General Manager's Report
Welcome to our late summer edition …. Hope you are all good and safe in your part of the world. Thinking of our Queensland and NSW friends who are battling huge weather problems - take care. An amazing last two years in Australia with the bushfires, COVID and the weather craziness. Is this a sign of the times or increasing turbulence as the Earth is out of balance due to global warming?
These impacts have forced us to move the 2022 Australian Deaf Games to January 2024. The decision was made because too many people were ‘locked out’ of participating (WA and our overseas friends) and uncertainty with COVID impacts on travel, sport and community engagement creating low registration numbers.
After significant consultation with many, the Games are still in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie but in January 2024. What will be wonderful for 2024 is our opportunity to celebrate 60 years since the first Games in 1964. The Games is our mega event, not only for sport but celebrating deaf culture and community.
In 2024, we will also be celebrating 70 years since Deaf Sports Australia (previously Australian Deaf Sports Federation) was formed in 1954. We will keep you informed on plans for what is looking like a big year of celebratory events.
Our last few months has been busy (despite the holiday period break) with following up and managing our new and ongoing funding agreements with various federal and State governments. I am delighted that Sport Australia gave us a significant participation grant to grow and develop AFL as a sport of interest to our deaf and hard hearing community across Australia. See below for more information.
Enjoy our news and feel free to contact us to share your news or ask questions.
Phil Harper
General Manager
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Deaf history and archives
With 2024 being our 70th year of operation, we have significant pieces of history in filing cabinets, boxes and storage and realised we need to properly collate and document what we have to preserve for the next 70 years and beyond. It will also allow us to share our history through our website, events and in other ways. We will be seeking a grant to document and archive what we have and share our fabulous history that goes back over 140 years.

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Deaf Start Light system
The system will be used for training as well as competitions and hopefully available in October for the summer season.
We currently only have one system that Athletics Australia manage nationally, so it was important that we advocate for the system to be available more easily. We will work with Athletics Australia to get more systems available elsewhere.
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Proudly supported through the Queensland Government’s Active Industry Project Fund.

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Australian Sporting Alliance for People with Disabilities (ASAPD)
With Phil Harper as Vice-Chair of the Alliance where nine national sporting organisations for people with disabilities are members, we have worked on important tasks including
- Applying for funding to support the Executive team with staff; in process of setting up legal entity;
- Applying for a Integrity Officer support to assist all members including DSA with policy adoption and implementation; high levels meetings with Government and Sport Leaders; Meetings with Sport Ministers from ACT, WA, QLD, NT, SA;
- Discussions around Olympics 2032 in Queensland and how this could help facilitate major sport events opportunities in disability sport.
Being part of the ASAPD will in time enable shared services and information to improve our effectiveness, time management, relationship with key stakeholders, quality of services and funding opportunities.

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Access to E-learning platforms and Auslan translation work
Sport organisations and government departments responsible for sport and increasingly establishing e-learning platforms which allow anyone to learning about sport, coaching, club management and policies.
We have had several meetings to advocate for access to these learning opportunities and ensuring they include information translated in Auslan. This is a large and ongoing project and those responsible are keen to find ways to make it happen.
It is critical that all our policies and information are translated in Auslan. This is a large project that we are committed to and we have received funding from Sport Australia and Sport Integrity Australia to start this work which is very exciting and long overdue. Once completed, they will be shared with our members as well as available on our website.

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AFL Participation Project
DSA gratefully received a grant from Sport Australia in December 2021 to partner with the AFL to improve our interest and participation in AFL sport programs.
The project will initially focus on 3 States (Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia) before expanding nationally.
It will include supporting AusKick access to deaf and hard of hearing children; providing deaf sport awareness training to the AFL staff team (400+) and piloting an AFL Deaf program. More details to come soon.
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New Project Manager
We have just appointed a Project Manager, Simon O’Neill who will work with us 3 days a week.
Many of you may know Simon who helped co-ordinate the ‘Around the Grounds’ video stories and interviews over the last few years.
Simon will work with us in completing the project by the end of 2022.
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International Updates
- The 2021 Deaflympics is being held in Brazil this coming May 2022. DSA is not sending a team due to COVID-19 impacts, lack of preparation time and funding difficulties. A few other countries have also pulled out.
- We will work towards the next Deaflympics in Japan during 2025 (to be confirmed).
- There are several World Championship events this year and the next few years including World Deaf Golf Championships in Hawaii this coming October and World Championships Basketball 2023 (Greece). We will keep you posted.

- Asian Pacific Deaf Games - 2023 is now likely to be moved to 2024 (more details to come soon).

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We continue to liaise with national sport organisations to work with and assist our national deaf sport organisations. Recently we have worked with:

