Ballarat to host School Sports Australia Games next year

After losing the Commonwealth Games and the cycling Road Nationals, Ballarat is looking to bounce back and has just secured a major sporting event for next year.

School Sports Australia executive officer Phil Reeves, City of Ballarat's Bree Sharp and Peter Eddy with School Sports Australia's Jamie Parsons at the announcement of Ballarat winning the hosting rights to the School Sports Australia Games. Picture: City of Ballarat.

Ballarat will host the 2025 School Sports Australia Games, bringing a much needed boost to the city after losing the Road Nationals in cycling and the Commonwealth Games.

The Gold Coast is hosting the inaugural School Sports Australia Games in 2024 which will

see seven sports feature in different age groups across a week in late July and early August.

In essence it is combining multiple national championships into one week where athletes head to one place to compete.
Participating sports include Australian Rules, netball, basketball, hockey, softball and swimming.

Ballarat will host next year’s event with School Sports Australia saying the region was the ideal place to host it after Gold Coast.

“School Sport Australia is thrilled to bring the School Sport Australia Games to Ballarat, a city renowned for its sporting and tourist appeal,” School Sport Australia Executive Officer Phil Reeves said.

“This event highlights our commitment to a new multi-sport format, revolutionising representative school sports.

“The inaugural games will take place in Queensland in six weeks, and we are already gearing up for an equally spectacular event in Ballarat for 2025.

“The School Sport Australia Games will offer students an unforgettable sporting and educational experience.”

More than 1300 athletes are expected to attend with 3000 people set to visit the region during the week of action.

The move is expected to bring $2m to the local economy.

Ballarat has successfully hosted school sports titles and national cricket titles in the past 24 months. Last year, the New South Wales Country team won the under-17 male national championships in the region. Picture: Dylan Burns

City of Ballarat deputy mayor and former Ballarat Basketball CEO Peter Eddy said the announcement proved the region was one of the best in the country for its sporting facilities.

Cr Eddy was instrumental in helping to develop Ballarat’s stadiums.

“In recent years we have invested significantly into our sporting facilities, making Ballarat a leading regional centre for the hosting of sporting events,” Councillor Eddy said.

“We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to our city to use our sporting facilities, but also experience everything Ballarat has to offer.

“We also expect our local accommodation and hospitality businesses to benefit greatly from Ballarat attracting such a major event.”

The event is expected to be held in Ballarat in October 2025 but no official date has been confirmed.