Sport in South Australia
Sport plays an important role in the business, community, social and cultural life in the state of South Australia.
[1][needs update] Regional and rural opportunities to participate in sport plays an important role in community life throughout SA.
[2] SA has developed a range of programs in supporting inclusive sports pathways focusing on specific populations groups such as indigenous, mature-aged, early childhood, people with disabilities and women.
[3] Significant elite sporting events in South Australia include the Tour Down Under, Clipsal 500, Adelaide Cup, International Cricket series and hosting various Australian Swimming Championships.
[2] Research shows walking, running, swimming, aerobics/fitness, golf, lawn bowls, weight training and cycling to be the most popular sports with strong participation by both men and women in South Australia.
Currently it has high performance programs for rowing, Paralympic, netball, canoe sprint, swimming, cycling, trampoline, diving, volleyball, hockey and water polo and conducts talent search activities throughout the state.
[12][13] Australian rules football is the most popular spectator sport in South Australia with an attendance level (of at least one match per year) of 31% of the population, compared with a national average of 16%.
Hindmarsh was one of four non-Sydney venues chosen to host matches as part of the Men's Football tournament during the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
Adelaide City remains South Australia's most successful club, having won three National Soccer League titles and three NSL Cups.
The state has produced Australian representatives such as Sharon Black and Dianne Alagich who have contributed to the international success of the Matlidas.
Netball is a significant sport in South Australia with a wide range of participation opportunities across metropolitan, regional and rural locations within the state.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have participated in the premier netball league in Australasia, winning premierships in 1998, 1999 in the CBT, and 2010 in the ANZ Championship.
[28] Netball continues to have a strong metro, regional and intrastate competition throughout South Australia with around 70,000 women and men participating across the state.
In women's basketball SA has produced outstanding Olympians including Rachael Sporn, Erin Phillips and Laura Hodges.
SA teams have won numerous national championships, with the North Adelaide Rockets winning in 1990 while finishing runner up in 1981 (the inaugural season of the WNBL) and 1988.
In 1998 they were selected to join the 20-team National Rugby League; however, rumours abounded that they were to be axed from the 1999 season as part of a rationalisation of teams (from 20 to 14) in the competition.
At present however, the South Australian Rugby League still operates a local semi-professional competition consisting of both junior and adult teams from across Adelaide.
The Adelaide Giants won the 2023 ABL Claxton Shield, breaking a 43 year drought after a 5-2 game three victory over the Perth Heat at West Beach.
South Australia has produced significant players during this period who have had incredible careers at international level contributing importantly to the 1986 and 2005 IFWLA World Championship victories.
[34] In the 1980s and 1990s, South Australia saw many fine players achieving Olympic success including Sandra Pisani, Juliet Haslam and Alison Peek.
South Australia last won the national championship in 1956 but has produced representatives at international and Olympic level including Tracey Moseley and Simmone Morrow.
