Willis Droomer and the Victorian Indigenous Surfing Program finalists for the 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.

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.

Across 19 categories, over 215 nominations were received which honour those who have made an exceptional contribution to sport and recreation in Victoria during the previous 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 makes 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 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).

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 the 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.”

Finalists in the 19 nominated categories of the 2022 VSAs 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 (WNBL Champions)
Melbourne Football Club – Australian Rules (AFLW Premiers)
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 Miller – 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 – Snowboarding
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