Chairmans Report For Year Ending 2022

Finally, I think we can say that Covid is behind us although still lurking in the shadows. It has meant a more normal year of activities compared to the past two or three. Like most chairmans reports this one contains good news, indifferent news and at times very disappointing news.

Looking at the various activities that come un the umbrella of IC I can report as follows;

1. VOSLOORUS

Our development programme here started in 2011 with Michael Lelosa as the only coach. We estimate that since inception almost 500 kids have taken advantage of the free coaching; some going on to achieve success at tournament level; some to represent Gauteng East at inter provincial level and in the main we have groomed many children to have an interest in life around sport and hopefully to become members of tennis clubs to grow the game. It is obvious due to purely the weight of numbers in this country that the real growth in the number of people playing tennis must and can only come from the township. The white population is now less than 4 million with the coloured population now exceeding that figure.

Michael has done an amazing job over the 11 years there, but we never have and never will be in a position to pay him or any coach a living wage. He is married, wants to start a family and build a house so understandably he has seen fit and right to take on a better paying job at a school. We cannot compete with the salary he is getting there. We owe him a huge debt of thanks for the time and effort he has put into the job ensuring that he prepares children for a better life through tennis.

Although Michael has other commitments he is still able to spend two days a week coaching at Vosloorus and oversees the programme.

One of  the top juniors to come through the programme who made sufficient strides to play provincial tennis, Sanele Saul expressed the interest to become a coach and we employed him to assist. He is young, enthusiastic but of course lacks the experience of Michael. He has done his Play and Stay course. However, sad to report that over the past month or so I have across problems with him especially as it appears that he has also taken on another position with the fast growing paddle tennis. I am in the throes of meetings with all those involved with the coaching plus the club chairlady trying to find out the exact position. I know that he has failed to fulfil some of his obligations to the programme and the people who suffer the most are the ones that should be the beneficiaries of his work, namely the kids. Hopefully, I can resolve the situation sooner rather than later so as not to damage the progress of those willing to come and learn.

It is disappointing to me that I can offer someone the opportunity to work, gain experience in coaching which could lead to greater things, but then seemingly throws it back in our face.

On court two of our under 14 girls had some very good results. Runners up in two tournaments including the Gauteng East closed and also a second place finish in two doubles events. Sadly, we lack boys in the group but the two youngest girls now both just 10 are showing promise of better things to come.

Overall the programme has suffered due to changes made but we are I assure you working to ensure that we find the correct solution for the good of the kids as they are the ones that matter.

2. EVENTS

I am delighted to report that once again our President, Lorna Krog has done amazing work on Cape Town. Whilst June and I were holidaying there a year ago we had a hugely successful breakfast for some 22 members on a delightful wine farm and as we speak I am waiting to hear from Lorna if she can organize a similar function for Cape members at the end of this month. Also, Cape members enjoyed anther great days social in December and I am extremely indebted to Lorna for her dedication, commitment and willingness to do the large amount of work for the IC in that area.

Sadly, in Johannesburg our attempts to hold a social day in early December failed to materialize. Perhaps we were a week too late and encroached on people going away; we know at Marks Park held their Christmas social that weekend which impacted on us so we have to relook as to how we provide social functions for Gauteng members moving forward.

3. TOURS

We are still struggling to arrange overseas tours as Austria have gone cold on us despite their chairman speaking enthusiastically to me at the AGM in London. However, I am delighted to say that we did send a team to take part in the IC US 90th anniversary celebrations in Washington in the La Carreta Cup. My sincere thanks to Daphne Seigal and Muriel Cherry for representing us at the event. A message from the US chairman after the event praised their contribution towards the success of the event and from reports received from our players they were feted like royalty and had a great experience not only playing some tough opposition but with the many and varied social functions they attended.

Unfortunately, despite looking to send a mens team to the event, visa problems got in the way of them being able to go and we had to abandoned but my thanks to those who did offer to represent us in the Colombus cup.

I can say that I am delighted that this year we will again be sending a team to play in the La Carreta cup in Belgium and we wish Rene Plant and Rosanne Duke all the very best for the event. Always remember the Olympic code, ladies, it is not in the winning but the taking part.

4. ROD LAVER WORLDWIDE JUNIOR CHALLENGE

We again hosted the qualifying event for this tournament and four teams took part, namely, IC SA Madagascar, TSA Development and Namibia. The problem with this event is that it is called the African qualifying tournament. In reality it becomes a southern African event. It was my intention to broaden the scope and invite teams from north Africa to take part, but the costs in getting here proved prohibitive. Israel and Ethiopia were initially keen but reality set in when we looked at airfares. I have thought long and hard about the future of this qualifying event as to be perfectly honest it is a waste of time, money and effort as it stands as the quality of tennis in a neighbouring countries is poor. Namibia was as keen as anyone but sadly they were soundly beaten in all their matches. Madagascar gave us the hardest final for many a year, but I am pleased to report that our IC SA team will represent Africa at the world finals in California in November. I have sent a long and detailed paper to IC in London with my thoughts as to how to ensure that they, IC, get the top teams into the final, and await to have further discussions with them during the year.

Africa is the only continent that has not hosted the finals of this prestigious event and I have a lien on holding the 2025 finals to rectify that.

5. MEMBERSHIP

We showed a slight drop in paying members from 2022 to date. The number has dropped from 125 to 114. Quite a few members turned 80 last year so that elevated them to honorary status and through natural attrition of people not playing tennis anymore plus sadly some passing on, the number has decreased. It is a worldwide fact, and this has been mentioned many times before, that we are top heavy age wise and to ensure the continuance of the club, many hours have been spent by the Executive looking at ways to attract new, vibrant and more importantly, younger members. New guidelines are expected from London soon and we will look at them as to how we can increase our younger membership. The big problem, of course, has once again been Covid whereby no international events were held for two and sometimes three years, thus hindering us in inviting those who had represented South Africa.

6. RELATIONSHIPS

I continue to foster good working relations with both Gauteng East Tennis Association and Tennis SA. Sadly, Andre Homan did not last too long as CEO at TSA so that relationship hardly moved out of infancy, but I continue to work closely with Gavin Crookes as President of TSA. I thank Ken Smith as President of Gauteng East for his guidance and wisdom and pay special tribute to Deserie Wilson who is doing an amassing job as head of junior tennis in the province. If it was not for her hosting some four or five one day events the growth of junior tennis in the province would really suffer. We need more volunteers of her calibre throughout the country.

7. COMMUNICATIONS

We continued to send out three or four newsletters throughout the year. It is vital that I and my committee keep you as members up to date as to what is happening. I was delighted to be able to spend time with Cape Town members at the breakfast and am busy with Lorna making arrangements for a similar function towards the end of this month when we are in the area. We will continue to look at ways to entertain our members and although we did not hold a social day in Gauteng, we will make every effort to right that wrong this year with a function or two.

8. Finally

My thanks to my committee for their continued support and guidance especially Duard Botha who is a wonderful and insightful sounding board and to Debbie for her work in fostering relations with Gauteng North members and her time in sourcing this venue for the meeting.

Finally thank you to you all for taking the time to be here this evening, but we need to find a way to include greater numbers at future AGMs to ensure that we are more inclusive of members from around the country. I wish you all an enjoyable tournament mixed with plenty of fellowship amongst your fellow players and friends.  Thank you.