Recognising local sporting champions | Gippsland Times

Each year, local sports stars and legends are recognized and honored for their achievements and outstanding contributions to Victoria’s sport at the Victorian Sport Awards (VSAs), dubbed the ‘night of nights’ for the state’s sporting community.

The VSAs recognize the full breadth of Victorian sport, from grassroots heroes to elite athletes who have competed nationally and internationally, including individual athletes, sports teams, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media workers and sporting initiatives.

Of the 20 prizes up for grabs, 19 can be nominated through the Vicsport website until Friday March 3rd.

There are awards to be won such as “Victorian Local Government Initiative of the Year”, “Victorian Community Sporting Event of the Year”, “Volunteer of the Year”, “Victorian Community Coach of the Year”, “Victorian Community Official of the Year”. and Victorian Community Sporting Club of the Year. , now it’s time to nominate a Gippsland local who has made exceptional contributions to the sport in the area.

Vicsport executive director Lisa Hasker said it’s critical to recognize and celebrate sporting achievements across the state, particularly in regional areas, after they have faced ongoing difficulties from fires to COVID to flooding.

“We have many athletes, volunteers, administrators, coaches who work tirelessly in the sport to make it a success and a wonderful place for people to be, and we want to make sure that every year we recognize and highlight everyone who works,” said she.

“Whether it’s from the coaching side, the admin side, the office, the umpire or whatever, we encourage people to stay in the sport and help build the sport as a welcoming place for people to come by.

“Especially in regional towns sport is a thing that brings the community together and it relies on the volunteers to keep the club going which builds the community at the club so it’s really important to reward the people who putting in the hours and hours and hours to keep the sport going because without our officials, coaches and all other volunteers there would be no sport.”

As well as local legends recognized for their dedication and contribution to sport, the VSAs have recognized some of Australia’s biggest names in sport including Cathy Freeman, Leisel Jones, Meg Lanning, Dylan Alcott, Cadel Evans and the late Shane Warne, who bringing together all facets of Victorian sport.

“Most awards just award the top, the person who has won a medal at the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games or something like that, but we wanted to make sure that the local president of a football club in a small town had been there for 50 years is also someone to be recognized for all his efforts because it is as much as a top athlete to keep this club going, especially in difficult times,” Hasker said.

“So it’s very much about making awards available to everyone in the Victorian sporting system.”

Vicsport receives a few hundred nominations each year for the Victorian Sport Awards, which are presented to a series of juries who select four finalists in each category.

The 2022 Victorian Sport Awards finalists will be announced in April before the winners of each category are announced at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday 7th June.

Vicsport chairman Ritchie Hinton is urging all Victorians to submit their nominations to ensure their sport is well represented on the night.

“Vicsport is the premier event on the Victorian sporting calendar and is delighted to once again recognize and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our state’s sporting and recreational community through the Victorian Sport Awards,” said Hinton.

“These awards provide an opportunity to honor the grassroots heroes who make our sports and leisure sectors thrive, as well as the professional athletes who took to the world stage at events like the Commonwealth Games and the Winter Olympics in 2022. I urge all Victorians to submit their nominations to ensure their sport is well represented this evening.”

For more information on the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards please visit https://vicsport.com.au/2022-victorian-sport-awards