7 September 2016 | Tennis Victoria

A long-standing member of tennis in Geelong, Neil Lamond has received a Tennis Victoria Highly Commended Tennis Service Award for his ongoing involvement with a number of different tennis associations.

The award aims to recognise volunteers for their outstanding and exemplary service to the sport, with only a select number presented each year.

Neil’s involvement in tennis began in 1965, when he joined the Tennis Geelong Senior Competition Committee, where he remains today. He has spent a number of years in many different roles, including President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.

Neil was a prominent figure in the re-forming of the Geelong East Uniting Tennis Club in 1977, with the club naming a pavilion in his honour in 2010. Unfortunately, the land the club occupied was sold, however Neil was a driving force in finding a new site for the club in Breakwater.

In 1990, Neil became the Senior Competition Recorder of Tennis Geelong, where he implemented an elaborate computer program that is still used today in all three of their competitions. He remains in this position today.

Neil retired from playing tennis in 2012 due to injury, but remains as the Senior Secretary at Geelong East. Neil’s outstanding contribution to tennis in Geelong for over a half-century is why he is a worthy recipient of a Highly Commended Tennis Service Award.

We would also like to congratulate Nigel Wilson, Bernie Morris and Des Bath, who each received a Tennis Service Award. All three have devoted a huge amount of time and effort to tennis in the region for Tennis Geelong.