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

Award categories

There are 4 major award categories.

• Individual primary school competitor.
• Individual secondary school competitor.
• Student official.
• Team.

Presentation of awards

An awards function will be held on Wednesday 18 November at venue to be confirmed. Finalists will be invited to the function and receive a certificate of merit. Overall winners and runners up will receive a trophy or medal and recognition in The Advertiser or Sunday Mail.

Winner and finalists

Individual primary school competitor

2026 finalist will be listed shortly after nominations close.

Individual secondary school competitor

2026 finalist will be listed shortly after nominations close.

Student official

2026 finalist will be listed shortly after nominations close.

Teams

2026 finalist will be listed shortly after nominations close.

Who can be nominated?

Young people between the ages of 10 and 18 (turning 10 after 1 January 2025, or turning 18 on or before 31 December 2025), 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.

Nominations

Nominations for the 2026 School Sports Awards will open in term 3.

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, Olympian Jack Rossiter, and Australian cricket player Darcie Brown.