Tennis South Canterbury 2018 AGM – President’s Report

President’s Report

It is my pleasure to present my 2018 report.

One year ago we got underway by documenting what we wanted to achieve for the year and the steps required.

In summary these fitted into six key categories.

Governance:
To have an effective board that focuses most of its time and energy on discussion and decisions required to achieve TSC purpose rather than operational issues.

Participation:
A growing number of people become involved in the range of opportunities for competitive and social players to play regularly.

Coaching:
Develop an active network of coaches who attract an increasing number of players at all levels, particularly at grass roots to increase young members.

High Performance:
To identify and foster high performers.
These might be players but also umpires and administrators.
And to consider: what is needed for SC to improve its performance at regional and national level.

Marketing and Communication:
To lift and maintain a positive and high profile for tennis.
To showcase the range of opportunities for involvement in tennis throughout South Canterbury.

Financial:
To proactively manage and review risks that could undermine TSC delivering on its goals.
Included within that continuing to build a revenue stream from increased hiring of the function centre. But not to the detriment of tennis.

How would I rate our score-card? Perhaps a 6 to 7. The foundations are in place. We now need to build on them.

Ultimately what drives the Board is a passion for tennis. Results from many of the goals I have just outlined will not yet be clearly visible to the tennis community. And outcomes can take time. Participation is not an overnight solution for instance. The important step is that the goals are documented, the steps worked out and that we are following a pathway.

If we have made a good start over the last 12 months then the Board’s goal is significant progress from here.

And we need to tell you what we are doing, as we are doing it, and to seek and receive feedback. This is not the Board on a journey of its own.

Ultimately tennis is about people. Without them there will be no progress and so I need to offer some thanks.

I was appointed to the Board at the 2017 AGM and assumed the role of President at the same time. That I was able to achieve this seamlessly is a credit to the work that went before but also the continuing input and expertise of Board members Glenn Black, Irene Emond, Ferg Haslett and Tony Zwies. Their respective skills, volunteer time and enthusiasm have been crucial to progress we have made this year.

My thanks also to Callum Wood who joined the Board as an independent, also at the 2017 AGM, and who brings his own specialist skills and insights. As does Stu Piddington who joined us later in the year.

Our role as the Board of Tennis South Canterbury is primarily governance – to set the structures, systems, goals and direction of the sport.

We support that work with a committee structure. Finance is led by Glenn Black, and the Asset Committee by Ferg Haslett. Tony Zwies leads the Marketing and Communication Committee and we are assisted on the Investment committee by Ken Ellis, Ken McKenzie and Ian Bowan as independents and Dale Walden from Forsyth Barr.

Greg Coutts, while not a Board member, agreed to be the chair of the Coaching Committee with an extended mandate to look at Participation. Essentially a Tennis Committee. If ultimately what we want to do is to provide opportunities for more and more people to play and enjoy tennis then Greg’s leadership, input and attention to detail have been crucial to the progress we have made over the last year.

The Coaching Committee, in conjunction with coaches Mark Offen, Rachael Ellis and Murray Bradshaw, have worked hard to broaden and extend opportunities for tennis in our community and, from my perspective, the progress we have made in this area over the year is a highlight. While the results of their hard work might not yet be visible the key ingredients are definitely in place and will be built upon in the coming year.

Mandy Gillies deserves special mention. Without her hard work and her passion for tennis we couldn’t function. We shouldn’t underestimate just how busy and wide ranging the daily activities of TSC can be and how hard Mandy works.

Late last year Kane Newlands advised us of his wish to step down from his TSC role. We thank Kane for his input and contribution over past seasons. He does of course continue to contribute to tennis in SC via his private coaching.

My thanks also to sponsors. In particular Trust Aoraki, Alpine Energy and Wilsons.

The facilities we have are amazing. We can be very proud of them. A highlight this year was to be able to turn on additional lighting which further enhances our playing opportunities. These are facilities that belong to the whole tennis community.

Our challenge is to be able to maintain and upgrade these facilities an ongoing basis. While in a solid financial position we have also achieved operating losses before taking depreciation into account for three of the last six years and achieved an overall deficit of $58,693 over those 6 years. We don’t want to make significant surpluses each year and build reserves for the sake of doing so. But our current challenge is simply to break even each year least our reserves die a slow death from ongoing losses.

To that end we are working with the TDC on a consent which will allow a limited number of events with amplified music. And our budget discussions over recent months have been detailed as we seek to create a sustainable balance.

Thank you also to all who have made a contribution and commitment to our sport, it is very much appreciated and valued. Each club has dedicated people who work tirelessly. I thank you all for the support you have given to tennis in South Canterbury over the last year.

And tonight we recognise three individuals who have served tennis over many years in announcing the 2018 Service to Tennis Awards:

Terry Taylor
Marion Annear, and
Janice Higginbottom

Congratulations

Thank you.

Stephen McFarlane
President
Tennis South Canterbury