The President’s Pen – December 2016

As we draw to the end of another year we need to reflect on what has been achieved as we follow our strategic plan and what the NSTA barometer says back to us.

Well, we cannot give all our points a tick, but we are knocking them over slowly.

I still cannot give you any happy news about the legal outcome for Talus Street with the Supreme Court judgement now over 12 months old and we are still waiting. I have firmed up good relationships with Willoughby City Council along with the NSW State Government who are the owners of the

Talus Street reserve via Crown Lands. I will continue to have meetings with both bodies so we are not too far away from the action when the court brings down its verdict.

The NSTA Committee has lost some talent during the year, with several people not standing at the NSTA AGM in 2016. Then Sue Delmege stood down from the position as Honorary Secretary, a position she has held for 30 years. Later in the year we lost Ric Howard, who took over as Secretary for a short time. Following shortly after, Rick Anderson resigned after nearly 14 years as Honorary Treasurer.  This obviously put the pressure on the rest of the Committee, which they have handled well.

Huge thanks to Sue Delmege from everyone in tennis for all that she has done and given.  Sue has been an institution within NSTA for 50 years or more playing most of junior tennis within NSTA, moving through the various comps playing for Kooroora and then of course her children playing for Kooroora and NSTA. Many don’t realise she was a country girl from a very small town on the NSW/Qld border called Hungerford. She came to Sydney for her schooling and of course tennis.

As I mentioned Sue was the Honorary Association Secretary for around 30 years, a job she took seriously and looked after all NSTA’s responsibilities, and in a changing world, this was full on.  Sue has not been well for a couple of years, having an operation about 3 years ago and I am sure she felt that after this things would improve. But it was quite the opposite and that has been seen this year, when she needed 2 further operations which have certainly influenced her general health. Approximately a month ago, Sue advised me that she could not continue due to health reasons. So, after a stellar career as Administrator for 18 years, Sue is just about to say, thank you linesmen, thank you ball kids.  Sue will be leaving the NSTA Admin Office on Friday 23 December 2016.  I am sure she will be around for years to follow, looking at how things are going and giving some advice when needed.

All members of the various clubs, players, coaches, schools, parents and families and the NSTA Committee say a BIG THANK YOU SUE for your dedication, your wisdom and your super juggling of comps, tournaments and people. THANK YOU SUE.

The times are a changing.

Things that will be happening in the New Year which will change your way of entering comps, this will be done via a new NSTA website that will be released in early January, you will also pay fees on line via a new financial system.  This will be supported by new software programs for comps which will replace XPoint. All of these initiatives will continue to improve the efficiencies of the NSTA office, and of course we will have a new Administrator starting second week of January, more news on that person early in the new year. Also NSTA will have a new logo.

You would have also received an email in the past week seeking people with skills, interest and time to join the NSTA Management Committee. Our aim is to get the best cross section of people from as many of our clubs as possible. So please think how you can help NSTA maintain its position as one of the best tennis Associations in NSW and put your name forward to join the Committee.

To all members of the NSTA family, I wish you a joyful Christmas and health and success on and off the tennis court in 2017.

 

Yours in Tennis, Terry Stewart President NSTA