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Netball
- Support for the Pacific and ADG / Oceania Games is still on-going.
- DSA had a meeting with Deaf Netball Australia - agreed to investigate support opportunities and funding for National Championships and ADG events.
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Touch Football
- Touch Football Australia will provide support for accessibility and inclusion in TFA programs.
- Meeting with Deaf TFA and TFA - agreed to invite DTFA to national championships in 2023
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Tennis
- Tennis Australia provided an invitational event at their Australian Open event for deaf and hard of hearing players. This is a world-first event at a Tennis Grand Slam. Congratulations to Tennis Australia for making it happen.
- There are discussions on future international deaf tennis event support to be on-going.
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Cricket
- DSA and Cricket Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 2022-2023.
- National Cricket Inclusion Championship has been moved to June 2022 due to COVID-19.
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2024 Australian Deaf Games'
Update Report
Whilst we are disappointed that the Games have been postponed, we are pleased and appreciative that all the Games sponsors, partners and suppliers have committed to the January 2024 timeframe.
We are also excited that we are finalising negotiations with two well-known organisations who will be signing up to become key sponsors of the Games very shortly.
They see the opportunity to be involved in the Games preparations over the next 650 days a great way to increase their brand awareness. More information will be shared in the coming weeks.
All the Games sport venues and associated entertainment venues have been notified of the postponement and all have pencilled in the activities into the January 2024 week.
This includes the NEX entertainment centre being rebooked for the Opening Ceremony and Games Hub – thank you to the Wests Group for the great show of support and confidence in the Games.
The social program was going to be a great part of the Games; again, we will re book and look for other entertainment opportunities to ensure it will being great joy and pride to all who will be able to attend.
SWS Lawyers the Games Honorary Legal Advisors have provided their advice on how to construct the variation to our sponsors agreements; we thank them for their support. In addition, we would like to thank LakeMac Printing for their efficiency and great support in updating our promotional collateral.
Finally, our social media platforms will be key communication channels over the next 9 months keeping everybody up to date with the preparations of the Games; it is not too far away to our one year to go event! Thank you to Canvas Events ( Sally Hill and Liz Preston) for their great work.
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Garry West-Bail
Project Manager
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What you need to know about the Australian Deaf Games:
- Registrations are open now.
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Book your accommodation now (very important as January 2024 is a very popular holiday time).
- Celebrating 60 years since our first Games in 1964.
- We are welcoming our Oceania friends as we include our first Oceania Games at the Australian Deaf Games.

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Our State Government want to encourage everyone to return to play sport in the community. Being involved in sport or recreational activities are important for our well-being.
Our deaf sport affiliated clubs have started planning for the 2022 Australian Deaf Games but it has been postponed to 2024. We agree with the decision - it will give us more time with fundraising for our clubs and members.
We have started organising meetings with various state sporting organisations to run the program together such as Diving Clinic, Auslan Footy Program and Tennis.
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Futsal
What: DSRQ Futsal Gala Day
When: Thursday 16th June 2022
Where: Hibiscus Sports Complex, 90 Klumpp Road, Upper Mt Gravatt
Time: 9am - 2.30pm
RSVP: 20 May 2022
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All Sports
What: DSRQ Deaf Sports Day
When: 9 September 2022
Where: University of Queensland - Athletics Centre
Time: 8.30am - 2pm
RSVP: 12 August 2022
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Diving
What: Diving Clinic
When: 7 and 10 May 2022
Where: Sleeman Sports Complex
Time: Check-in at 2pm, ready for 2.30pm - 4pm session
How: Register online - www.divingqld.org.au or email admin@divingqld.org.au
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QLD School Sport Competitions 2022
Swimming - 13 - 19 years old
When: 24 - 27 March 2022
Where: Sleeman Sports Complex, Brisbane (Chandler)
Cross Country - 10 - 19 years old
When: 16 - 18 July 2022
Where: Rivermount College, Yatala
Track and Field - 10 - 12 years old
When: 11 - 12 October 2022
Where: QSAC, Nathan, Brisbane
Track and Field - 13 - 19 years old
When: 13 - 16 October 2022
Where: QSAC, Nathan, Brisbane

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If you are interested in being a part of your school for Districts, Regionals and State Championships, please contact us for information on how you can get the classification for deaf and hard of hearing athletes to compete in Deaf / Para competitions.
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All enquiries regarding Queensland's activities and events, contact our Sports Development Officer Julie Lyons by email at qld@deafsports.org.au. |
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Proudly supported through the Queensland Government’s Active Industry Project Fund.
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Our staff Jesse Cattach at Deaf Sports and Recreation Victoria has moved to the warmer climate in Queensland a few months ago, leaving his part-time role as a Sport Development Officer vacant.
The DSRV Sport Development Officer position vacancy has been extended to early March as we await a funding application to extend our service capability to more work days.
- DSRV is excited to work with DSA on the AFL Participation project this year. We have connected Deaf Football Victoria to the project to provide advice and experiences.
- We are now working with schools to start organising our sport days to bring together deaf and hard of hearing students from across Victoria.
- We are also working with Tasmania Teachers of the Deaf to organise a Sports day event.
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All enquiries regarding Victoria's activities and events, contact our Head Office by email at vic@deafsports.org.au. |
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Proudly supported through the Victorian Government’s 'Together More Active' Grant.
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The remainder of the year 2021 and early 2022 was spent on administration work, working with affiliate members, running sessions and participating in meetings, forums and consultations.
These includes:
- Visiting a mainstream high school that has approximately 30 students
- Providing advice, guidance and information to affiliated clubs
- Working with the NSWDS Committee and NSW's State Team Management ahead of the 2022 Australian Deaf Games
- Attending the Deaf Sports Australia's AGM
- Attending six different events in total
- Visiting a high school in Maitland (at current) as part of Sporting Schools Program
We had our Christmas break and then our state was hard hit by the Omicron strain, with our staff taking sick leave.
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The NSWDS Committee and staff had their first meeting last month and covered a lot of topics, most of which are strongly focused on retaining sporting interest and increasing funding support for the NSW team heading to the Australian Deaf Games (now postponed) in 2024.
There is also a strategic planning underway regarding introducing sports to students across NSW (deaf sports days).
NSWDS is due to have a meeting with affiliated club members this month.
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All enquiries regarding NSW's activities and events, contact our Sports Development Officer Lauren Townsend by email at nsw@deafsports.org.au. |
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Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with the Office of Sport's Community Recovery Grant and Organisation Support Fund.
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