Basketball NSW has been recognised as a finalist in two categories at the 2026 Sport NSW Community Sports Awards, earning nominations for Inclusion Achievement of the Year and Innovation of the Year.
The annual awards celebrate the organisations, volunteers, coaches, officials and community leaders making a significant impact on sport across New South Wales.
Winners will be announced at the 2026 Sport NSW Community Sports Awards, presented by Bankstown Sports Club, on Monday 29th June.
The Inclusion Achievement of the Year nomination recognises Basketball NSW’s extensive work creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities to participate in basketball.
Programs including Our Mob Our Game, I AM A GIRL, Assist All Hoops and the Pride Basketball Australia Tournament collectively engaged thousands of participants across NSW during the past year.
The initiatives focused on increasing participation among First Nations communities, women & girls, people with intellectual disabilities and the LGBTQIA+ community, while continuing to build stronger and more inclusive basketball environments across the state.
The nomination continues a strong record of recognition for Basketball NSW’s inclusion initiatives, having won the Inclusion Achievement of the Year award in both 2024 and 2025.
The Innovation of the Year nomination acknowledges the introduction of our new Flexible Membership Model and Pause ‘n’ Play feature, launched in January 2026. The initiative allows members to choose between six-month and 12-month memberships, while Pause ‘n’ Play enables participants to temporarily suspend and reactivate their membership through Basketball Connect when circumstances prevent them from playing.
The model was developed following extensive member consultation and research, providing greater flexibility and affordability for participants while reducing administrative burden for Associations.
Basketball NSW, Interim CEO, David Simpson said the dual nomination reflects the organisation’s commitment to both community impact and innovation over the past twelve months.
“These nominations are a reflection of Basketball NSW’s commitment to leading positive change within community sport,” said Simpson.
“Inclusion and innovation are not standalone initiatives for our organisation; they are fundamental to how we grow participation, strengthen communities and ensure basketball remains accessible to our community at every stage of life.
“We are proud of the impact these programs and initiatives are having across New South Wales and grateful to the associations, volunteers, coaches, officials, staff and community partners who continue to champion this work.”
Basketball NSW congratulates all finalists and looks forward to celebrating community sport at the 2026 Sport NSW Community Sports Awards later this month.
For more information about 2026 Sport NSW Community Sports Award nominees, click HERE.