Longstanding Ocean Ridge Tennis Club member, James Hough-Neilson, is proving that age is no barrier with the 86-year-old continuing to ace life both on and off the court.
Involved with the Ocean Ridge TC for almost 40 years as both a player and dedicated committee member Hough-Neilson who played pivotal roles as Club President and Captain, continues to be involved with the club, tasked with heading up this season’s Sunday afternoon social tennis.
A late comer to the game, Hough-Neilson was almost 50 when he first stepped on to a court. Taking to the game with ease, it wasn’t long before he became a regular player in the Northern District Tennis Association (NDTA), a league he still continues to play in to this day.
“I eventually reached a time in my life where I decided that it was my turn, so I started playing socially to build up my skills before joining the Ocean Ridge Tennis Club where I’ve been a member and player ever since,”
“Over the years I’ve taken on committee roles as the Club President and Captain. I’ve always enjoyed doing my bit for the club and having an effect wherever I can,”
“I currently host the club’s Sunday afternoon social tennis. We play a bit of tennis before I bring out the cheese and crackers, and then we play a bit more,” said Hough-Neilson.
In line with the 2018 Mayo Clinic findings* which attributes both the physical and social aspects of the sport to extending a player’s life expectancy by 9.7 years, Hough-Neilson is a strong advocate for the many and varied benefits of tennis, which he says is a fantastic sport for so many reasons.
“Tennis is a great sport because it exercises all parts of the mind and body. It’s such a wonderful combination of physical, metal and intellectual exercise,”
“It’s good fun. I love it and it’s because of tennis that I never know how old I am unless someone asks,”
“I don’t think you should ever switch off and tennis is a good game for that,” added Hough-Neilson.
A professional actor who still engages an agent and continues to direct theatre productions at the Limelight Theater in Wanneroo, Hough-Neilson remains committed to both of his passions claiming he has no intention of giving up on either of them any time soon.
“I was sidelined late last year when I needed surgery to remove my gallbladder and I’ve been building my strength back up throughout the year so as to get myself back on court,”
“I’ve got no intention of giving up on my tennis which I make sure fits in around my commitments to the Limelight Theatre,”
“I head down to the club to practice my serves a couple of times a week and enjoy playing socially, and then sometimes I fill in for the clubs mixed team which plays in the NDTA Saturday competition,”
“I’ve enjoyed getting back on my feet and swapping lies with the everyone around the club,” said Hough-Neilson.
Current Ocean Ridge Tennis Club President Natalie Dellamarta says that Hough-Neilson is a wonderful club member who’s had a significant impact on the club over almost four decades.
“James has been involved with the club since the early days when we amalgamated with a number of surrounding clubs to become Ocean Ridge Tennis Club,”
“When he first joined there was just a demountable shed as a clubhouse while the Guy Daniels Pavilion was being built,”
“He’s held a number of different committee positions over a number of different periods and whilst he’s no longer an active committee member, even at 86 James is still a reliable volunteer and a stalwart member of our club,”
“James now manages mixed social tennis on a Sunday afternoon and loves nothing more than putting out some snacks and opening the bar for everyone to have a good ole chinwag on the balcony,” said Dellamarta.
A sport for any age and for life, you can find out more about your local club and playing opportunities by heading to www.tennis.com.au/wa/clubs
*Mayo Clinic Study findings: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/
Latest
WA