The Southern Football Netball League has received nominations for two prestigious Victorian Sport awards in recognition for its outstanding community participation and inclusion initiatives.
VicSport, the peak body for sport and active recreation in Victoria, last night announced the SFNL as one of four shortlisted finalists for the
Victorian Community Sporting Event of the Year award, while former CEO David Cannizzo is one of four individuals in line for
Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year honours.
The
Victorian Community Sporting Event of the Year award acknowledges an outstanding community sporting event that has benefitted the local community, and the SFNL received its nomination for its resoundingly successful Pride Round last August. The inaugural SFNL Pride Round, which was a first for a community football and netball league in Australia, saw all 20 football grounds in use over the weekend painted with rainbow arcs and more than 100 football teams and 32 netball finals teams participate in other pride-themed initiatives in a show of support for the LGBTI+ community.
The 2017 South West Games, Eltham-Dandenong Junior Basketball Tournament and Altona Lacrosse Club's Under 11 Lightning Carnival are the other shortlisted candidates for the gong.
Meanwhile, Cannizzo is up against AFL Victoria CEO Stephen Reaper, Basketball Geelong CEO Dean Anglin and Tennis Victoria's General Manager - Participation Belinda Kleverlaan for the
Victorian Sports Administrator of the Year award, which recognises administrators that have demonstrated an outstanding level of achievement during 2017.
In addition, the Victorian Under 19 Netball Team, of which Heatherton star and back-to-back SFNL Division 1 Best & Fairest winner Rahni Samason was a part, has been shortlisted for the
Victorian Young Team of the Year. The Victorians went undefeated throughout the 2017 Under 19 National Netball Championship, defeating Queensland 25-17 in the Grand Final to take the trophy.
Damien Hardwick, Dustin Martin, Craig Bellamy, Cameron Smith, Britt Cox, Scotty James and Destanee Aiava, as well as the Melbourne Storm and Victorian Bushrangers, are also finalists for Victorian Sport awards in various team and individual categories.
The winners of the 2017 Victorian Sport Awards will be announced at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 14 March.
Click here for a full list of 2017 Victorian Sport Awards Finalists.
[caption id="attachment_17369" align="aligncenter" width="601"]
The SFNL Pride Round has been shortlisted for
Community Sporting Event of the Year.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_17370" align="aligncenter" width="601"]
Former SFNL CEO David Cannizzo has been nominated for
Sports Administrator of the Year.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_17371" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Rahni Samason's (back row, fourth from left) Victorian U19 Netball team is in the running for
Victorian Young Team of the Year.[/caption]
