The future of sport in Melville is looking bright, with 17 young athletes awarded a 2026 Youth Sports Scholarship at a ceremony on Wednesday, 4 November at the City of Melville Civic Centre.
The City is proud to support these young athletes as they continue to chase their sporting dreams.
From emerging sports such as pickleball to traditional sports such as athletics and soccer, the 17 athletes represent a wide range of sporting disciplines.
The presentation ceremony featured guest speaker and Perth Glory football player Lachlan Wales, who spoke about playing for the Olyroos at the Tokyo Olympics, his sporting journey and overcoming adversity.
The scholarships were presented by Councillor Soo Hong with the program supporting City of Melville young people aged 12 to 19 to achieve their sporting goals through 12 months of free membership to the City’s LeisureFit Centres, where they can access facilities to support their training and development.
The scholarship is designed to support athletes who are striving to compete at an elite level, particularly during the teenage years when dropout rates from sport are at their highest.
Alongside the Youth Sports Scholarship recipients, the City also acknowledged the 75 athletes who received a Youth Sport Grant from the City in the 2025-2026 financial year on the same night.
The Youth Sport Grant recipients received a one-off payment of $200 towards travel costs, entry fees and other costs associated with representing Western Australia or Australia.
For more information, visit https://www.melvillecity.com.au/YSS
The 2026 Youth Sports Scholarships recipients:
Name | Sport |
Nikita Teo-Bussmaker | Karate |
Boston Paull | Tennis |
Brodie Wilkinson | Triathlon |
Willow Marshall | Athletics |
Charlotte Enzor | Artistic Swimming |
Joshua Soh | Taekwondo |
Kayla Clarke | Squash |
Ella Clarke | Squash |
Milla Fearnall | Athletics High jump |
Macy Paull | Pickleball |
Knox Treasure | Tennis |
Lilly Kessell | Triathlon |
Eseose Itotoh | Netball |
Fletcher Green | Waterskiing |
Ariana Wieman | Artistic Swimming |
Declan Liaw | Badminton |
Zoe Dumont | Soccer |
Attribute the following comments to City of Melville Mayor Katy Mair.:
“I’m pleased to congratulate this year’s Youth Sports Scholarship recipients, who will be able to use LeisureFit facilities such as the gyms, swimming pools and classes,” said Mayor Mair.
“One of our Council Plan goals is to encourage healthy lifestyles and wellbeing, and our annual Youth Sports Scholarship program is one of the ways we support young athletes to develop their skills, pursue their sporting goals and reach higher levels of competition.
“We have a diverse range of recipients this year, and it’s fantastic to see the talent, determination and hard work of young athletes in our community.
“These young athletes are following in the footsteps of more than 400 previous scholarship recipients since 1999, some of whom have gone on to compete internationally.
“We can’t wait to see what this next group of young athletes can achieve, and I wish them every success.”
Image: Councillor Soo Hong, guest speaker Lachlan Wales and the Youth Sports Scholarship recipients.