By LIAM TWOMEY
WITH a booming membership base and scores of eager juniors, Sunshine Park Tennis Club has fast outgrown its four-court home base at Parsons Reserve.
Knowing that competition for court time is almost as hotly contested as the tennis itself, the club approached Brimbank Council and Tennis Australia with a request for two extra courts to cover the demand.
The upgrade was officially given the green light by both organisations last week.
However, what happened next was something the Sunshine Park committee and head coach Craig Vaughan weren’t quite expecting.
Tennis Australia indicated that two courts might be just the start of the club’s upgrade, with the sport’s governing body keen to establish between six and eight new courts to cater for the club’s growing membership base.
The huge scale of the upgrade would see Sunshine Park become one of the premier tennis venues in Melbourne and allow the club to host Tennis Australia sanctioned tournaments as well as providing more space for junior introductory programs.
“If this all goes ahead on the full scale, it would probably be the biggest things to happen to tennis in Sunshine and in Brimbank for a long time,” Vaughan said.
“Over the last couple of years we have run programs where we have had to scale back because we don’t have the room.
“This is something that will draw more people to tennis and allow more people to be part of the game which is great to see.”
The upgrade continues what has been a remarkable turnaround for the club after struggling for players just two years ago.
However, thanks to the hard work of Vaughan and the club’s committee, Sunshine Park has rebuilt itself and introduced the sport of tennis to multicultural groups throughout Melbourne’s western suburbs.
With a membership base which now exceeds 150 and 18 teams entered in competition play, Vaughan is excited about what the future will bring.
“In two years a lot has happened and now we are at the stage where, for the next stage to happen we need those extra courts,” Vaughan said.
“To get the development that is being talked about, is over and above what anyone on the committee has been talking about. It is a very exciting time for the club.”
