13 February 2023 | Tennis Victoria

The 2023 Tennis Victoria Country Week event has begun with the awarding of four new Country Week Legends.

Frank Dekker, Neil Langstaff, Georgina Parker and Carmel Wileman were announced as the newest Country Week Legends, adding to the current tally of 24 Legends.

Get to know the 2023 Tennis Victoria Country Week Legends:

Frank Dekker – Leongatha H4B

Frank started playing Country Week as a sprightly 19 year old back in 1987 and since then has only missed 2 events.

To say he loves Country Week is an understatement. Frank is a very community minded person who strongly believes local sport are the pillars of rural and regional communities.

He has been in many finals during this time and was fortunate enough to win B1 in 2000 and B2 in 2017.

Neil Langstaff – Leongatha

Neil has attended over 25 Country Week events.

He was a key part in starting the aligned Allambee/Leongatha teams who would travel together. Neil Langstaff has gone to over 25 years of Country week tennis.

Neil has played with friends over the years and more recently has made it a family affair playing with his sons. In 2022 Neil had the great pleasure in playing in the Country Week C3 Grandfinal with his grandson. What an amazing achievement. In 2023, Neil will again be playing with his sons and grandsons, making a true family affair over three generations.

Georgina Parker – Mt Prospect Dashers

Hailing from Geelong, Georgie has been competing at Country week for over 30 years.

Georgie is a familiar face to many Country Week players having started working in the office with former organisers Pat and Carol in 1990 collating results after each match and filling in for numerous teams.

In 2012 she joined the Dashers and continued to work in the office, often missing night activities to ensure the ladders were completed. Georgie did this every year until Pat and Carol stepped back from running Country Week after the 2017 event.  Georgie has played in numerous finals and hopes to take the big one home this year!

Carmel Wileman – Patty’s Team

Carmel is a legend for many reasons but mainly she loves tennis and is a great ambassador for the game. Carmel started her Country Week journey here at Yarrawonga in 1999 with a group of ladies from Shepparton. Since then, Carmel has only missed one event, the year she had a back operation!

Through her involvement in community tennis in Shepparton, Carmel is always promoting Country Week and has recruited many players to join over the years.

Carmel loves attending the Country Week events so she can catch up with friends made over the years, we love her enthusiasm and her attitude to the game.

For more information on Tennis Victoria Country Week, click here.