Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards

The annual Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards recognise the achievements of people with disability, those who support them and the inclusive sport and recreation sector across the state.

It is an opportunity to celebrate the athletes, volunteers, officials, coaches, clubs, communities, venues and programs that enable and empower people with disability to get active and achieve their goals.

The awards are also an opportunity to discover unsung heroes and rising stars and celebrate what’s truly great about accessible and inclusive sport.

Read the previous winners of the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards 2011-2018

Watch the 2018 Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards on DSR TV

2019 key dates

Nominations open:            Friday 25 January 2019

Nominations close:           midnight Sunday 17 March 2019

Judging:                                March – April 2019

Finalists announced:        Late April 2019

Awards ceremony:            Wednesday 22 May 2019.

 

From this year, our awards will be held in May to better reflect the previous calendar year of achievements. This will make it much clearer when nominating someone for an award each year.

Nominations for the 2019 awards are for achievements, initiatives, programs, activities and developments that took place between January 2018 and December 2018.

How to nominate

Award categories

Female Sportsperson of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian sportswoman with disability who, over the past 12 months, has:

• shown a high level of commitment to their sport or recreation activities
• acted as a role model and shown a high level of sportspersonship
• achieved outstanding results at a state, national, international, or elite level.

Male Sportsperson of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian sportsman with disability who, over the past 12 months, has:

• shown a high level of commitment to their sport or recreation activities
• acted as a role model and shown a high level of sportspersonship
• achieved outstanding results at a state, national, international, or elite level.

Marg Angel Junior Sportsperson of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian junior (21 years of age and under) with disability who, over the past 12 months, has:

• shown a high level of commitment to their sport or recreation activities
• acted as a role model and shown a high level of sportspersonship
• achieved outstanding results at a state, national, international, or elite level.

Masters Sportsperson of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian masters sportsperson (40 years of age and older) with disability who, over the past 12 months, has:

• shown a high level of commitment to their sport or recreation activities
• acted as a role model and shown a high level of sportspersonship
• achieved outstanding results at a state, national, international, or elite level.

Team of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian disability sports or recreation team that, over the past 12 months, has:

• shown a high level of commitment to their sport or recreation activities
• acted as a role model to other teams and shown a high level of sportspersonship
• achieved outstanding results at a state, national, international, or elite level.

Coach of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian coach who works with sportspeople with disability and over the past 12 months has:

• made a significant impact to their club, local community, organisation or school
• achieved success in their chosen sport or recreation
• had a positive and encouraging attitude that has inspired others
• shown commitment to providing the highest standard of coaching to their team players or individuals.

Official of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian official who works within disability sports and over the past 12 months has shown:

• excellence in their role in their chosen sport or activity
• a commitment to supporting the development of others
• respect for the coach, other officials and players.

Volunteer of the Year

This award recognises a Victorian volunteer who, over the past 12 months, has shown:

• dedication to their particular sport or recreational activity through volunteering
• commitment to volunteering out of a genuine desire to help others
• respect for the coach, officials, players and other volunteers.

Nominations in this category are for either:

• people with disability who volunteer for a sport or recreational activity
• people without disability who volunteer within the disability sport and recreation sector.

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award acknowledges the length and breadth of an individual’s contribution to their chosen discipline, sport, recreation, club or association.

Nominations in this category are for either:

• people with disability who have made a significant contribution to their chosen discipline, sport, recreation, club or association
• people without disability who have made a significant contribution within the disability sport and recreation sector.

Initiative of the Year

This award recognises an organisation, individual or team that, in the past 12 months, has set up a sustainable initiative or program that helps Victorians with disability take part in sport or recreation.

The award is open to initiatives that operate regionally, in metropolitan Melbourne or state wide.

Inclusive Sport, Recreation or Open Space Infrastructure Award

This award recognises how changes to our shared spaces can impact a person’s capacity to take part in sport and recreation.

This is an open category for both minor and major developments/upgrades.

Eligibility

• Nominations must be for achievements, initiatives, programs, activities and developments that took place between January 2018 and December 2018 (not including the Lifetime Achievement Award).
• Previous winners, finalists and nominees can re-nominate in any category.
• A person, team or organisation can nominate themselves.
• We will only accept nominations where all criteria has been addressed.
• A separate online nomination form should be submitted for each nominee.

Judging process

• All nominations will be shortlisted to make sure they meet eligibility criteria.
• If you nominate a shortlisted person, team or organisation without them knowing, we will contact them to confirm that they accept the nomination.
• The Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards judging panel will then assess and score each shortlisted nomination based on the information provided for each criteria. The judging panel is made up of independent industry experts.
• The judging panel will decide the finalists and winners of each award category based on nominations with the highest combined scores. Judges reserve the right to use discretion as applicable.