On Monday 15th January it was announced at the TSNSW Team Dinner at the Australian Masters Team Championship in Hobart, that Enid Besant Ryan and Julie Pratt were both announces as the newest Life Members of TSNSW.

 

The TSNSW committee along with all members would like to congratulate both Enid and Julie on this honor. As neither Julie nor Enid was available to be in Hobart a presentation will be made at a date to be confirmed, this will be open to all who wish to attend. 

Julie Pratt

 

Julie was so keen to reach 40 & play veterans' tennis as our Association was named then. (joined 1984).

 

Fortunate to play with Bernice Riddle those first 2 year & won the NSW 40 Doubles Twice.....Defeating Ann Tulloh & Jill Emerson in the final on both occasions.

 

Julie had been a senior committee member of North Western Suburbs Tennis Association (where she commenced competition tennis as an 11-year-old & as she was now a "Veteran", felt the urge to join the Veterans committee to hopefully bring a few ideas to Veterans Tennis.... 1986.

The first President whom I had worked with being Greg Vaughan who also had considerable help from Kevin Winter. Then Barry, Plucknett, Peter Kilborn, Noel Fraser, Charles Price, Enid Besant Ryan then our Mick Bruton who took our Association to greater heights.

 

 Julie was working full time as a Relationship Manager with Westpac.  Julie took over the running of the 200 CLUB from Kevin Winter & we donated $1000 to a cancer fund for children ( i.e. Kids with Cancer / Camp Quality or similar). this happened every year & the 200 people who gave the donations ($10) had the chance to win their money back every day for 50 days & the last day $500.....  Julie ran this for many years until it was decided to donate other ways. Julie also sold raffle tickets constantly & all of our members were always very generous; this was then taken over by President Mick Bruton and made a huge contribution.

 

The committee decided that we needed to lift our tracksuits to a more professional level & after the new design was chosen, Julie sold the suits to as many members as she could.  In those days nearly every member was sporting a Tennis Seniors NSW Tracksuit... 

 

In 2005 whilst working for Westpac Julie was able to arrange Westpac to donate all the caps and drink bottles for the players packs at our Australian Championship, held in Newcastle. Also securing sponsorship of $5000 for Incidentals and Sponsoring the Teams Dinner. 

 

Julie was part of the organizing committee for 1997 World Titles in Newcastle, which was a huge success to everyone working tirelessly for 12 months to ensure we made Australia proud and successful.

 

As well as being on the Veterans\Senior committees, Julie wrote articles for the Vetscore and for a short time took over the editor's role.

 

Julie organized many morning teas with the stars held for the Federation Cup, also with the Friends of Tennis NSW & The Tennis Museum. Julie was also a selector for the NSW Senior/Veterans State teams for many years.

 

Julie also enjoyed playing Sydney badge over the years, night competitions and always playing country tournaments during this she was able to recruit many players to join Tennis Seniors NSW.  Always enjoying the camaraderie with others who also had the same goals to spread the word of our fabulous Tennis Seniors NSW often over a red or two!!!!!

 

Julie has stated she is extremely humbled by her nomination for Life Membership of TSNSW. It is a very proud moment as she reaches her twilight years (her words). She only retired from the committee because she felt it needed our younger generation to revitalize Tennis Seniors TSW

Enid Besant Ryan 

 

Enid Besant-Ryan was in born in Rooty Hill to a tennis playing family with both parents and 5 older brothers one being her twin who sadly passed away earlier this year.

 

The Besant family had their own tennis court in the backyard where Enid learnt to play at an early age, she often had to fight with the boys to get a hit on the court but being the 

youngest and the only girl she usually won the battle.

 

Due to the number of players in the family they were able to form a couple of teams in the Nepean District Competition in both A Grade and A3 divisions. 

The A Grade team consisted of 2 of the boys their wives, Enid and they were lucky enough to have a great player John Whittaker come to live in Rooty Hill and he joined their team. 

Enid’s children Damian, Amanda and Brendon also joined the family teams when they were old enough.

 

Enid was invited by her dear friend Julie Pratt to join the TNSW Seniors in 1994, Enid and her husband David who wasn’t a tennis player, but her number 1 supporter travelled to many country tournaments and Australian Seniors Championships, David sadly passed away in 2007. 

 

Enid represented the Nepean District in Country Week held at White City in Sydney for many years, she was also selected to represent Australia in the World Tennis Titles in South Africa in 1997.

 

Being part of this organization has been the most wonderful and rewarding experience in her tennis career Enid, joined the TNSW Seniors committee in 1995 and was President from 2008 to 2010, she then became Vice President of Tennis Seniors Australia from 2012 to 2019.

 

Enid said It is a great honor and privilege to receive Life Membership from TSNSW, thank you to the many new and old friends and colleagues she has been associated with over those years. 

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