Media Release
14th June 2024
School Sport Australia Announces Ballarat as the Host City for the 2025 School Sport Australia Games
School Sport Australia, in partnership with the City of Ballarat, is excited to announce that Ballarat will host the prestigious School Sport Australia Games (SSAG) in October 2025.
This major event will bring together over 1300 students and team officials, along with at least 1000 family members, descending upon Ballarat for a week of thrilling competition in late October 2025.
School Sport Australia aims to create more opportunities and a greater experience for representative students. This event will feature teams from across the country representing their states and territories, coming together for an exhilarating seven days in the vibrant City of Ballarat.
Phil Reeves, Chief Executive of School Sport Australia, made the announcement alongside the Peter Eddy Deputy Mayor City of Ballarat and Jamie Parsons SSA Board Member and CEO School Sport Victoria.
Phil Reeves stated, “School Sport Australia is thrilled to bring the School Sport Australia Games to Ballarat, a city renowned for its sporting and tourist appeal.”
“ 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.”
Mr. Reeves emphasised the significance of the event, stating, “The School Sport Australia Games will offer students an unforgettable sporting and educational experience. This would not be possible without the substantial support from the City of Ballarat and our partners, including UniSport Australia and Struddys.”
The City of Ballarat has played a crucial role in making this event possible, providing funding and access to its world-class sporting venues. The Deputy Mayor of Ballarat expressed enthusiasm for hosting the games, noting the positive impact on local tourism and the community.
It is expected the event will inject almost $2 million into the Ballarat economy.
The City of Ballarat was successful in its bid to host the event, which comes off the back of exclusively hosting the recent White Night event and securing the only regional Victorian Cold Chisel concert.
City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Peter Eddy said Ballarat had a proven track record of attracting and successfully hosting major sporting events.
Cr Eddy Stated “In recent years we have invested significantly into our sporting facilities, making Ballarat a leading regional centre for the hosting of sporting events.
“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 sports will include cricket, soccer, golf, netball, softball, touch football, and tennis. The majority of which the sports will feature the 12-and-under age competitions, with touch football and tennis to include a combination of age groups of 12’s & 15 years & under.
Students aged 10-15, accompanied by parents, family and friends, will travel from across the country to Ballarat, bringing an exciting boost to tourism in one of Australia’s premier regional cities for sports and recreation.
For further information, please contact: Phil Reeves Executive Officer School Sport Australia 0437 832 096
About School Sport Australia: School Sport Australia is dedicated to promoting and supporting school sport at a national level, providing opportunities for students to engage in representative sports and develop their athletic skills while experience and educational experience. www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au
About the City of Ballarat: The City of Ballarat is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and exceptional sporting facilities, making it an ideal host for national sporting events. City of Ballarat | City of Ballarat