Winners have been announced for the VictorianSport Awards (VSAs), honouring the Victorian sport and active recreation industry for achievements made during the 2024 calendar year.

Presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport on Wednesday 14 May 2025 in the Members Dining Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, 18 awards were presented that span individual and team athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media personnel and the initiatives that promoted participation.

Following nominations from State Sporting Associations as well as teammates, club members, friends, family and the general public, an esteemed panel of 45 highly qualified Victorian sports people were charged with selecting both the finalists and winners.

Find details on the award winners here and below.

The most prestigious honour bestowed on the night, the Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport Award is a lifetime achievement award and presented to an individual in recognition of outstanding achievement in, or contribution to, sport in Victoria. This year’s recipient was Mel Jones OAM.

A pioneer on and off the cricket field who has challenged stereotypes and broken down barriers for women in a traditionally male-dominated sport, Mel represented Australia from 1997-2005and won two Ashes campaigns as well as two ODI World Cups in 1997 and 2005 to bookend her career.

Mel began a commentary career in2000, going on to become one of the first female commentators for the Indian Premier League, the first female lead for the Big Bash League, and has been a regular with Fox Sports Cricket over the Australian summer and Sky Sports over the England summer.

Since retirement, Mel has focused on supporting, developing and expanding career opportunities for women in sport, through cricket as well as the broader sporting industry. One of her greatest achievements was assisting in the evacuation of the Afghanistan national women’s cricket team during the overthrow of the Afghanistan government by theTaliban. With a coterie of trusted, reliable and proactive women, they secured135 Humanitarian Visas for the players and their families, acting in the face of terrifying deadlines and threats.

Mel also sits on the MCC WorldCricket Connects Advisory Panel and is an ambassador for Victoria University and for Red Dust.

VicsportChair Jason Hellwig says:

“Being able to recognise and celebrate the grassroots heroes throughout Victorian sport and active recreation alongside those who excelled at an elite level is what makes the Victorian Sport Awards such a special night.

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“My congratulations to everyone who was honoured including Mel Jones, a true icon for Victorian sport who has blazed a trail for female broadcasting and continues to create incredible opportunities for all women in sport.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence says:

"These awards recognise the outstanding achievements of home-grown athletes, clubs, coaches, officials and volunteers.

"Congratulations to all the winners and particularly to Mel Jones whose significant contribution to sport on and off the field has done so much to advance women's sport inVictoria and across the globe."

Winners in the 19 total categories of the 2024 Victorian Sport Awards are as follows:

Leasexpress Coach of the Year

· Jimmy Soufis – Futsal (spearheaded the creation of Women’s Development League, finished Futsal men’s season undefeated and his men’s and women’s teams won the F-League tournament)

Gallagher Community Coach of the Year

· Madelaine Breakspear– Football (won League Championship and Cup titles with Sale United FootballClub, reached Victorian Country Championship final with U18 Latrobe ValleySoccer league girls)

Sports Accounting Australia Official of the Year

Cynthia Tam – Badminton (became first Australian since2014 to achieve Badminton World Federation Umpire status, the highest level of accreditation for badminton umpires, and is the youngest female to be qualified as a BWF Umpire)

etrainu Community Official of theYear

· Peter Boulter – Cricket (umpires across multiple competitions including Sale-Maffra Women’s T20s, Men’s 1^st XI, Dowling Shield and Over 65s national cricket championships)

AFL SportsReady Young Team of theYear

· Joshua Garner and Jack Benyan – Sailing (dominated International Cadet Class by winning Victorian,Australian and World championships in 2024, all with a race to spare)

AED Authority Team of the Year

· Victorian ISSF StateTeam – Target Pistol Shooting (won three team, three individual and all individual aggregate tittles at the Target Pistol Australia national championships and the overall team aggregate championship to claim the Manton Shield)

My Sport Live Community Sporting Event of the Year

Statewide Senior Football & Netball Carnival –VACSAL (premier Aboriginal sporting event that attracts 1000+ athletes for a weekend of high-level competition, cultural connection and community celebration)

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Love the Game Community Sporting Club of the Year

· Sorrento Cricket Club – Cricket (launched first women and U18 girls’ teams in 2024, had a women’s health physiotherapist, female-specific uniforms and ran the EmpowerHer multi-sport carnival for 80girls aged 9-17 to build confidence)

revolutioniseSPORT Victorian Sports Administrator of theYear – Eunice Gill Award

· Meaghan Densley – Sailing (General Manager Victoria atSailing Australia, 2024 saw the organisation grow club membership by 3%, Learn to Sail participants by 11%, grassroots programs by 10% and female/junior participation by 30%)

Bunnings Trade Local Government Initiative of the Year

· Water Safety with Derrimut Weelam Gathering Place – City of Kingston (increased water skills and water participation among First Nations children with a focus on swimming confidence and fundamental skills including floating, drowning prevention and rescue techniques)

Vicsport Volunteer of the Year

· David Kearsley – Little Athletics (performs 12 roles atKnox Little Athletics including president, competition director, photographer and website manager. Assisted Little Athletics Victoria to move the 23/24 StateTrack & Field championships, featuring 2000+ athletes, to Knox with a fortnight’s notice)

VicHealth Sport and Active Recreation Initiative of theYear

· CaliStars – Calisthenics Victoria (a competition with 50young people that allowed performers with a disability to participate in a calisthenics competition for the first time)

Involve Masters Athlete of the Year

· Nadene Gole – Golf (won the award for the second consecutive year. Became first Australian to win golf’s two biggest senior amateur titles in England and the USA, won seven of nine world-ranking events in 2024 and finished every week ranked number one in the world)

Rebel Young Athlete of the Year

· Joshua Jolly – BMX (won Junior Elite BMX World championships in South Carolina, Elite Men’s Superclass championships and BMX Grand nationals for 17-20 Open men)

Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme Outstanding MediaCoverage of Sport Award

· Ocean Racing Club of Victoria – Sailing (grew social media presence by 23% leading to a 35% growth in membership and promoted programs including Keelboat Introduction to Sailing for women and the NoviceSkipper & Navigator program)

Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award

· Pride Hub – Proud 2 Play (world’s first pride activation at a Grand Prix event that has inspired discussions for further pride initiatives at other Grand Prix’s worldwide)

Frank Wilkes Award

· Kelland O’Brien – Cycling (as a member of the AustralianTeam Pursuit quartet, won gold at the Paris Olympics which was Australia’s first track gold since 2012 while they also claimed a world record time in the semi-final)

Kitty McEwan Award

· Grace Brown – Cycling (won gold at the Paris Olympics in the Women’s Road Individual Time Trial (ITT), Australia’s first Olympic medal in a women’s individual time trial and nation’s first gold on the road since2004. Also won World Road Cycling championships in the Women’s ITT and TeamTime Trial.

Victorian State Government Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport

· Mel Jones OAM