes Award

• Jesse Coulson – Life Saving
• Scotty James – Snowboard - Halfpipe
• Tony D'Alberto – Motorsport
• Tyson Bull – Artistic Gymnastics

Kitty McEwan Award

• Aoife Coughlan – Judo
• Elizabeth Watson – Netball
• Jakara Anthony – Mogul Skiing
• Jessica Gallagher – Rowing/Track Cycling