By Disability Sports Australia Media Team
Disability Sports Australia’s Variety Abilities Unleashed Kids program in Victoria has been named a finalist for the VicHealth Sport and Active Recreation Initiative of the Year at the 2025 Victorian Sport Awards.
This recognition reflects the role grassroots sport plays in creating meaningful opportunities for children with disability to take part in sport in the way that works for them.
Delivered in partnership with Variety Victoria and local councils across metropolitan and regional Victoria, the program activates community facilities and connects children with disability to sport through structured, community-based experiences.
In 2025, the program delivered 14 events across metropolitan and regional Victoria, engaging more than 900 children with disability and connecting them to 35 sport and active recreation opportunities.
Delivery was supported by councils including Hume City Council, Shire of Campaspe, Wyndham City Council, Brimbank City Council, Maribyrnong City Council, City of Ballarat, Murray River Council, Mildura Rural City Council, Manningham City Council, Bayside City Council, Kingston City Council and Banyule City Council, enabling local connection into community sport beyond the initial experience.
By working with councils, specialist schools and local sporting organisations, the program creates clear pathways into ongoing participation, not just one-off experiences.
The Victorian Sport Awards recognise initiatives that contribute to participation, community connection and the strength of the sporting system across the state.
In 2025, more than 290 nominations were received across 18 categories, reflecting the depth of contribution across grassroots and high-performance sport in Victoria.
Finalists across all categories were selected by a panel of industry leaders from across the Victorian sport sector, including Disability Sports Australia CEO Ayden Shaw.
For Disability Sports Australia, this recognition reinforces the importance of investing in participation.
When children with disability have positive early experiences in sport, it creates a foundation for ongoing involvement, connection to community and long-term engagement.
Kristy Rohrer, National Participation and Education Manager at Disability Sports Australia said:
“This recognition reflects the collective effort behind Abilities Unleashed and the role it plays in connecting children with disability to sport in their local communities across Victoria.
“It highlights the importance of creating consistent opportunities for children to try sport in an environment where they feel comfortable, supported able to take part.
We acknowledge the support of Variety Victoria, local councils, schools and sport partners who make this work possible, alongside the broader investment and support of Bupa and the Australian Sports Commission in strengthening participation opportunities for people with disability.
The 2025 Victorian Sport Awards will be held in May at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
For information about the finalists and their achievements:
https://www.vicsport.com.au/2025-vsas/2025-vsas-finalists
Media contact:
Ayden Shaw
CEO
Disability Sports Australia
About Disability Sports Australia:
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is a national non-profit, registered charity, and National Sporting Organisation for people with disability, dedicated to increasing participation in grassroots sport.
For over 60 years, DSA has been at the forefront of disability sport in Australia, starting with wheelchair sports and continually expanding opportunities for people with disability across the country. Today, DSA is disability-agnostic, focusing on building the capability of sports organisations to ensure inclusive and accessible opportunities for people with disability.
Our goal is to raise awareness of the positive impact sport can have, remove barriers to participation, and build a future where sport is inclusive for all Australians.
