Achievement acknowledged at 2024 Victorian Sport Awards

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

Presented by the Victorian Government and Vicsport at the MCG on 14th May 2025, 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.

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.

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

Leasexpress Coach of the Year

Jimmy Soufis - Futsal

Gallagher Community Coach of the Year

Madelaine Breakspear - Football

Sports Accounting Australia Official of the Year

Cynthia Tam - Badminton
etrainu Community Official of the Year

Peter Boulter - Cricket

AFL SportsReady Young Team of the Year

Joshua Garner and Jack Benyan - Sailing

AED Authority Team of the Year

Victorian ISSF State Team - Target Pistol Shooting

My Sport Live Community Sporting Event of the Year

Statewide Senior Football & Netball Carnival - VACSAL
Love the Game Community Sporting Club of the Year

Sorrento Cricket Club - Cricket
revolutioniseSPORT Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year - Eunice Gill Award

Meaghan Densley - Sailing
Bunnings Trade Local Government Initiative of the Year

Water Safety with Derrimut Weelam Gathering Place - City of Kingston
Vicsport Volunteer of the Year

David Kearsley - Little Athletics
VIcHealth Sport and Active Recreation Initiative of the Year

CaliStars - Calisthenics Victoria
Involve Masters Athlete of the Year

Nadene Gole - Golf
rebel Young Athlete of the Year

Joshua Jolly -BMX
Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme Outstanding Media Coverage of Sport Award

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria - Sailing
Polytan Peter Norman Inclusion Award

Pride Hub - Proud 2 Play
Frank Wilkes Award

Kelland O'Brien - Cycling
Kitty McEwan Award

Grace Brown - Cycling
Victorian State Government Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport Award

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 1997-2005 and won two Ashes campaigns as well as two ODI World Cups in 1997 and 2005 to bookend her career.

Jones began a commentary career in 2000, 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, Jones 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 the Taliban. With a coterie of trusted, reliable and proactive women, they secured 135 Humanitarian Visas for the players and their families, acting in the face of terrifying deadlines and threats.

Jones also sits on the MCC World Cricket Connects Advisory Panel and is an ambassador for Victoria University and for Red Dust.

Image: Attendees at the 2024 Victorian Sport Awards.