Message from Chair John Bertrand AO
Halfway through 2023, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame is well underway with a productive year.
The Board, along with the CEO and our small, dynamic team welcome our newest staff members; Jemima Tennekoon, who joins us as Design, Social Media and Administration Coordinator and Katie Craig who is fulfilling the Sponsorship & Programs Manager role while Bonnie Larkin is on maternity leave.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee have concluded their extensive processes and we look forward to welcoming our newest seven Inductees and elevating three Members to Legends of Australian Sport, as well as announcing The Don and The Dawn Awards. All Awardees will be announced at the backend of the year by way of exclusive events to celebrate. More information will be released in due course.
We are delighted to be working with our long-term partners again for 2024; the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), Sportscover and Victoria University. We are also thrilled to be working with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), BLACKROLL Australia and Grip Star as we continue to develop and enhance the Scholarship & Mentoring Program.
Over the next six months, Sport Australia Hall of Fame will deliver the sixth Chairs’ Round Table for Sport with presenting partner Sportscover. We will also host an inaugural student forum event in collaboration with long term partner, Victoria University.
The 2024 Scholarship & Mentoring Program is now open for the 18th year. With thanks to the ASC and the AIS, we will be providing incomparable opportunities for six young athletes to be mentored by our SAHOF Members as well as an additional 26 Scholarships which will also be awarded. Applications close on July 5 and further information is available here. Announcements of successful applicants and their Mentors will be made through August and September.
The 2023 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 11 at 4pm virtually and further information will be distributed to our Members directly.
We are looking forward to yet again another exciting year and watching our Members inspire the next generation.
Go Australia!
John Bertrand AO
Chair and Legend, Sport Australia Hall of Fame
2024 Scholarship and Mentoring Program
The 2024 Scholarship & Mentoring Program applications remain open until Wednesday, July 5 at 11:59pm.
With thanks to supporting partners, the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport, the 2024 Program will again offer 32 Scholarships across 3 Tiers with a total distribution of $150,000 direct to the successful Scholarship Applicants. PLUS six athletes will each receive one-on-one Mentoring from a SAHOF Member – a truly remarkable opportunity for Australia’s future stars.
Scholarship Update
Alex awarded International Gymnast of the Year
2023 Tier 2 Scholarship Holder Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva has qualified to represent Australia at the 2023 World Championship in Valencia and was recently awarded:
- International Gymnast of the Year
- VIC Young Athlete of the Year
- Gymnastics Australia Roll of Honour
- All Around Australian National Title
Angus to compete at 2024 World Para Athletics Championships
2023 Tier 2 Scholarship Holder Angus Hincksman has been selected to represent Australia at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris! One of the youngest in the team, Angus will compete in both the T38 400m & 1500m.
(Photo Credit: David McMillan)
Max signs with Central Arizona College
Congratulations to 2023 Tier 1 Scholarship Holder Max Stagg who has officially signed with Central Arizona College to continue his academic and baseball career.
Claudia places sixth at World Cup One K1-1000
2023 Tier 2 Scholarship Holder and elite Kayaker, Claudia Bailey, competed at the 2023 World Cup One in Hungary, placing an impressive sixth in the final of the K1-1000m.
Member Update
Jill McIntosh recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours
Congratulations to SAHOF Member Jill McIntosh who has been recognised with a Member of the Order (AM) for her significant service to netball, particularly as a coach at a national and international level.
Susie O’Neill breaks another World Record
SAHOF Member and Legend Susie O’Neill AM broke the W50-54 World Record in the 50m Butterfly in an impressive 28.95 seconds at the World Masters Swimming Championships.
Sponsor Updates
Australian Sports Commission
Together with leaders from 51 sporting organisations, Minister for Sport, the Hon Anika Wells, has endorsed sport’s united vision: “We win well to inspire Australians”.
“This strategy unites our system and lays the groundwork for what we hope to collectively achieve in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 and beyond. This period presents a generational opportunity to showcase the very best of Australian sport and the very best of Australia.”
Co-designed by Australia’s high performance sport system, the strategy aims to build ongoing, sustainable success in the lead up to and post-Brisbane 2032.
Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said: “We all agree there is a tremendous amount of work to be done, but by harnessing our collective strengths, talent and resources, we can deliver the best outcomes for our athletes, sports and all of Australia.”
“To see the interest and commitment across the sector in seeing this strategy come to life is heartening and I thank everyone for their continued commitment to this strategy and to Australian sport.”
More than 100 people from across the high performance system gathered for the recent 2032+ Strategy Forum, including Paralympics Australia CEO Catherine Clark, Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll, Commonwealth Games Australia CEO Craig Phillips, and representatives from national sporting organisations, the National Institute Network, athletes and coaches. Read more.
Victoria University
Research from Victoria University (VU) has demonstrated the extent and nature of experiences of violence within community sports in Australia.Eighty-two percent of people sampled in the VU study have experienced at least one type of interpersonal violence (psychological, physical and or sexual violence and neglect) as a child participating in community sport in Australia. Seven in 10 respondents experienced psychological violence from a peer, and over half of the study respondents experienced physical and/or psychological violence by a coach.
VU’s Dr Aurélie Pankowiak and Dr Mary Woessner who led the research have been named Start to Talk ambassadors, a national campaign run by Play by the Rules, encouraging the sport community to discuss how to create a safe environment for children.
Play by the Rules aims to make resources easy-to-find helping the community understand what child safe sport looks like, and also outlines steps parents, carers and clubs can take to start a conversation at their club.
Dr Pankowiak and Dr Woessner believe community conversations are key to tackling this subject.
“Children deserve to play sport in an environment in which they are and feel safe and included. While our data suggests that might not be the experience of all children, we can leverage these findings to create positive change. However, to do that we need parents and clubs to understand that this problem exists, and to be willing to talk about it with their children and the sports clubs. But most people don’t discuss this topic.”
Sportscover
Sportscover’s Legal Expenses Insurance is tailored for sport and leisure clients and specifically provides free legal advice and cover for legal costs of pursuing or defending certain classes of legal action.
Key Features:
- Defence costs for Criminal Prosecution, including sexual abuse
- Costs for pursuing Contractual Disputes
- Defence costs for Employment Practices matters
- Free legal advice
- Nil deductable
Cover Sections:
- Commercial Contract Disputes
- Criminal Prosecution
- Employment Disputes
- Property Disputes
- Data Protection
- Statutory Licence
- Employees breach of Restrictive Covenants
- ATO Tax Investigation Protection
Please visit Sportscover’s website for further information:
www.sportscover.com/insurance/legal-expenses-insurance
Or contact:
Melbourne Ph: +61 (03) 8562 9100 Sydney Ph: +61 (02) 9268 9100
