Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club
The Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club is a very unique ‘not for profit’ club which has a proud tradition of over 58 years involvement in the Ballarat and district sporting community. Life Members include football greats the late Lou Richards, Ron Casey and Jack Dyer, who were regular attendees and instrumental in the Club’s early beginnings. The Club supports the Ballarat Sports Foundation and the FedUni WestVic Academy of Sport Ballarat which financially and personally assists young promising athletes from this district to obtain the assistance they need along the way to achieve their goals.
The Club is held in very high regard within the region, with a membership of 132, which includes VFL/AFL Premiership players, top sportsmen from all forms of sport as well as a number of Olympians such as Steve Moneghetti, Ray Borner, Bryan Thomas, John Vernon, the late Ray Weinberg and Peter Blackburn.
The Club’s signature event is the Sportsperson of the Year Gala Dinner. This event is attended by 320 to 350 people and has attracted as Guest Speakers many national and international leaders, not only on the sporting arena but also from various other fields of endeavour such as the political, academic and social worlds.
Our Guest of Honour list includes two Prime Ministers, a number of Governors and Premiers of Victoria as well as a great cast of Aussie sporting icons and personalities such as John Landy, Hubert Opperman, Lionel Rose, Dawn Fraser, Herb Elliot, John Kennedy and in more recent years James Hird, Sharelle McMahon, Alicia Molik, The Hon. Hugh Delahunty, Nick Green, Frank Costa, Terry Daniher, Simon Madden, Peter Daicos, Rodney Hogg, Craig Hutchison, Simon Madden, Bill Brownless, Steven Bradbury OAM, Alistair Clarkson, Jana Pittman and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor AM.
Dinner meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month of the year except for January when there is not a dinner held. The Sportsperson of the Year Awards are now held on the second Wednesday of February each year. Dinner meetings are currently held at the Ballarat Golf Club, 1800 Sturt Street, Ballarat commencing at 6.30pm for fellowship and dinner at 7.00pm. The Committee endeavour to arrange high profile speakers who are entertaining and interesting to the broad membership. The main objective of the dinners is to enjoy the fellowship of the Club.
Attendance at dinners is by invitation by Club Members. If you would like to attend any of our dinners please contact the Secretary.
