Tennis … it's what we do TENNIS IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2016 www.tennisireland.ie BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT George Stevenson MBE CHAIRMAN David Barber COMPANY SECRETARY Billy Meehan Jimmy Cahill Clifford Carroll John Delaney Joe Power Olwyn Raftery Stephen Reid Kieran Tobin CHIEF EXECUTIVE Richard Fahey PROVINCIAL BRANCH PRESIDENTS Billy O’Reilly, Connacht Nickie Coffey, Leinster Shane Cooke, Munster George Stevenson, Ulster Published by Tennis Ireland, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 TENNIS IN NUMBERS €766,000 €5.6million investment on 3,500 in funding has Performance players been applied Academies players participate for by our in interclub leagues. Clubs via the Sports Capital programme DAVIS 30% CUP increase in 735 performance players in TEAM our Regional promoted vetting Academies to Group II applications processed children participated Twenty-three 20,185 in Parks tennis coach educational workshops held 9,000 4,196 70 children took part children participating players in in primary schools in secondary schools National tennis programmes Tennis programmes Academy 10,095 142 players participated 6 Open in Open players with a variety of tournament tournaments disabilities participated in permits the Enjoy tennis programmes issued TENNIS IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2016 :: 03 Message from President George Stevenson MBE n behalf of Tennis Ireland, it gives facilities is always impressive, the Ome great pleasure to welcome the organisation of the tournaments delegates to today’s Annual General outstanding and their hospitality Meeting. Since the founding of the Irish towards me has been fantastic. For this, Lawn Tennis Association in 1908, I thank you. members have been coming together I am delighted that 2017 will see the annually to meet and review the return of ITF Professional Tournaments development of our sport. to these shores with the hosting of an Over the course of time, the ITF Futures Event in Carrickmines and administration and governance of the the return of the Men’s and Ladies Irish game has changed but the reliance on Open at Fitzwilliam. volunteers has been a constant. As we gather it is also appropriate to Another constant is the passion and reflect on those who have made a great dedication of our members to drive the contribution to our sport and who are game forward. no longer with us and, in this regard, I It has been an interesting year. It has would especially like to pay tribute to been one that has proved challenging Mavis Hogg MBE, former Honorary but also rewarding and progressive. The Secretary of Tennis Ireland and most important objective of anyone President of Tennis Ireland who died in involved in the administration of tennis April aged 91 years. During her life, is to leave it in better shape than when Mavis made a very significant you got involved and, as I complete my contribution to our sport and she will be final year as President, I am certain that sorely missed. our sport has made great strides during It is also with deep sadness that we the year in review. learnt of the recent passing of Mary The appointment of new Chief Executive Rose Lyons of Naas Tennis Club. Mary Richard Fahey following the departure Rose was also a member of the Leinster of Des Allen after 20 years of service Council and the Tennis Ireland General Tennis … it’s created many talking points but both Council. the board and I know that the process Her lifetime commitment to developing what we do undertaken was robust and fair and that the sport was honoured by Tennis the right person came to the fore. Ireland when she received the Raymund The highlight of my year has been the Egan Award in 2004 recent promotion of the Davis Cup team I would like to acknowledge the to Group II following victory in Bulgaria. tremendous support I have had This was a great result following the throughout my tenure from all of the disappointment of our play-off loss to Board and staff of Tennis Ireland and in Cyprus in 2016. I look forward to our particular from Anna and Lauren in the Fed Cup team matching their male Ulster Branch. counterparts as they travel to Moldova in June and take this opportunity to wish Finally, I would like to thank you, the their Captain, Yvonne Doyle and the members for your continued support of team the very best of luck. our sport and hope that you will remain involved as players, coaches or During my period in office, I have administrators for many years to come. travelled to all parts of the country and have witnessed at first hand the fantastic national, interprovincial and George Stevenson MBE open tournaments hosted by our President member clubs. The quality of club 04 :: TENNIS IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Message from CEO Richard Fahey For some it may be a tired political An area that I have been very impressed soundbite but when it comes to Tennis with is the range of Open Tournaments I believe the phrase “a lot done …. more organised by clubs at Junior, Senior and to do” is very apt. Veterans level. Unfortunately, from time to time, the behaviour of players or The year in review has been a year of their parents or coaches can sometimes some progress. On the Performance be an issue, therefore with the support side the promotion of our Davis Cup of the Board and the Branches we have team of James McGee, Sam Barry, implemented a new feature of our David O’Hare and Peter Bothwell to tournament software that will allow for Group II has been a great boost. improved reporting and administration Special mention must also go to of code violations. Georgia Drummy who qualified for the I am pleased to have been able to play a main draw of the Junior Australian part in bringing three International Open in 2016. t is my great pleasure to present to Tennis Federation Professional events to Iyou the Tennis Ireland Operational Shortly after my appointment I was Carrickmines and Fitzwilliam this review for the year just passed. pleased to see Simon Carr qualify for Summer. It has been several years since the main draw at the Junior Australian we have hosted a Ladies Irish Open and As this report is presented, I have Open and who has hopefully earned I look forward to seeing the next completed my fourth month as Chief enough points to make it to the main generation of great players competing Executive. It has been an interesting draw of the French Open, Wimbledon here in July. period and has been one that I have and the US Open. I’ve had the utilised to get a greater understanding It would be remiss of me to not mention pleasure of witnessing the incredible of the landscape of the sport, meet the members of the Board and drive and determination of Simon and with its key stakeholders, consider the Branches of Tennis Ireland. During my the Academy staff that work with him issues that pertain to it but also to get short time in this role they have while he trains twice daily at the an enlightened picture of the scale of provided guidance to me and their National Tennis Centre in his efforts to work that goes on at local, regional passion to develop our sport knows no reach the highest levels of the sport. and national level. bounds. They deserve great credit for We all have a responsibility to assist steering the organisation through As I have travelled to the four corners him and all our High Performers in difficult financial times and have laid of our island, I have often heard the achieving their dreams. the foundation for a new era of phrase “What does Tennis Ireland do The next generation of players is being development for our sport. for us?” Hopefully, the content catered for in our regional and contained within this new style annual In the coming months, Tennis Ireland national academies. We have, as an report will make it clearer to our will embark on the development of a organisation, increased our members that supporting the new strategy that will guide our journey investment in this area and will development of Tennis is what we do. of development in the coming years. I continue to do so in the coming years. In the coming years, we will endeavour hope you will join me on that journey. To achieve our objective, we will work to communicate this more effectively We will actively consult with all our to increase the quality and quantity of with all our members. stakeholders in the development of this coaches who play such an important strategy and will always aim to deliver Tennis Ireland has many stakeholders, role in the development of our players. for our members, our coaches, our Government, Sport Ireland, Sport NI, One of the key issues for our clubs is players and our communities. but none are more important than our how they can adequately develop their member clubs, the volunteers that run facilities. I was delighted to see a new them and their players. A key objective Richard Fahey round of the Sports Capital of both mine and the Tennis Ireland Chief Executive Programme earlier this year and will Board will be to further develop these continue to advocate on behalf of the important relationships so that we can record number 72 clubs that made an work together to grow our sport application this year. together. TENNIS IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2016 :: 05 Operations Review Relationships in the country. Also in Dublin, four-year cycle to the end of 2016 a total Lansdowne Tennis Club recently opened of £312,000 or £78,000 per year was their new Clubhouse and both allocated to the Ulster Branch to support Government Donnybrook and Sutton Tennis Club also their participation and performance The Government is one of Tennis oversaw the installation of impressive programmes.