Prestigious state honour for trailblazer Brad Ness

WAIS Head Coach Brad Ness OAM has won the coveted sport award at the Western Australian of the Year Awards. The five-time Paralympian won a gold and two silver medals as an athlete in wheelchair basketball and, under his guidance, a record number of WA wheelchair basketball players made the national team in 2022.

The Paralympic champion is admired for his advocacy of para-sport and we are privileged to see the impact Brad has on a daily basis here at WAIS. After losing his leg in a workplace accident when he was 18, Brad refused to let any obstacles hold him back. Dedicating himself to wheelchair basketball, Brad was awarded a scholarship to play in the US and represented Australia in five Paralympic Games, winning a gold and two silver medals. Off-court, Brad is a vocal advocate for para-sport, working tirelessly to promote programs and encouraging young people with disabilities to participate in physical activity.