Southland Boys’ High School had a successful night at last year’s ILT Southland Sports Awards, picking up the Team and Coach of the Year awards (Boys’ High first XV and Jason Dermody), Junior Sportsperson of the Year (adventure racer Fynn Mitchell) and a Services to Sport award for Peter Skelt. photo: supplied
Southland Sports Awards return with a revamped format focused on inclusiveness and accessibility
Event aims to spotlight achievements across a broad range of sporting disciplines and communities
Athlete with a Disability Award introduced to celebrate excellence in adaptive sport
The ILT Southland Sports Awards are back with a fresh new format for 2025, and nominations are officially open. The annual event, which celebrates Southland’s top sporting talent, is set to take place at ILT Stadium Southland on 13 June.
This year’s event has undergone a major refresh following an independent review in 2024, which collected feedback from the local sporting community. Organisers have used the insights to reshape the ceremony, making it more inclusive, accessible and streamlined.
Active Southland chief executive Vanessa Hughey-Pol said the changes aim to keep the focus on celebrating sporting success while ensuring every code feels represented and recognised. “Last year we got some help with an independent review of the Awards to find out what the sporting community enjoyed about the event and what could be improved,” Hughey-Pol said.
“Working alongside the Southland Amateur Sports Trust, who own the event, and our long-time naming sponsor the ILT, we listened to that feedback and have reshaped the event accordingly this year.”
The 2025 edition of the Awards will feature all traditional categories, with an added focus on sharing those stories in the lead-up to the big night. One of the standout changes is the introduction of the Athlete with a Disability Award, created to highlight the accomplishments of athletes with disabilities or impairments.
“We are also excited to include the Athlete with a Disability Award for the first time. This award will look to highlight the achievements of our best athletes with a disability or impairment.”
Other adjustments include a shorter event format and lower costs, with the goal of making the Awards more accessible to a broader range of sports and community members.
