2026 VDSR Award Finalists Announced 

Disability Sport and Recreation is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation (VDSR) Awards, celebrating the state's top athletes, volunteers, coaches, teams, programs and initiatives advancing disability sport and recreation.

The finalists reflect the passion and dedication driving inclusive sport and recreation across Victoria. Winners will be announced live at the ceremony, including the prestigious Kevin Coombs Lifetime Achievement Award. 

New for 2026 is the Regional Initiative of the Year award category, sponsored by Regional Sport Victoria.

Award Ceremony Details

Date: Tuesday 25 August, 2026  

Time: 5:15pm – 9:30pm  

Venue: Marvel Stadium, 740 Bourke St, Docklands VIC 3008 

For event details and to purchase tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/2026VDSRTICKETS 

Disability Sport & Recreation 2026 VDSR Awards finalists are:

Volunteer of the Year sponsored by Inspire Group

• Michael Migliaccio - Special Olympics Australia, Melbourne Eastern Ranges

• Claudia Stevenson - Achilles Melbourne Incorporated

• Ann Bailey - Ferntree Gully Tennis Club

• Janet Parker - Lakes Entrance Netball Association

• Naomi Symington - Life Saving Victoria

• Kylie Wilson- Special Olympics Australia, Melbourne Eastern Ranges

• Scott Smith - Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club

• Tanya Twaits - Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria

• Jenny Forssman - Gymnastics Victoria

• Emily Attard - Specialist Hoops Victoria

• Annette Leishman Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria

• Daniel Fabian - Victorian Mens Ivor Burge Team, Basketball Victoria

   

Community Member of the Year sponsored by Worksafe

• Luke Walker - Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre

• Susan Marshall - Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria

• Peter Ogunyemi - Disability Sport & Recreation

• Shivam (Shiv) Wheeler - GippSport & Sport4All

• Jason Saadeh - Boccia Australia

Coach or Fitness Leader of the Year sponsored by etrainu

• Jennifer Landrige - Table Tennis Australia/Victoria

• Jeremy Williams - City of Greater Geelong

• Jon Watson - Tennis Victoria

• Alana Baldi - Numurkah Youth Club Cricket Club, Cricket Victoria

• Michael Simpkins - Badminton Victoria

• Ryan Holloway - Victorian Mens Ivor Burge Team, Basketball Victoria

• Debbie Coulson - Australian Deaf Basketball (Women's Geckos), Australian Deaf Women's Basketball Team

• Robert Wright - Melbourne City Powerchair Team & Australian Powerchair Football Association and Powerchair Sports Victoria

Team of the Year sponsored by MySportLive

• Victorian Mens Ivor Burge Basketball Team, Basketball Victoria

• AusTriathlon (VIC) - Inclusive Sports Training (IST)

Marg Angel Junior Sportsperson of the Year sponsored by Protect

• Harriet Caldwell - Victoria Wonders, Basketball Victoria

• Jin Woodman - Hume Tennis and Community Centre, Tennis Victoria

• Thomas McGough - Mornington Peninsula Athletics Club, Athletics Victoria

• Mackenzie Gibbs - Adaptive Life Saving, Life Saving Victoria

• Charlee Lang - Cheltenham Youth Club, Gymnastics Victoria

Elite Sportsperson of the Year sponsored by InPlace Living

• Tara Neyland - AusCycling

• Hannah Macdougall - AusTriathlon and Victorian Institute of Sport

• Jeremy Dalli - Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club

• Samantha Bradfield - Special Olympics Australia, Melbourne West

• Athan Alexopoulos - Special Olympics Australia, Melbourne Southern

• Ben Beare - The Australian Book of Records

• Jessica Marshall - Frankston Peninsula & Mornington Peninsula Masters Swim Club

  and Special Olympics Australia, Melbourne Eastern Ranges

Inclusive Infrastructure Award sponsored by The Owl Insights

• Serendip Sanctuary, You Yangs Precinct - Parks Victoria

Regional Initiative of the Year sponsored by Regional Sport Victoria

• All Abilities Cricket - Numurkah Youth Club Cricket Club

• Multi-Sport All Abilities Program - GippSport

• Goodwill Games Specialist Schools Netball Tournament - Warragul & District Specialist School - Allison Duggan

• Newhaven Yacht Club All Abilities Boating & Fishing Day - Newhaven Yacht Club & GippSport

• Bowlopolis - Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling and GippSport

• The Palmer's Gym Inclusive Participation Program - Palmer's Gym

• Expanding Blind Golf in the North East - Clublinks Management

Sport Initiative or Event of the Year sponsored by Reclink Australia

• Geelong All-Abilities BMX Day - Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club and Geelong Thunder BMX Club

• aaaplay program - Reclink Australia (represented by Laura Thomson)

• Glen Eira Football Club All Abilities Program - Glen Eira Football Club

• VIC Accessibility & Inclusion Profile - Tennis Victoria

• Adaptive Sport - Life Saving Victoria - Sport

• 2026 Senior Victorian Championships - Gymnastics Victoria

Active Recreation or Leisure Initiative of the Year sponsored by Clublinks

• Geelong All-Abilities Sports Club - Geelong Stars

• Dance for Neurobalance - Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre

• Starfish SRC (Surf Rescue Certificate) Program - Mount Martha Life Saving Club

• WheelTalk (Inclusion Education Program) - Disability Sport and Recreation

• Strength in Diversity - Brotherhood of St Laurence

• The Victorian Safer Swimmer Certificate - Life Saving Victoria

• WaterMarc Boccia - WaterMarc Banyule

• After 4 Program - Multicap Limited

• Tee-Able Golf - Clublinks Management

• Autism Active Program - Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre

  
  

We look forward to celebrating the remarkable achievements of all finalists and hope you can join us!

2025 VDSR Awards: