NQ Sportstar Awards

Nominated candidates for this award has attained a level of excellence greater than that achieved by their peers or other sports people or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers. Nominees’ performances for the 1st September 2025 - 1st September 2026 must be of such a standard of excellence and achieved in an arena competitive enough to truly warrant them becoming the recipient of this award. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

* Please note all Sportstar nominations will automatically be accepted into the NQ Rural & Remote Sportstars of the Year category for judging if NQ Athlete resides in the NQ region but outside the three major cities (Cairns, Townsville, Mackay) and meets the above criteria.

Nominated candidates for this award has attained a level of excellence greater than that achieved by their peers or other sports people or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers. Nominees’ performances for the 1st September 2025 - 1st September 2026 must be of such a standard of excellence and achieved in an arena competitive enough to truly warrant them becoming the recipient of this award. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

* Please note all Sportstar nominations will automatically be accepted into the NQ Rural & Remote Sportstars of the Year category for judging if NQ Athlete resides in the NQ region but outside the three major cities (Cairns, Townsville, Mackay) and meets the above criteria.

* Please note Junior has to be under the age of 18 during the period of 1 September, 2025 to 1 September, 2026.

Formally Sportstar Athlete with Disability - an athlete who has attained a level of excellence greater than that previously achieved by their peers or other sports people with a disability or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers. The for the period for the 1st September 2025 - 1st September 2026 must be of such a standard of excellence and achieved in an arena competitive enough to truly warrant them becoming the recipient of this award. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

Nominated candidates for this award has attained a level of excellence greater than that achieved by their peers or other sports people or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers. Nominees’ performances for the 1st September 2025 - 1st September 2026 must be of such a standard of excellence and achieved in an arena competitive enough to truly warrant them becoming the recipient of this award. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

* Please note all Sportstar nominations will automatically be accepted into the NQ Rural & Remote Sportstars of the Year category for judging if NQ Athlete resides in the NQ region but outside the three major cities (Cairns, Townsville, Mackay) and meets the above criteria.

An individual who has contributed the most to an individual sport, or the industry as a whole, over a lengthy period of time. The recipients may be a volunteer, a competitor, a coach, a paid employee or anyone, as a result of whose contributions, a standard of excellence or continued achievement is to be recognised in a manner that surpassed others and therefore distinguishes the nominee from their peers. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of contribution i.e. regional, state, national or international
• sub-industry of contribution
• achievement over time
• significance of conduct or achievement(s)

The Sports Excellence Award recognises an achievement or moment, not an individual, that may not fit into any other category.

The NQSF Judging Panel reserves the right in the case of a lack of nominations for this particular award, to nominate significant moments achieved by other nominees for this award.

Factors to consider:

• level of achievement or moment i.e. regional, state, national or international
• uniqueness of achievement i.e. once off or reoccurring
• relevance to North Queensland
• significance of achievement

Recognising individuals that have contributed to sport away from the competition. This category is open for any Sports Coach, Sports Volunteer,Sports Referee or Official or any Sports Administrator or Sports Manager (or similar position) that has contributed at a high level in their field.

While it’s recognised that many potential nominees will have achieved distinguished results over several years, nominations will be judged heavily on recognising achievements in the past 12 months.

Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of impact i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of impact i.e. once off or reoccurring
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

Team of two or more participants has attained a level of excellence greater than that achieved by other teams or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers. Nominees’ performances for the 1st September 2025- 1st September 2026 must be of such a standard of excellence and achieved in an arena competitive enough to truly warrant the team becoming the recipient of this award. Factors to consider in completing nominations include:

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement

An individual participating in, or considered in the Masters Categories in their chosen sport/discipline with a level of excellence greater than that achieved by their peers or other sports people or whose performance has been so exceptional that their achievements have identified them as being clearly outstanding from their peers.

• level of competition i.e. regional, state, national or international
• type of competitor i.e. individual or part of a team
• achievement over the period
• significance of achievement