The Waverley and District Tennis Association Incorporated, trading as Waverley Tennis, was founded in July 1979 when a number of tennis clubs in the south eastern suburbs, then competing in the Eastern Metropolitan Region Lawn Tennis Association (EMRLTA), met at the old Waverley Council building in Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, to form the Waverley and District Tennis Association Incorporated. On that occasion, a dedicated Steering Committee presented to some 28 tennis clubs a proposal to form a new Tennis Association, with the mutual blessing of the Eastern Metropolitan Region Tennis Lawn Association (EMRLTA), and from that time, Waverley Tennis was launched into the market place under the leadership of Russ Nicholls as President and Mark Collins as Association Secretary. A strong and dedicated Committee of Management (and Sub-Committees) has maintained the status of Waverley Tennis since those very early days.
In 2019 Waverley Tennis is celebrating its 40th Anniversary Year of intensive activities and, in the intervening period since foundation, it has currently grown to around 110 Affiliates, with many other tennis clubs now merged or closed down being affiliated with Waverley Tennis at some point in the past.
Waverley Tennis has grown over its relatively short history to become the largest and most proactive Tennis Association in Victoria, if not Australia (as recognised by Tennis Victoria), boasting activities in all facets of the game of tennis, i.e. Weekend Junior and Senior inter-club matchplay (Saturdays and Sundays), Mid-Week Ladies' tennis (via the Mid-Week Ladies' Division), Mid-Week Men's tennis, Night Tennis inter-club matchplay, Waverley Tennis Hot Shots Match Play inter-club competition formatted for beginner players and their parents, Waverley Tennis Junior Developnent Squad Program (to complement individual player coaching), and prolific convenor/ organiser of Tennis Australia sanctioned Tennis Australia Australian Money Tournaments (AMT's) and Junior Tournaments (JT's). Waverley Tennis is therefore unique amongst Tennis Associations as, from its formation from Day 1, Waverley Tennis caters for all categories of players and all ages under the Tennis Association's watch.
Waverley Tennis also convenes and hosts a number of prestigious junior Tennis Carnivals throughout each calendar year namely, the Daphne Fancutt Junior Shield and the Pat Pearce Memorial Carnival (the latter in turn with 3 other Melbourne Metropolitan Tennis Associations).
A strong emphasis of Waverley Tennis has been (and remains) junior player development and many talented junior players have progressed through the ranks to higher levels in their tennis careers. Waverley Tennis' most prestigious annual Awards are its Waverley Tennis Junior Player of the Year Awards (Male and Female) and past winners of these Awards have gone onto represent themselves most admirably in senior ranks, nationally and internationally.
Waverley Tennis' uniqueness is further enhanced by the fact that it operates and administers its own set of nine (9) clay tennis courts at the Robinson Reserve Tennis Centre in Frawley Road Doveton, on behalf of the City of Casey, i.e. 'the home of Waverley Tennis', and has done so since September 2001. These excellent clubrooms and tennis courts are fully maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers who service the courts on a weekly basis. This venue is also the home of the Doveton Tennis Club which is also administered by Waverley Tennis in a lease agreement with the City of Casey. These facilities provide Waverley Tennis with an excellent base upon which to conduct all of the above noted activities, including the grand finals of its Weekend Summer and Winter Seasons, the grand finals of its Mid-Week Ladies' and Mid-Week Men's competitions, its Junior Development Squad Program, its tournaments, and a general meeting place for its Committee of Management and a recreation premises for social activities conducted from time to time. With the financial support of the City of Casey, the facilities at the Robinson Reserve Centre have been upgraded beyond recognition since Waverley Tennis was entrusted with the tennis courts and facilities in 2001.
The Waverley Tennis website is hereby commended if you are looking for specific details on any of the specific activities and the general operation of Waverley Tennis.
