New West Gippsland Tennis Association president Lyn Beard is looking forward to attracting old teams back to the local Saturday competition. 69168
By Gavin Staindl
THE struggling West Gippsland Tennis Association appointed its first female president last Thursday … but don’t expect any soft touches from the new face of local tennis.
Officer resident Lyn Beard, 59, says she will make some hard-hitting changes as the flailing WGTA prepares to tackle another summer.
Beard will try to resuscitate the local competition, which for the past five years has lost teams to neighbouring association, Waverley and District.
“Being the first female president is a bit of a giggle, isn’t it?” Beard said. “It doesn’t really bother me whether you’re male or female, as long as you do the job properly.
“I’ve taken the role hopefully to make a difference and bring a little more common sense into it.
“Last year there were hassles with the scoring and too much infighting in the committee, which got a bit nasty. So I’m going to make the scoring and new website simpler to use and hopefully we’ll change the way people perceive us.
“Five years ago we had 50 teams, now it has dwindled down to 25 … we really want to increase the reputation here and hopefully we’ll make a difference and get those teams coming back. It’ll take a bit of work and I’ll have to make a lot of phone calls, but the clubs are pretty open to suggestions, so I don’t think it will be too hard.”
Beard, who works on a fertiliser farm with husband Chris, said her appointment as president “was an honour”.
“As long as I can do it properly, that’s all that really worries me.”
Beard began playing midweek tennis for Cardinia 30 years ago and has been on the local club’s committee for 12 years.
She has also played Saturday tennis with Chris for more than 15 years, which, according to friends, is quite remarkable.
“It’s very unusual that my husband and I are doubles partners and still married,” Beard says with a laugh.
