The 2023/24 financial year has been a great one for the Weston Creek Tennis Club.

I’m proud to say in 2023/24, the club provided opportunity for the local Weston Creek community to play 35,802 hours of tennis, with over 9,000 court booking and 637 people booking courts.

As a club we’ve provided:

• 12 tennis courts for the local community
• coaching for juniors and adults
• weekly social tennis
• competition tennis at multiple levels — in house, adult and junior pennant, The Junior Development (JDS) and Junior Australian Tour (JT)
• a safe place for people to play and interact.

Our members have represented the club in numerous other levels of competition from junior to master’s events around Canberra and interstate. Most importantly, we’ve created opportunities for people to spend time together, while facilitating many new friendships and fierce, on-court rivalries.

The year in review:

• Club Championships 2023
• Junior Development Series (JDS) Weston Creek – 7 and 8 October
• RMHC 24hr Cardio Challenge and Community Day – 20 and 21 October
• Weston Creek Tennis Club 50th Anniversary Dinner – 18 November
• Resignation of WCTC President, Graeme Rossiter – 19 December
• Appointed a new Interim President (Max Rafferty) and Vice President (Tony Laudenbach) – February 2024
• JT Junior 125 Weston Creek – a first for our club – 12 to 14 April
• Preparation for our new court and resurfacing project.

I’d like to thank:

• our wonderful players, members and guests

• WCTC Committee

  • Mark Walton – for coaching, mentoring and always setting a positive tone for our players.

  • Phillip Stephens – for looking after the clubs finances, driving the “new court” development, being the ‘Swiss watch’, supporting the president, sharing his vision and always working hard to achieve it. It’s been a tough year, and his dedication is much appreciated.

  • Clair Dupont (Secretary, Public Officer and Comms) – for keeping the Committee functioning, communicating with the club and always bringing a great attitude.

• • Tony Laudenbach (Vice President, Assistant Membership Secretary and Club Safety Officer) – for always bringing good vibes and driving action.

  • Brian Chauncy (Membership Secretary and court bookings) – for being consistent, helpful and soldiering on (and getting the old fridge removed).

  • Peter Ward – for your many years of committee work including being the President.

  • Danny Green – for managing the Adult Canberra Tennis League.

  • Maggie King – for facilitating our weekly social tennis and providing insight. 

  • Johnny Swientek (distant relative to Iga Swiatek) - for being generally awesome and facilitating our weekly social tennis.

• • Thomas Fuller – for being the Club Champion and a calm voice of reason.

  • Lorraine Ovington – for her gardening skills and valuable insight.

• Geoff Kotz – for always offering his opinion, being willing to help and ‘making things happen’.

• Tim Harris – for quietly going about his business and keeping the club looking beautiful (and we adore our four-legged friends).

• Jess Schmidt and Angus – for being at the club all the time (represent!)

• The Canberra School of Tennis team – a vital part of delivering quality coaching and great atmosphere.

• Andrew Redwin – for sharing his expertise and time.

• Tennis ACT – for working to support us and promote tennis in the ACT.

• the Honorable David Smith, Member for Bean – for supporting out club.

• Yvette Berry MLA, Deputy Chief Minister – for supporting our club.

Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anyone, but to every, single person who has helped the club over the last 12 months, a heartfelt thank you.

Sadly however, this year we also saw the passing of Robert Bushell (17 September) Graeme Rossiter (30 December). Both Robert and Graeme will be missed by the club, and they certainly deserve mentioning in this President’s Report.

Max Rafferty

WCTC President

Last Updated August 2024