30 December 2018 | Tennis West

Club Presidents Dan Kerrigan (Bayswater Tennis Club), Sue Redmond (Blue Gum Park Tennis Club) and Ceri Wagnell (Alexander Park Tennis Club) who spoke at the Presidents Breakfast hosted by Tennis West.

 

Celebrating all things Tennis at the Mastercard Hopman Cup 2019 saw West Australian Tennis Club Presidents treated to breakfast before being invited to watch the Germany vs Spain match played at RAC Arena.

 

The event hosted by Tennis West, recognised the efforts of Club Presidents and committee members that work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the game of tennis is enjoyed by all. Tennis West CEO and Hopman Cup General Manager, Michael Roberts applauded all club volunteers for their efforts.

 

“Without the efforts and direction of Presidents and their committees, clubs don’t exist. Thank you for your unwavering support” said Mr. Roberts.

 

Echoing Robert’s sentiments was Tennis Australia’s Chief of Tennis, Matt Dwyer who thanked clubs for the efforts they invest in making Tennis great.

 

“Your involvement is invaluable and helps us move forward. Thank you again” said Mr. Dwyer.

 

Attendees heard from two panels of Club Presidents who generously shared their successes in lifting club profiles, engaging the local community, facility development, increasing revenue streams, and promoting the game of tennis.

 

President of the Alexander Park Tennis Club Ceri Wagnell, spoke of the positive impact experienced by the engagement of a paid club manager and how female participation numbers have almost doubled in the last four years.

 

“The most important role our paid manager has, is the responsibility of establishing sponsorship arrangements. In 2018 the club brought in $27,000 in sponsorship. Clubs can do so much more when they are financially viable”

 

“We’ve worked incredibly hard to grow our female numbers. Making the club more than just a tennis club has been instrumental in doing so. We have Cheese and Wine nights, High Teas, Cocktails events and so much more. It’s really important that clubs are about more than just playing tennis; it’s about creating a community” said Mrs. Wagnell.

 

Terry Fraser, President of Safety Bay Tennis Club, who won 2018 Most Outstanding Small Club, said that engaging the tools of social media were invaluable in getting the clubs messages heard.

 

“I was very cautious to begin with, having only ever used traditional methods of mail outs and letter drops. It’s so different now. At the push of a button I can reach the 350 people that follow our Facebook page as well as target our sponsored posts. Technology has made communication so much more efficient and effective and we’re seeing the results across the board” said Mr. Fraser.

 

Clubs across the state are doing some amazing things, thinking outside of the box and challenging the status quo. For example the Blue Gum Park Tennis Club have introduced a Junior Committee, which has had a positive impact on the junior membership at the club. Club President Sue Redmond said that the club’s goal of engaging youth who are invested in the club, has proven effective.

 

“Youth bring a different energy and vibe to things, they have different ideas. In fact the juniors are currently in the process of revamping our old storage room to create a dedicated junior member room, and they have received some funding from the local council to make their vision a reality” said Ms. Redmond.

 

Dan Kerrigan from Bayswater Tennis Club and Cameron Jenkinson from Allen Park were among the panelists who shared their club’s success stories. Allen Park have experienced substantial growth and community engagement over the last few years through some of their club programs and initiatives that focus on families and the local community. Whilst Bayswater Tennis Club have recently received a 1.5million dollar facility upgrade, made possible through strong relationships with the local council and a large database of members.

 

The morning concluded with attendees invited to watch Germany take on Spain in the third match of the Mastercard Hopman Cup with top ranked players from both countries providing World Class Tennis for all to enjoy.

 

Tennis West wishes to thank all Club Presidents and their committee members for their invaluable support.