27 June 2018 | Tennis Victoria

When three Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club members got together for a chat in 2000 they had one express purpose in mind: “To put something back.”

Peter Quinn was President of the club, Terry Fraser the immediate past president and John Fitzgerald a keen social player, former newspaper editor, public relations executive and adviser to Australia’s Olympic and America’s Cup campaigns.

They concluded that there was an opportunity for Kooyong, its members and friends to put something back into the game they all loved.

From that discussion, the Kooyong Foundation was born two years later with Terry Fraser as the first chairman, later followed into the role by the current chairman Peter Quinn.

The three planners enlisted the support of Bruce Church, President of the Melbourne Cricket Club, businessmen Bert Dennis (founder of Dennis Family Homes), Phillip Munz (founder of Reliance Worldwide Ltd, a major Australian and international industrial organisation) and the widely-experienced charity administrator Judy Robinson.

The Foundation soon added tennis firepower with the addition as patrons of Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Frank Sedgman, later joined in that role by politician and talented tennis player Josh Frydenberg and businessman-philanthropist John Laidlaw.

The Foundation’s aims were clearly stated:

• Honouring and preserving the rich tradition of Kooyong as The Spiritual Home of Australian Tennis
• Providing practical support for the development of junior tennis

These then evolved into the mission statement:

Preserving the Past | Promoting the Future

Peter Quinn says no-one connected with the Foundation set out to produce Grand Slam champions, that was a matter for Tennis Australia and its programs, but the Club and the Foundation wanted to give deserving young players the opportunity to develop their potential in the friendly environment of Kooyong. If titles came along that would be a bonus.

Peter explains that the Foundation seeks to not only encourage and assist youngsters to develop their game but also “to imbed Kooyong values of good sportsmanship and ethical behaviour”.

Hundreds of youngsters have now moved through the Club on Kooyong Foundation Scholarships, enjoying membership, coaching and financial assistance when required.

Despite its modest ambitions for victories on the world stage, many Foundation Scholarship winners have had notable success.

John Peers, son of Kooyong’s most successful club championship winner, Liz Peers (14 women’s singles titles), was one of the young faces in the first intake of Scholarship players at Kooyong. Today he is a renowned doubles champion, winner (with Finnish player Henri Kontinen) of the Australian Open title in 2017, plus 11 other major titles in the past three years.

In a remarkable achievement for the Foundation, John was one of three Kooyong Foundation players on the court in a 2017 Australian Open Doubles semi-final, he and Henri Kontinen coming up against the young Kooyong combination of Andrew Whittington and Marc Polmans.

That match surely must claim a slice of tennis history because it is extremely unlikely that three members from one club have ever before contested a Grand Slam Doubles semi-final.

The Foundation has also achieved four Junior Grand Slam titles through the efforts of Omar Jasika (US Open Junior singles and doubles champion in 2014), Marc Polmans (Australian Open Junior doubles in 2015) and another Peers, John’s sister Sally (Wimbledon Junior doubles 2009).

Most of the effort has been directed to Victorian youngsters because it is far more practical for them to access the Club, however the Foundation has also offered support to players interstate and, in particular, to Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s own Foundation which offers programs to Indigenous players.

Evonne greatly values the bond between the two foundations. “As someone who works with young Aboriginal players to help develop their game, I can appreciate the importance of the support that Kooyong Foundation is giving to juniors,” she said.

“Each year I bring a group of kids from the Goolagong National Development Camp to Melbourne and they simply love the experience of playing on the Kooyong courts. The Kooyong Foundation is doing a terrific job for junior tennis in this country.”

Among those players who have been helped by Evonne is Corey Clarke, who is now completing his secondary education in Melbourne as a boarder at Scotch College, in an exciting new partnership between the school and the Kooyong Foundation.

For some time the Foundation has been providing financial help to Corey and his sister, Krystal, being coached by high performance coach Tony Polack in Coffs Harbour, more than two hours’ drive from their home town. The Goolagong Foundation has also assisted the pair and their older brother, Blake, through their Indigenous programs.

Evonne has taken a keen interest in their progress and she was delighted to work with the Kooyong Foundation and Scotch to bring about Corey’s induction into the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship Program in January this year.

“I feel sure Corey will make the most of this fantastic opportunity and that the College will round off an already impressive young man,” she said.

The Indigenous Scholarship program aims to embed Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff and the broader school community in the belief that education is both the key and hope for the future of Indigenous Australians.

It is giving Corey an exceptional opportunity to complete his Year 12 studies while involving himself in the school’s social, academic, sporting and other co-curricular activities and programs.

“It is great to partner with our close friends at Scotch College to give this opportunity to Corey to complete his Year 12 studies through their Indigenous Scholarship Program, as we continue to help him in his tennis endeavours,” said Peter Quinn.

“Corey has ambitions to go to College in America and this is a step in that direction, with both his study and tennis having the opportunity to shine here in Melbourne at both Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and at Scotch College.”

The Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship Program ensures that, during the most influential years of their lives, some 1,880 Scotch boys have opportunity to learn from, and develop friendships with, Indigenous students and by having access to a Scotch education, it is hoped that boys taking part in the program can become role models in their own communities.

Perhaps the best known of the Indigenous students helped by Scotch is Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli. This relationship is a first for Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, the Kooyong Foundation and Scotch College and it is hoped that the partnership can continue to be fostered in coming years to provide other Indigenous students with similar opportunities.

“Corey has thrown himself into everything that the school has to offer and is making every moment count,” said Scotch College Foundation Executive Director Tim Shearer.

“He has been able to effectively combine his tennis commitments with a busy VCE schedule, and he has seeded what we hope will be lifelong friendships with other boarders and day boys alike.”

This new Kooyong-Scotch initiative will be celebrated with a dinner to be held in September this year.

Corey is certainly appreciative of the opportunity. “I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved who made my Scotch College experience possible,” he said.

“I am very humbled by this opportunity and will give my all to fulfil this experience. I will be able to look back on this and know in my heart that Scotch College, Kooyong, the Evonne Goolagong Foundation and all involved played a vital part in my tennis progression and my career.”

The Kooyong Foundation is funded by donations from Club members and friends, along with bequests from people who make provision in their will. The Club provides full administrative support so that all the money raised goes directly to Foundation programs.

From its humble start the Foundation has now raised more than $1.5 million and helped hundreds of young players. Donations to the Foundation may be tax-deductible through the Australian Sports Foundation. Peter Quinn is hopeful that the Foundation’s success will lead to donations from further afield and may attract support from corporate sponsors.

Recently the Foundation appointed four-time Club champion David Bidmeade as Talent Manager. His role will include involvement in the selection of Scholarship players, monitoring their progress, and liaison between the youngsters, their parents and the Foundation Board.

For further information on donations please contact Peter Quinn 0418 396 999 or via email at [email protected]