When Joyce McAndrew became a life member of the Gunnedah Tennis Club nearly 40 years ago, little did she know how contagious it would be in the family.
Following Joyce’s induction in 1988, her daughter Robyn Louis received the same honour in late 2016 before Robyn’s son Craig received the accolade nearly nine years later.
All three said it was “amazing” for each of them to receive the same honour.
“If mum hadn’t started it, who knows how things would be?” Robyn wondered.
Helping children has been a huge part of Joyce’s, Robyn’s and Craig’s lives, with tennis the focus while the three of them have remained committed to the Gunnedah scene.
Joyce, Robyn and Craig said the local tennis scene always had a friendly feel, while Craig said they “have a lot of really good friends here”.
Joyce said she had very little coaching during her primary school days in Tarana, other than a teacher telling her about foot movements when playing forehands and backhands.
Joyce recalled practising her forehands and backhands when walking to primary school, before playing tennis at secondary school in Bathurst and achieving runner-up status in her first year there before winning in the next two years.
Joyce was 33 years old when she started tennis activities involving 30 children at the Gunnedah High School courts in 1960.
Gunnedah junior tennis was subsequently formed along with a committee, while matches were played at the high school courts before being moved to the Wolseley courts.
After accepting a request to manage the kitchen to cater for children and their parents, Joyce organised events including an exhibition match involving top Sydney-based players.
Joyce also supervised the drink machine, with tasks including ordering drinks, filling the machine, banking money and organising a roster for people to work in the kitchen.
In addition to starting junior tennis in Gunnedah, Joyce’s work ethics were another major reason behind her being awarded life membership of the Gunnedah Tennis Club.
At eight years of age, Robyn helped her mum throw tennis balls to five-year-olds as a part of learning the sport.
Robyn said her mum “started me with tennis”, and that she was at a one-week coaching clinic with Henry Lindo from Newcastle.
Robyn continued to help Joyce with junior tennis, and at 12 years of age Robyn joined the senior club. Her playing career included matches in Gunnedah and Sydney, while she had the chance to play doubles with her mum.
Joyce and Robyn won a doubles event at a state teams competition in Sydney around 1970, and they also won the women’s doubles in a North West tournament at Werris Creek.
Robyn, who was also a Gunnedah club champion for six years and high school champion for five years, began coaching about 40 years ago and worked with qualified coaches to obtain her level two coaching certificate.
Robyn also coached Gunnedah South Public School and Gunnedah High School teams which won state titles.
“Coaching is my happy place because of children’s smiles, improvement in the sport, and meeting great parents,” she said.
Robyn started up the Louis Tennis Academy around 1990, but a critical accident in 2004 forced her to step back.
Robyn was awarded ‘coach of the year’ by Gunnedah Shire Council in 2012, before receiving life membership of the Gunnedah Tennis Club a little over four years later.
Craig meanwhile began playing junior tennis at the Gunnedah Tennis Club, before starting working for his mum in 1994 and taking over the academy 10 years later.
“Craig was fantastic with children when he was my assistant, and then I had my accident,” Robyn said.
Robyn said it was more of a hobby for her, before Craig turned it into more of a business.
Craig gave up his engineering job to focus on the Louis Tennis Academy, and he has been a full-time coach for the past 20 years.
A winner of several Gunnedah Tennis Club championships, Craig continues to run junior competitions and assist with senior competitions.
Craig was awarded the Newcombe Medal in 2014 for ‘coaching excellence at club level’, and in 2020 he was named Australia Day ‘coach of the year’ in Gunnedah.
Craig said he felt very honoured and grateful to receive life membership, while the club had given him so much over the years.
“I started here as a young kid and never imagined I’d spend most of my working life here helping others enjoy and improve their tennis,” he said.
“Working alongside mum and dad for so many years has been really special.
“The club has always been supportive, and I’m thankful to be part of such a strong community.
“I’ve been lucky to coach some wonderful players and families.
“Watching adults and kids build confidence and become the best they can be is the most rewarding part.
“Thank you to the Gunnedah Tennis Club. It means a great deal to me and my family.”
