Tennis Club Newsletter

Flowerdale Tennis Club
Division of Flowerdale Sports Club Inc.
Spring Valley Recreation Reserve
Spring Valley Road, Flowerdale
Phone: (03) 5780 2201
Enquiries: Jeannette Kamar 5780 1520
Postal Address:
C/- Hazeldene Store, P.O. Box 2026
Flowerdale, 3658, Vic
flowerdaletennis@bigpond.com

TENNIS NEWSLETTER - JUNE 2009

WHERE TO START?
Flowerdale Tennis Club was ambling along really well during the second half of 2008 and start to 2009 getting many small things attended to, such as a new gate at the other end of the courts; our mid-week social competition is now established as an enjoyable part of community life in Flowerdale. Our annual fundraiser family events, the ever-successful and fantastic Cup Eve Calcutta and Family fun day in November and the annual Australia Day round-robin all went well ….and then Black Saturday took us all to some other place.
Since then, there has been a whirlwind of activities, both at our home base at the Spring Valley Recreation
Reserve and behind the scenes planning for four new courts.

PLANNING FOR NEW COURTS
Most of you will be aware that among the many priorities for our community following the evastating fires was to help provide fun, healthy social activity for the many families in our district desperately n need of all of those things – among everything else. Flowerdale Tennis Club was happy to help firstly opening our courts to be available to all in our community, and in particular those living at the reserve.
Initial inquiries showed that around 50 of our fellow Flowerdalians were interested in having a go, doubling our number of players! Tennis Victoria volunteered to assist and supplied us with new rackets and balls. Soon they also established coaching and offered to help built new tennis courts to accommodate our new tennis activities.

PROFESSIONAL TENNIS COACHING IN FLOWERDALE
The free coaching arranged by Tennis Victoria during school term 2 continuous to be very successful. Bernadette McGrady has provided the sessions at the Flowerdale Primary School on Mondays. While we have had a number of different coaches on Sundays. Currently Matt Cronin, who will remain with us until the end of this term, provides them. All coaches have been absolutely wonderful and many players of all ages are making the most of this great opportunity.
As from Term 3: Colin Grace, a professional tennis coach has offered to provide coaching in Flowerdale on Mondays. His normal method is sessions for 1-hour with 4 to 6 players per group; the cost will be $10 per person per session. In case of younger pupils e.g. age from 5 to 7 years he finds that ½ hour sessions with 4 players per group are most effective; these sessions will cost $5 per pupil.
Session times are still being negotiated, with possible lunchtime session at the Flowerdale Primary School followed by afternoon and evening sessions on our courts at the Recreation Reserve.
If you are interested in the proposed coaching sessions, please contact Jeannette on 5780 1520 ASAP. The groups are small and available places are filling fast.
When players begin to play competition, Colin likes to run squad training sessions from time to time, these sessions run for about an hour each and the aim is to teach the finer points of match play, such as zoning, tactics, practice drills, shot selection proper ball placement etc. Once a player starts to understand the finer points of the game they then thrive on competition and the game becomes more enjoyable.
Later in the year we are looking to enrol junior teams in the regional competition that is played during Terms 4 & 1 on Saturday mornings (Please contact Jeannette to register your interest).

MONDAY LADIES COMPETITION
The Flowerdale Tennis Club’s ladies team plays in Section 1 of the Broadford District Ladies Tennis Association (BDLTA) competition held on Monday morning at 10 AM during school terms. The matches are followed by lunch, supplied by the home team. It is lots of fun and a great way to meet people from around the district.
We are now ready to enrol extra teams, probably in section 2/3 of the BDLTA. The level of competition in this section is competitive but not quite so demanding and suitable for all. Anyone interested in playing should phone
Jeannette Kamar on 5780 1520.

MID-WEEK MIXED SOCIAL TENNIS COMPETITION
The finals of our current social mid-week competition will be played on Tuesday 2nd June at 6.30PM.
The next season is due to start late August / early September. Anyone interested please register by 15th August.
You can either put your name on lists at the Flowerdale Hotel or at the Spring Valley Recreation Reserve.
Alternatively phone Jeannette Kamar on 5780 1520.
All home and away matches of this social mid-week tennis competition are played on our courts at the Rec Reserve. It has proven to be very successful as it involves players of all ages and varying abilities. Teams are formed by the Committee and vary each season. For the uninitiated, teams are structured to include players at levels, 1, 2, 3 & 4. A number 4-player could be someone who has never played before or is just developing their game. A No.1 player is usually an experienced and possibly competitive player. The idea is to make the game accessible and fun for a range of abilities and experience levels so that families and friends can all enjoy an even and fair tennis match together.

LOCATION OF NEW COURTS
To support the increased tennis activity in Flowerdale, we are looking forward to develop the 4 proposed new courts. There has been much discussion about where these courts should be situated. A great deal of investigation showed that the north-western corner of the rec reserve was the only alternative (given that courts can only run in a north-south direction so that players are not playing into the east-west sun).
We have obtained a planning permit for the proposed site, however there are still some issues with the reserve boundaries and legal problems with land ownership. We are continuing to work with all parties to resolve these.
Council, Flowerdale Rec Reserve, Sport Club and Cricket Club are all very supportive and with the assistance from all we are confident that construction will begin soon.

TENNIS VICTORIA A MAJOR SUPPORTER
Tennis Victoria has been very supportive, helping us through this process including applying for grants. WM Louds (Engineering company that built the tennis courts at Melbourne park) have offered to project manage the development of the new courts free of charge. We also found new tennis friends in Essendon who, under the leadership of tennis coach Phil Conlan, raised $10,000 to go towards our courts. It is important to note that no money for the courts is coming from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.
The courts will have an artificial grass surface, which is softer than our current courts and much kinder to those of us with slightly ageing bodies. It is also better in damp conditions as it does not require mopping after rain (remember that stuff?)

REPLANTING DAY – PHELAN’S RESERVE: 10 AM on 19th July
The tennis community is now working with Flowerdale Junior Landcare to re-plant the Phelan Reserve (This is public land - opposite pub). Planting is being co-ordinated by Peter Auty and is scheduled for Sunday 19th July at 10.00 am. We would like to see as many people as possible to come and assist.

MEMBERSHIP FEES
Club membership forms, and yearly fees should be paid before the end of July either to Viv at the Flowerdale Hotel or by posting the completed form and money to our Post Box number 2026 at the Hazeldene Store.
If Flowerdale is your “Primary” Club, the fee includes personal accident insurance from Tennis Victoria. A summary of items covered and what to do when injured, etc. is displayed on our notice board at the Rec. Reserve.
Annual fees for 2009 – 2010 financial year:
• If Flowerdale is your “Primary Club: Adult $50 - Junior $27 (under 18) - Family $120
• If we are not your “Primary” Club: Adult $30 - Junior $5 (under 18) - Family: not available
Deposit to key to courts is $5 per key

PLEASE COME TO OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
This will be held on July 20 from 7.30pm at the Flowerdale Hotel. We would love to see everyone there. You can also pay membership fees on the night and court keys will be given out upon payment.