Disability Sport and Recreation

10/08/2026

⏰ Final Week to Secure Your Tickets – Sales close Tuesday 18 August.

The 2026 Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation (VDSR) Awards are almost here. We invite you to celebrate a memorable evening honouring the outstanding achievements of individuals, teams, programs, projects and initiatives shaping our community's future.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
📍 Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
🕠 Time: 5:15pm – 9:30pm

Drinks, canapés, networking and a raffle on the night.

🎟️ Tickets are 80% sold. Book now to avoid missing out!

Join us at the 2026 Victorian Disability Sport & Recreation Awards at Marvel Stadium - a night to celebrate achievements across our inclusive sport sector!

09/08/2026

🏆 Active Recreation or Leisure Initiative of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award recognises programs that promote inclusion, wellbeing and participation through active recreation for people with disability. These finalists are creating welcoming opportunities for everyone to get involved and stay active.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹WaterMarc Boccia — WaterMarc Banyule
🔹Tee-Able Golf — Clublinks Management
🔹WheelTalk — Disability Sport and Recreation
🔹Starfish SRC Program — Mount Martha Life Saving Club
🔹Strength in Diversity — NDIS Brotherhood of St Laurence
🔹Dance for Neurobalance — Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre
🔹After 4 Program — Multicap Australia, Melbourne
🔹The Victorian Safer Swimmer Certificate — Life Saving Victoria
🔹Geelong Stars — Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club
🔹Autism Active Program — Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre

This award category is proudly sponsored by Reclink Australia

Join us in celebrating these incredible initiatives at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards on Tuesday 25 August at Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Hurry! Tickets are selling fast. Sales close 18 August: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

09/08/2026

🏆 Inclusive Infrastructure Award Finalist 🏆

This award celebrates infrastructure projects that remove barriers and create safe, accessible environments for people with disability to engage in sport and recreation.

🔹Serendip Sanctuary, You Yangs Precinct — Parks Victoria

This category is proudly sponsored by Owl Insights

Join us at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Hurry! Tickets are selling fast. Sales close 18 August: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

06/08/2026

🏆 Regional Initiative of the Year Finalists 🏆

New for 2026 and proudly sponsored by Regional Sport Victoria. This award celebrates an organisation, individual or partnership whose place-based initiative is helping shape more inclusive communities across regional Victoria.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹Expanding Blind Golf in the North East — Clublinks Management
🔹Multi-Sport All Abilities Program — GippSport
🔹All Abilities Cricket — Numurkah Youth Club Cricket Club
🔹Inclusive Participation Program — Palmer's Gym, Gymnastics Victoria
🔹All Abilities Boating & Fishing Day — Newhaven Yacht Squadron Inc and GippSport
🔹Bowlopolis — Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling & Entertainment Centre and GippSport
🔹Goodwill Games Specialist Schools Netball Tournament — Warragul and District Specialist School

Join us in celebrating these outstanding initiatives at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium

🎟️ Hurry! Tickets are selling fast. Sales close 18 August: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

06/08/2026

🏆 Team of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award celebrates Victorian teams who have demonstrated exceptional teamwork, commitment and sporting success.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹AusTriathlon (VIC) — Inclusive Sports Training
🔹Victorian Men's Ivor Burge Basketball Team — Basketball Victoria

This category is proudly sponsored by My Sport Live.

Join us in celebrating these outstanding teams at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Tickets are selling fast! Book now before they close 18 August: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

04/08/2026

🏆 Volunteer of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award recognises individuals who go above and beyond to support and strengthen the disability sport and recreation community through their selfless dedication and service.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹Claudia Stevenson — Achilles Melbourne
🔹Janet Parker — Lakes Entrance Netball Association
🔹Michael Migliaccio — Special Olympics - Melbourne Eastern Ranges
🔹Annette Leishman — Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria
🔹Naomi Symington — Life Saving Victoria
🔹Daniel Fabian — Basketball Victoria
🔹Ann Bailey — Ferntree Gully Tennis Club
🔹Emily Attard — Specialist Hoops Basketball
🔹Jenny Forssman — Gymnastics Victoria
🔹Kylie Wilson — Special Olympics - Melbourne Eastern Ranges
🔹Scott Smith — Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club
🔹Tanya Twaits — RDA Victoria - Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria

This category is proudly sponsored by Inspire Group, DSR's preferred learning partner.

Join us in celebrating these inspiring volunteers at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Tickets close 18 August — head to our bio to book.

02/08/2026

🏆 Sport Initiative or Event of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award spotlights Victorian initiatives and events that open pathways, inspire participation, build communities, and showcase how inclusive sport and recreation transforms lives.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹 Adaptive Sport — Life Saving Victoria Sport Life Saving Victoria
🔹 All Abilities Program — Glen Eira FC
🔹 2026 Senior Victorian Championships — Gymnastics Victoria
🔹 VIC Accessibility & Inclusion Profile — Tennis Victoria
🔹 aaaplay program — Reclink Australia
🔹 Geelong All-Abilities BMX Day — Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club and Geelong Thunder BMX

This category is proudly sponsored by Clublinks Management

Join us in celebrating these outstanding initiatives at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards, Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Ticket sales close 18 August, book here: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

02/08/2026

🏆 Community Member of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award recognises an individual whose leadership, advocacy and commitment have helped make Victorian sport and active recreation safer, fairer and more inclusive.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹Shivam Wheeler — GippSport and Sport4All
🔹Peter Ogunyemi — Disability Sport and Recreation
🔹Susan Marshall — Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria
🔹Jason Saadeh — Boccia Victoria
🔹Luke Walker — Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre

WorkSafe Victoria proudly sponsors this category.

Join us in celebrating these outstanding individuals at the awards ceremony — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️ Tickets on sale here: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

30/07/2026

🏅 Marg Angel Junior Sportsperson of the Year 🏅

This award recognises talented young athletes under 18 representing the very best of upcoming inclusive sport, showcasing exceptional skill, talent, dedication and passion.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹Jin Woodman — Hume Tennis & Community Centre, Tennis Victoria
🔹Charlee Lang — Cheltenham Youth Club, Gymnastics Victoria
🔹Harriet Caldwell — Victoria Wonders, Basketball Victoria
🔹Thomas McGough — Mornington Peninsula Athletic Club, Athletics Victoria
🔹Mackenzie Gibbs — Adaptive Life Saving, Life Saving Victoria Sport, Life Saving Victoria

Protect proudly sponsors this category.

Winners will be announced at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August.

🎟️ Tickets on sale here: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS

28/07/2026

🏆 Coach or Fitness Leader of the Year Finalists 🏆

This award celebrates the dedicated coaches and fitness leaders who, as mentors, motivators and champions of inclusion, empower people with disability to thrive through sport and recreation.

Meet our finalists 👇
🔹Jeremy Williams — City of Greater Geelong
🔹Alana Baldi — Numurkah Youth Club Cricket Club
🔹Jon Watson — Tennis Victoria
🔹Jennifer Langridge — Table Tennis Victoria
🔹Michael Simpkins — Badminton Victoria
🔹Ryan Holloway — Victorian Men's Ivor Burge Team, Basketball Victoria
🔹Robert Wright — Melbourne City Powerchair Team - Melbourne City FC, Powerchair Sports Victoria & Australian Powerchair Football Association Inc.
🔹Debbie Coulson — The Geckos, Australian Women's Deaf Basketball Team

This category is proudly sponsored by etrainu.com

Join us in honouring these inspiring individuals at the 2026 Disability Sport and Recreation Awards — Tuesday 25 August, Marvel Stadium.

🎟️Tickets on sale here: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS