INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2026: THE YOUTH WHO MOVE QUEENSLAND SPORT FORWARD
By Chloe Jones, Communications Officer, QSport.
A Statewide celebration of talent, leadership & possibility
Young Queenslander’s are rewriting the future of sport – boldly, brilliantly, and together. Across every region and every code, they are stepping forward as athletes, leaders, officials, creators, volunteers, and community champions.
This week for International Youth Day, QSport celebrates them.
STATEWIDE YOUTH ACHIEVEMENTS
A cross-sport showcase of Queensland’s rising stars, emerging leaders, and future champions – with quotes, photos, and articles to bring their stories to life.
NETBALL QUEENSLAND
Netball’s next generation is rising fast. Queensland’s young athletes are showing exceptional skill, leadership and resilience across national championships, elite pathways, and emerging talent programs. Their achievements reflect the strength of female participation and the growing influence of youth leadership across the sport.
Ruby Stanford MVP – National Netball Championships
Ruby Stanford delivered an outstanding tournament performance, earning MVP honours and showcasing maturity beyond her years.
QFFA Frequent Flyer Athlete
One young athlete Ruby Croxford has travelled extensively to pursue her netball dream, reflecting the dedication and commitment seen across Queensland’s pathways.
Sasha Flegler – Firebirds Debut
Sasha Flegler made a composed and confident debut for Queensland Firebirds, marking a significant milestone in her development.
International Youth Day Feature
Netball Queensland’s youth leadership story will be highlighted next week through a special face-to-face interview with emerging young leader Adelaide Hall. Her insights on youth voice, representation and the future of netball, captured in her belief that “Sport builds people”. This will be released as part of QSport’s international Youth Day video feature.
AFL QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s young footy players continue to push boundaries and redefine what the future of AFL looks like. From all-girls participation programs to elite youth pathways, their passion is driving the game forward across the state.
All Girls NAB AFL Auskick
Young girls had the opportunity to run out at a Toyota AFL match, building confidence and strengthening female participation pathways.
U18 Queensland Girls Team
The U18 Queensland Girls team delivered strong performances, showcasing the depth of emerging talent across the state.
Ronald McDonald House Charity Round
Junior players embraced the spirit of community, supporting charity initiatives while competing across local fixtures.
Additional Youth Highlights:
- Bachar Houli Primary School Day.
- Multicultural School Day Program.
- QSchools Cup.
- SEQJ Grand Finals.
- Youth Nines Challenge.
SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND.
Surf Life Saving Queensland continues to develop confident, capable, and community-minded youth officials across the state. These young leaders play a vital role in ensuring safe, fair, and well-run surf sports competitions, while also contributing to the broader lifesaving movement. Young officials are stepping into key roles at carnivals, club events, and regional competitions. Their professionalism, composure and commitment are strengthening the future of surf sports officiating.
Shoreline Magazine
Surf Life Saving Queensland recently highlighted youth officials and development pathways in Shoreline Magazine – issue 14.
SURFING QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s young surfers are making waves – literally. From Grom Comps to national titles, their courage creativity and coastal pride are shining through every event.
Billabong Occy’s Grom Comp
Queensland Groms delivered impressive performances, demonstrating skill and bravery in challenging conditions.
Australian Longboard Titles
Junior and open competitors represented Queensland strongly, achieving standouts results on the national stage.
TENPIN BOWLING QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s youth bowlers continue to impress on the national stage, delivering precision, determination and standout performances across multiple divisions and championships.
National Youth Championships
Queensland athletes achieved podium finishes across several divisions, reflecting strong development across the state.
PADDLE QUEENSLAND
Young paddlers across Queensland are embracing challenge, teamwork, and outdoor adventure. Their commitment to growth – both on and off the water, is strengthening participation and empowering young women and men statewide.
She Believed She Could Paddle
Participants engaged in a female-focused paddling initiative designed to build confidence and community.
2026 School Marathon Championships
Students showed impressive teamwork and resilience throughout the marathon event.
DRAGON BOAT QUEENSLAND
Youth paddlers are bringing energy, rhythm, and cultural connection to every boat. Their teamwork and enthusiasm are driving a new wave of youth engagement in dragon boating.
Youth Participation Reels
Clubs across Queensland showcased youth involvement through dynamic social media reels capturing teamwork and spirit.
LITTLE ATHLETICS QUEENSLAND
Little Athletics continues to nurture Queensland’s future leaders, not just on the track, but in officiating, volunteering, and community leadership. These young people embody the spirit of Participation and service.
George Harvey Leadership Award
Two young leaders were recognised for their outstanding contributions to their centres and communities.
Junior Official of the Year – Phoenix Mackay
Phoenix Mackay was celebrated for her professionalism and commitment as a junior official.
Junior Volunteer of the Year Finalist – Corey Lockwood
Corey Lockwood was acknowledged for his exceptional involvement across athletics, officiating, and volunteering.
ROYAL LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s young lifesavers are stepping forward with courage and community spirit. Through education, leadership, and water safety program, they are making a real impact across the state.
NextGen Lifesavers
The NextGen Lifesavers initiative is a Department of Sport-funded program designed to develop the next wave of young water safety leaders. Participants engage in hands-on training, leadership workshops, and practical aquatic safety sessions, gaining skills that support both personal development and community wellbeing.
TENNIS QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s young tennis players are exciting across cultural programs, national championships, and leadership initiatives. Their talent and dedication are shaping the future of sport.
National Indigenous Tennis Carnival Team
Queensland’s team represented culture and community proudly at the national carnival.
Australian Teams Championships
Queensland athletes achieved strong results across multiple age divisions.
Women & Girls Weekend
Participants engaged in leadership, development and participation activities focused on empowering young women.
Additional Youth Highlights:
- Ash Barty Schools Challenge.
- Young Women Leaders in Tennis.
- Rising Aussies: Tori Russell.
- International Tennis Tours.
- Junior Claycourt Championships.
EQUESTRIAN QUEENSLAND
Young riders across Queensland are proving discipline, maturity and passion through school championships and development scholarships. Their commitment to excellence is strengthening equestrian pathways statewide.
Inter-school Championships
Riders from across Queensland competed with skill and sportsmanship.
Remi Stud Young Rider Scholarship
The scholarship continues to support young riders through mentorship and development opportunities.
QUEENSLAND BILLIARDS & SNOOKER ASSOCIATION
Queensland’s youth cue sports athletes are achieving remarkable success on national and international stages. Their precision, focus and competitive spirit are setting new standards for the sport.
Lilly Meldrum
Lilly Meldrum secured the World Under-19s Girls 9-Ball title, adding to her growing list of achievements.
GOLF QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s junior golfers are gaining momentum across national events, with young athletes showing sharp technical skill and impressive competitive maturity, one standout performer is Tayla Potter, whose recent results highlight the strength of youth development within Golf Queensland’s pathways.
Potter’s Rising Momentum
Tayla has delivered a series of strong performances across junior tournaments, showing precision, consistency, and impressive course management. Her ability to stay composed under pressure reflects the growing strength of Queensland’s youth golf pathways.
BASEBALL QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s young baseballers are proving they are ready for the world stage. Through high-performance pathways and international opportunities, they are displaying skill, determination, and home-run pride.
Road to the World Series
Queensland athletes continue to progress through international pathways towards the World Series.
Keep Moving Forward
This captures just a snapshot of what our youth in sport are capable of, there is so much more happening across Queensland every single day. From big stadiums to small community clubs, young people continue to show the determination, pride and resilience that define the Queensland spirit. It is this energy that drives our sporting future and keeps Queensland moving forward.