Victoria Police Sports Awards
In 1995 the Victoria Police Amateur Sports and Welfare Society Inc. introduced the Victoria Police Sports Awards and commenced the Victoria Police Sporting Hall of Fame.
The Victoria Police Sports and Welfare Awards recognise the achievements of the Outstanding Victoria Police Club, Outstanding Police Administrator and Most Outstanding Individual Performance of the year. In 1999 the Victoria Police Amateur Boxing and Wrestling Club dissolved and initiated an ‘Athlete Scholarship’ which is now part of the annual sports awards presentations. The ‘Most Improved Police Team of the Year’ award was introduced in 2013 and recognises the team who has shown sustained improvement in performance.
In 2009 the Society decided to amend the awards criteria to become more inclusive of clubs who are more welfare oriented, and in 2016 created the ‘Most Outstanding Police Recreation, Welfare, Social or Other Achievement of the Year award. This award was later renamed the ‘Most Outstanding Police Recreation, Social or Other Achievement of the Year’ award as it was deemed that the welfare aspect was well catered for in the criteria of the other awards. Another review of the award categories took place in 2019 with slight changes occurring to the Welfare & Sporting Achievement Awards.
The Victoria Police Sports and Welfare Awards honour boards and the Victoria Police Sporting Hall of Fame Wall are situated on the Concourse Level at the Victoria Police Centre. A full history of award winners can be found at www.vpasws.org.au
The Victoria Police Sporting Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of Victoria Police members in all fields of sport and of those who have made a significant contribution to Policing and Sport. The Hall of Fame members are:
1995 - Mr Jack DYER for his contribution to Australian Rules football
1995 - Mr Les HARLEY for his contribution to the sport of boxing and representation at the Olympic and Empire Games
1995 - Mr Jack O’TOOLE for his contribution to the sport of woodchopping
1995 - Ms Raelee THOMPSON for her contribution to International Womens Cricket
1996 - Mr Alan JEANS for his contribution to Australian Rules football
1996 - Mr Joe SELLWOOD for his contribution to Australian Rules football
1997 - Mr Fred HUGHSON for his contribution to Australian Rules football
1998 - Mr Sam SNELL for his contribution to lawn bowls, golf, cricket and Australian Rules football
1999 – Mr Ron HUNT for his contribution to wrestling and representation at the Rome Olympics
2000 – Mr Ron TAYLOR for his contribution to boxing and rowing and representation at the Rome and Tokyo Olympics
2001 – Senior Constable Russell COOK for his contribution to Australian Rules football, and cricket
2002 – Mr Ray MITCHELL for his contribution to wrestling and representation at both the 1956 and 1960 Olympics
2003 – Inspector Garry SCHIPPER for his contribution and success at the highest level in world sailing events including the Admirals Cup and World Championships.
2004 – Mr Rex HUNT for his outstanding contribution to VFL/AFL football, the sport of angling and the ‘Sports Media’.
2005 – Mr Ken SNELL for his contribution to the sport of tennis having won the 1992 father/son world championship, and his contribution to VFL/AFL football having played with the North Melbourne Kangaroos first eighteen.
2006 – Mr Bill PROUDFOOT, Australian Rules football legend who was one of the finest and fairest players of his day.
2007 – Senior Constable Amanda HARDY for her outstanding contribution to the sport of badminton winning bronze medals at two (2) Commonwealth Games in 1994 and 1998, and representation at the Sydney Olympics.
2008 – Leading Senior Constable Kellie LOUGHMAN for her outstanding contribution to the sport of softball, particularly at international level where she represented Australia for 10 years in over 80 different events.
2009 – Mr Geoff ROSENOW for his contribution to Australian Rules football as both a player and coach in two of the highest competitions – the VFL/AFL and VFA.
2010 – Assistant Commissioner Emmett DUNNE for his contribution to Australian Rules football as player at the highest level including State representation.
2011 – Mr Jack (Copper) EVANS for his contribution to Australian Rules football as star player for the Geelong Football Club, who also represented Victoria on nine occasions in the 1930’s.
2012 – Mr Bernard (Barney) HERBERT for his contribution to Australian Rules football as an outstanding player and leader at the Richmond Football Club who was credited with Richmond winning their first premiership in 1920.
2013 – Sergeant Deanne BUTLER for her outstanding contribution to Australian Women’s basketball with the Australia Opals National Basketball team, and becoming the first Australian Policewoman to play in the European competition.
2014 – Mr Paul MAGUIRE for his amazing English Channel swim overcoming injury and breathing difficulties to become the first serving police person to achieve such a feat.
2015 – Mr Stephen “Jack” MCBURNEY for his outstanding contribution to Australian Rules Footbal (AFL) in Umpiring. Steve umpired 401 games, only the 3rd umpire to officiate in 400 games, and was awarded Life Membership in both the AFL and AFL Umpires Association.
2016 – Senior Sergeant Russell FLETCHER for his amazing longevity and success as a swimmer winning numerous Australian and Victorian titles from 1971 to 1976; the creation of an Aussie Masters World Record in the 1500 freestyle in 1994, and being awarded the title of Aussie Masters Overall Australian Swimming Champion in 1992, 1994 and 1996.
2017 – Supt. Lisa HARDEMAN for her distinguished football career, starting at the Fairfield Football Club, and playing 111 Games for the Victorian Womens Football League. From 1988-1999 she received an exceptional number of awards and achievements for her playing and coaching. She is a current member of the VWFL advisory board with AFL Victoria, and has a ‘Best on Ground’ award in the Premier Division Grand Final named in her honour – ‘The Lisa Hardeman Medal’.
2018 – Sergeant Glenn GRANDY for his outstanding playing, coaching and administrative contribution to the sport of Ice Hockey in Victoria and at International Level.
2019 – Mr Ross FORSTER for his distinguished career in cycling which included being National & Victorian Champion in the 50km Points Race, National & Victorian Champion in Teams Point Race, and “World of Sport” Roller Cycling Champion in 1979, 1981 & 1982.
