The category finalists for the inaugural Australian Sport, Recreation and Play Industry Awards have been announced in advance of the presentation ceremony at the upcoming National Sports Convention.

To be presented as part of the Conference at Sydney’s Rosehill Racecourse at 5.30pm on Thursday 23rd June, the Innovation Awards aim to recognise and celebrate innovation that has promoted and encouraged more people to play, recreate and participate in sport.

All finalists will have the opportunity to display information in the form of a Poster Display at the National Sports Convention Expo.

Each Category Winner will receive a trophy and $1,000 cash award. The winners of each Category will then be judged for the Overall Innovations Award and has the opportunity to be 2016 winner and receive a $5,000 Award from FieldTurfTarkett.

The finalists in each category are:

1. Programs, Activities and Events: (Collaborated with: Community Sport Australia)
Programs, activities and events that have been developed to encourage the community to be more active in large numbers:

• Greater Shepparton City Council - Sporting Chance - Community Grant Scheme 
• YMCA (Victoria) - Active Moreland - Weeklong Expo and Get Active Program 
• Sunshine Coast Council - Heart Week 2016 - Weeklong Health Promotion Expo 

2. Sports Turf (Collaborated with: Sports Contractors Association):
Innovative solutions that encourage greater intensity and durability of natural or synthetic sports fields in a manner that allows for greater usage:

• SportEng - Deakin University - Multisport Precinct Development 
• Hornsby Shire Council - Pennant Hills Park, Oval No.3 - Synthetic Field Development 

3. Technological Solutions and Products (Collaborated with Australian Sports Technology Network and Sponsored by: JASSTECH Solutions)
The Business to Business or the Business to Consumer markets that encourage more people to play sport or be active:

• GOALRILLA Australia - GOALRILLA Basketball - Arena style basketball system for home and sport 
• Thinkrelativity - revolutionise360 - cloud based online platform for peak bodies of sport
• Tennis Victoria - Opening Up Tennis - linking on line bookings to access and lights

4. Playgrounds (Collaborated with Play Contractors Association)
Designs and developments that encourage more children to play, have fun and be active:

• Parkequip Pty Ltd - Deception Bay Aquatic & Fitness Cent - Aquatic play pad
• City of Greater Geelong - Queens Park Playground - A playground in the trees
• Rhinoplay - CUBE - Innovative play system (pictured below)

5. Marketing and Communication (Collaborated with Australasian Leisure Management)
Packaging and communication of an opportunity in a manner that has encouraged more people to be active:

• Warrnambool City Council - CONNECT Warrnambool - Changing the way clubs and community connect
• CloudeNotes - CloudeNotes - communication tools organizations managing Children in clubs and at venues
• APTA / Melos GmbH - Ready to Build for Sport and playgrounds

6. Facility Design and Development (Collaborated with Aquatics and Recreation Institute )
Innovative design and management that creates and environment where more people are active, (built and natural environments):

• City of Boroondara - Ashburton Pool - Pool Pod Development and Installation 
• k20 Architecture - Ballarat Regional Sports Park Design and Development 
• Ipswich City Council - Redbank Plains Sports Field and Water harvesting Project

The finalists are being assessed by some of Australia’s key peak bodies and industry providers, including Community Sport Australia, Sport Contractors Association, Australian Sports Technology Network, Play Contractors Association and Australasian Leisure Management.

All finalists have been invited to the awards.

National Sports Convention Innovation Expo
As part of the National Sports Convention Expo the final three short listed applicants will all be provided with an opportunity to display their innovation as part of the industry Expo so that the rest of the industry can appreciate their innovations.

Awards founder, Martin Sheppard of the Smart Connection Consultancy explains “as an industry sector, we all acknowledge that we need to encourage more people to be active and provide them with opportunities to play, recreate, keep fit, and participate at all levels.

“Over the past few years we have seen the growth of new programs, events and more accessible facilities but little growth in formal participation numbers in physical activity in Australia.

“These awards recognise the fine efforts being made to reverse that trend.”

For more information on the National Sports Convention, being held on 23rd and 24th June, click here for event details in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

19th April 2016 - NEW SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY INDUSTRY INNOVATION AWARDS GETS INDUSTRY LAUNCH

10th April 2016 - GLOBAL AND LOCAL SPEAKERS TO CHART THE CHANGING FACE OF SPORT AND RECREATION

16th February 2016 - NEW AWARDS TO RECOGNISE INNOVATION IN SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY

5th January 2016 - EXPANDED NATIONAL SPORTS CONVENTION TO EXPLORE SOLUTIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR PARTICIPATION

2nd March 2015 - REVOLUTIONISESPORT TO RELEASE A NEW COMPANION TO TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

11th November 2014 - SUPPLIER DIRECTORY PROFILE: RHINOPLAY, FUN AND SAFE PLAY

10th June 2014 - AQUAZONE WARRNAMBOOL INCREASES ACCESSIBILITY FOR ITS GYM USERS

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