PRIORITY 2 / INDUSTRY VICTORIAN SPORT AWARDS The 2016 Victorian Sport Awards were held on 30 March 2017 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and for the first time combined with the State Government of Victoria’s Community Sport Awards. This new format provided an opportunity to showcase a broad cross-section of Victoria’s sports people and their achievements from the wider community through to the elite of the sport world. The Awards attracted an attendance of 500 people including many of the States premier athletes and grassroots heroes. Highlights of the night included an emotional speech from Kevin Sheedy OAM upon receiving the Victorian Government Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award and 2016 Rio Olympic Champion Rower Kim Brennan AM and swimmer Mack Horton OAM awarded 2016 Victorian Female and Male Athletes of the Year Award. The Hon John Eren MP, Minister for Sport said “a big thanks to all our grassroots clubs, associations and volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes. You’re what makes community sport so great.” Vicsport and its presenting partner, the State Government, thank the following partners for their support of the 2016 Victorian Sport Awards: AWARD AWARD PRESENTED BY WINNER 2016 Outstanding Contribution in Sport Award State Government of Victoria Kevin Sheedy AM – Australian Rules Football 2016 Victorian Coach of the Year Award My Sport Live Luke Beveridge – Australian Rules Football 2016 Official of the Year Award Sports Accounting Australia Joshua Burt – Hockey 2016 Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year - Eunice Gill Award La Trobe University Neil Dalrymple – Bowls Australia 2016 Victorian Young Athlete of the Year Award My Sport Live Emily Beecroft – Swimming 2016 Victorian Masters Sport Award Involve Creative John Cocks – Swimming 2016 Local Government Initiative of the Year Award VicHealth Allocation and use of sporting facilities, grounds and pavilions policy – Moreland City Council 2016 Victorian Sport Development Initiative of the Year Award VicHealth Sport and Recreation Spatial – Victoria University in collaboration with Federation University 2016 Victorian Team of the Year Award Dynamix Sport Projects Victorian Fury – Netball 2016 Victorian Young Team of the Year Award Vicsport Mt Martha Life Saving Club U15 Rescue and Resuscitation – Surf Life Saving 2016 Victorian Male Athlete of the Year – Frank Wilkes Award State Government of Victoria Mack Horton OAM – Swimming 2016 Victorian Female Athlete of the Year – Kitty McEwan Award State Government of Victoria Kim Brennan AM – Rowing 2016 Victorian Outdoor/Active Recreation Initiative of the Year Award VicHealth Achilles Melbourne – Achilles Melbourne Running Club 2016 Victorian Community Sporting Event of the Year Award Arthur J Gallagher GMHBA Lorne Pier to Pub – Lorne Surf Live Saving Club 2016 Service to Victorian Sport and Recreation Award State Government of Victoria George Halkias – Football 2016 Victorian Community Coach of the Year Award My Sport Live Hussain Hanif – Cricket 2016 Victorian Community Official of the Year Award Southern Cross Trophies Hary Milas – Football 2016 Victorian Young Volunteer of the Year Award La Trobe University Will Robertshaw – Australian Rules Football and Cricket 2016 Victorian Community Sporting Club of the Year Award BLK Hawthorn Cycling Club and Melbourne Stars Basketball Club – Cycling and Basketball Gold Partner  La Trobe University Silver Partner  Arthur J. Gallagher  BLK  Dynamix Sports Project  Involve Creative  La Trobe University  My Sport Live  Southern Cross Trophies   Sports Accounting Australia   State Government of Victoria  VicHealth Vicsport acknowledges the ongoing support of The Honourable John Eren MP, Minister for Sport and thanks him for attending the event to present major awards. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 10