Our Mission and Values

MISSION: To be the world’s best LGBTQIA+ sports club. 
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VISION: To create an inclusive, diverse, healthy (mind and body), competitive community tennis club whose focus is on elevating tennis standards in Sydney. Part of a global LGBTQIA+ tennis movement (GLTA), we welcome interstate and international visitors to join us as we continue to grow and expand the love of tennis.

Hall of Fame

Tennis Sydney has a proud history of former presidents and committee members who have made a significant and long-lasting contribution to the club. Our Hall of Fame celebrates this and thanks them for this work.
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Hall of Fame members have usually served at least five terms on the Tennis Sydney Committee and in that time have made a positive difference to the club and its members.
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Hall of Fame recipients:
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2023: Gavin Mears
2022: Damien O’Brien
2015: Dean Matterson
2013: Brendan Moore
2012: Leanne Spencer
2006: Peter Deacon, Carl Copas, Norm Lawrence, Edwin Christiansen 
2002: Craig Hunt

Affiliations

Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA):
 
Tennis Sydney is a proudly affiliated with the GLTA (Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance), a global LGBTQ+ sports organisation that sanctions over 70 competitive tennis events across the globe each year.
 
These events are a wonderful opportunity for all tennis enthusiasts from complete beginners to high level accomplished players to participate at the wonderful game of tennis.
 
Australian clubs kick off the GLTA World Tour each year with the “Summer of Tennis” with tournaments in Perth, Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne.

Code of Conduct

The Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct is intended to outline appropriate behaviour by all Tennis Sydney Members at social, competition and tournament tennis events, and give Tennis Sydney structure around how to deal with issues relating to formal complaints by Club Members about other Club or Committee Members, including the correct channels to make complaints.
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Members contravening the Player Code of Conduct will face a review and disciplinary process, with the possibility of exclusion from Tennis Sydney as the final outcome.
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Tennis Sydney will not tolerate any form of discrimination, whether it is based on race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, gender or cultural background.  Any formal complaints made of this nature will be taken seriously, and dealt with under the Player Code of Conduct.
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All actions by Club Members (including Committee Members) should reinforce the Club’s charter of inclusion, self-expression, fair go, and to provide a ‘safe place’ for LGBTI players and supporters who live in Sydney, as well as for those who we welcome from around Australia and the world. Tennis Sydney is not an exclusively LGBTI Club, and warmly welcomes players and supporters from all walks of life to join in our events.
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Tennis Sydney Committee Members are volunteers, and will, to the best of their ability, make decisions for the Club based on the best possible outcomes for all Members.

Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct

Tennis Sydney aims to provide a positive sporting environment for the benefit of players and supporters. The Tennis Sydney Committee and Members will aim to provide for the health, welfare and well-being of its players and supporters at all times.
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All Members, players, officials and supporters participating in any Tennis Sydney event including tournaments, competitions and social play have a responsibility at all times when playing at or representing Tennis Sydney to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, consistent with the Code of Conduct below. Abusive language or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated.
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Tennis Sydney Members, players and supporters agree to:
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• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every player regardless of their race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, gender or cultural background.

• Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealings with players

• Never condone rule violations, rough play or the use of prohibitive substances

• Display consistently high standards of positive behaviour and appearance and not use abusive language

• Consider the safety and well-being of players at all times

• Promote fair play and participation and not a ‘win at all costs’ approach

• Always respect the official’s decision and support them to carry out their role

• Follow all guidelines of the State body, Tennis NSW, of which Tennis Sydney is a Member

• Adhere to the rules and etiquette of Tennis NSW/ Tennis Australia for non-umpired matches found HERE

• Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility.

Complaints Procedure

Formal complaints by Club Members will be addressed expeditiously and go before the Committee for discussion. The primary aim of the warning process upon a player is not to punish that player.  Rather, the main purpose of issuing the warning is to discourage or deter that player, and all other players, from engaging in similar conduct in the future.
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The following process is to be followed in order for the Committee to consider a complaint:
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Letters of complaint should be sent to info@tennissydney.org.au, and not via the Tennis Sydney Facebook page, a Facebook post, or any personal Facebook accounts of committee members. Committee Members will refer the complainant to the correct channel.
A formal letter of complaint must be submitted to the Committee for it to be discussed at a Committee meeting. Complaints will only be considered when the author is directly involved in the issue. Verbal, anecdotal and here-say complaints will not be considered.
If the complaint is about a Committee Member, that Committee Member may not engage in the discussion or be included in the decision around how to proceed.
The Committee will address any complaints at the next available Committee meeting, and a majority vote will be taken as to how to proceed.
On all occasions (except when the complaint pertains to the President), the President will reply in writing to the complainant.

Formal Warnings

Formal warnings commence at the First verbal warning stage as outlined below at point 2. Formal warnings should ideally occur in the presence of the President, and one other Committee Member.

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All formal warnings (excluding point one – Informal verbal reminder of the code of conduct) must be noted in competition, Sunday Social or tournament reports provided to the Committee.

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Warning process:

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1. Informal verbal reminder of the code of conduct:
An informal conversation with the Member to indicate that the Member has not adhered to the rules of the event (e.g. GLTA tournament rules), or the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct. The Member is politely asked to follow the rules for the event, or asked to review the Tennis Sydney player code of conduct so they understand the Club’s expectations regarding player conduct.

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2. First verbal warning and/or first written warning
A Committee Member notifies the President and discusses. The President is either present or gives permission to give a first verbal warning, with an explanation of how the Member has contravened the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct.

President sends offender an email or letter explaining that they have continued to break rules regarding the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct. Letter gives explanation of how the Member has contravened the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct.

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3. Final written warning:
President sends email or letter explaining that they have continued to break rules regarding the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct, and accordingly any further breach will result in immediate expulsion from the Club.

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Depending on the seriousness of the offense, a final warning may be bypassed and a suspension from the club can be executed at the discretion of the Committee. 

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5. Expulsion from the Club:
If, after the warning process above has been undertaken, a Member who contravenes the Tennis Sydney Player Code of Conduct again will have their Membership revoked and will not be welcome to participate in any Tennis Sydney events for a period to be determined by Committee at the time their Membership is revoked.

Terms & Conditions

Additional terms & conditions for the Club can be found here: LINK

Additional Policies

Additional policies for the Club can be found here: DOWNLOAD