The School Sports Awards recognise and reward the outstanding sporting achievements of young people in our community. The awards are a joint initiative of The Advertiser, Messenger and the Department for Education.

Award categories

There are 3 major award categories.

Competitors

Individual female and male, rural and metropolitan, primary and secondary.

Student officials

Individual female and male, primary and secondary.

Team

Female and male, primary and secondary.

Presentation of awards

An awards function was held on Wednesday 10 November 2021 at the SA Museum. Finalists were invited to the function and received a certificate of merit. Overall winners and runners up received a trophy or medal and recognition in The Advertiser or Messenger.

The replay of the awards night and full gallery cave be viewed in The Advertisers 2021 School Sports Awards article online.

Winners, runner ups and finalists

Individual primary

Winner: Maia Taite, Southern Montessori School - surfing

Runner up: Isaac Choi, Mercedes College - judo

Runner up: Chloe Sharpe, Glenelg Primary School - gymnastics

Finalists

• Yeonsue Choi, Mercedes College - judo
• Abbey Healey, Black Forest Primary School - multiple sports
• Maisy May Pronk, St Leonards Primary School - surf life saving and swimming
• Maia Taite, Southern Montessori School - surfing
• Tom Brunet-Greseque, Charles Campbell College - judo
• Brayden Carter, Walkerville Primary School - multiple sports
• Charlie Haigh, Glenelg Primary School - gymnastics
• Aiden Mitchell, Craigburn Primary School - multiple sports

Individual secondary

Winner: Isabella Vincent, Pembroke School - swimming

Runner up: Jett Carlin, Trinity College Senior School - athletics

Runner up: Riley Yeatman, SEDA College - baseball

Finalists

• Tayla Brazel, Seymour College - basketball
• Emily Cochrane, Seymour College - hockey
• Layla Kinnane, Mercedes College - athletics
• Lauren Young, Henley High School - Australian football
• Lachie Davis, Pembroke School - gymnastics
• Darcy Miller, Mercedes College - athletics
• Nicholas Siegmund, Henley High School - golf

Teams

Winner: St Peter's College open schoolboys eights rowing

Runner up: Henley High School open boys statewide schools basketball

Finalists

• Eastern Fleurieu School year 7 statewide schools netball
• Heathfield High School/Mt Lofty Volleyball Club open boys and girls

Student official

Winner: Sean Gabell, Salisbury High School

Runner Up: Jayden Betterman, Sacred Heart College

• Cameron Dixon, Glossop High School
• Matthew Guerrera, Roma Mitchell Secondary College
• Kayla Tsorotiotis, Glossop High School

Who can be nominated?

Young people between the ages of 10 and 18 (turning 10 after 1 January 2021, or turning 18 on or before 31 December 2021), who are enrolled in a South Australian primary or secondary school.

A young person can be nominated for any outstanding sporting achievement or service to sport as an individual within a school or club competition in South Australia.

A school aged team can be nominated for any outstanding sporting achievement.

Nominations are open to young people and teams from metropolitan and rural South Australia.

Conditions of entry

Anyone can nominate a young person for the School Sports Awards.

Contact information of an appropriate coach, physical education instructor or teacher must be included on the nomination form to verify details. Nominees agree to allow the use of their nomination details and photos for publicity purposes in print publications, department intranet, public websites and social media.

History of the awards

In 1997 the department and the Messenger introduced the sports awards to recognise outstanding sporting achievements of young people within schools. Originally the Youth Sports Awards, it was rebadged to the School Sports Awards in 2012 with two major categories, a primary school and a secondary school award. The student official and teams awards were introduced in 2020.

Past winners include Olympic gold medallist, Kyle Chalmers, Paralympian Liam Bekric, Olympian Jack Rossiter, Matilda’s football player Alexandra Childiac and Australian cricket player Amanda-Jade Wellington.