CLUBS OF THE MONTH
Gladstone Tennis club is a small rural club who compete in the Broughton Tennis Association over the summer season. The town has a small population but the representation of juniors and seniors at the club is steadily growing with 40+ players competing in their A, C and D grade competitions.
The club’s president, Martin Hayes, volunteers his time coaching junior Hot Shots lessons through community play. They currently have 6 regular hotshot players registered in their 6-week coaching program. With room to grow they welcome any new players to join their program, with their next coaching program starting in Term 4. The club is also lucky to have Garry Harris coaching their C and D grade teams.
The committee has worked incredibly hard to build the Gladstone tennis club and continue to do so with plans to resurface all 6 of their courts, build new fencing and install environmentally friendly LED lighting. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in the 2021 SA Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing infrastructure grant. However, with the committee’s determination to upgrade their facilities to benefit their members, they will continue to work closely with the other sporting bodies in the Ewart Sporting complex and will look to apply for grants to help fund this project.
Congratulations Gladstone Tennis Club!
Prospect Tennis Club is a highly regarded club in the North Eastern Tennis Association. They are regularly recognised for their progressive thinking, with the club always excited to try new things. They take a proactive approach with their efforts to grow the club and create a hub for the local community.
The club actively fosters strong relationships with key stakeholders such as council and federal members and the local sporting precinct to improve their facilities.
In a successful attempt to strengthen their club culture and create a strong identity, they have recently upgraded their uniforms.
They boast a passionate committee who are always looking for ways to grow the club. There are female leads in President, Secretary and Coach roles who are constantly bringing forth new and innovative ideas.
Congratulations Prospect Tennis Club!
VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH
Martin Hayes has been a member of the Gladstone Tennis Club since 2013. As President, he takes on the challenge of ensuring the club has good opportunities for juniors to learn and compete. For this reason, he has taken full responsibility of coaching the Hot Shots program to ensure tennis continues to thrive in the community. He also has responsibilities of chairing committee meetings and attending association meetings on behalf of the club. He spends a great deal of time putting together grant applications to improve the club’s facilities.
Martin’s highlights include the on-court success from the club’s junior teams. One of their biggest achievements was demonstrated during the 2021/22 season. The club entered a third junior team into the association, which hasn’t been seen for many years due to summer sport overall participation declining rapidly.
Martin’s favourite aspect of volunteering is creating a family friendly club. This has created an atmosphere where players with little playing experience and those who may not have played for a long time come together to build an inclusive community. He also loves to see children participate in sport and develop their skills. He is proud to supply an avenue for those that want to give tennis a go.
Martin believes that all sporting clubs need volunteers to survive. The rewards for volunteers are fantastic; meeting new people, providing opportunities, contributing to your community and feeling a sense of achievement and purpose are just a few. Martin thoroughly recommends volunteering as he believes everyone has something to give to an organization, there will always be someone you can ask for advice and no one is pushed to do something they don’t want to.
Congratulations Martin Hayes!
Prospect Tennis Club wouldn’t be the passionate club it is today without their President Priscilla Vokolos and Secretary Caitlin Davis, which is why we are awarding a joint nomination.
With a combined 26 years involvement at the club, Priscilla and Caitlin are proud of how far the club has come and their achievements since starting in their roles.
Priscilla’s role as President sees her across everything to do with the club. She leads the decision making, running of sub committees, and guides the club to their long-term strategy and vision.
As Secretary, Caitlin works closely and supports Priscilla to oversee everything at the club. She manages the communication and administration with internal and external stakeholders and coordinates all events.
Priscilla and Caitlin admit it took them a lot to be in their position. They strived to overcome adversity of being young females in their leadership positions, and learnt to back themselves in. They love being involved in tennis, and endeavoured to formulate a strong culture and leave the club in a better place than when they arrived.
Congratulations Priscilla and Caitlin!
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