The club was founded in May of 1921 at a meeting at Cooma’s Royal Hotel with the local Progress Association agreeing to rent two existing courts to the newly formed club for five pounds – or 10 dollars – a year.
In 1921, the courts were in such poor condition the club’s first job was to rebuild fences and netting, and the grand opening was eventually planned for a Wednesday to drum up numbers as most of the shops in town closed on Wednesday afternoons.
Club president Mick Askell says the club has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and its longevity is a testament to the dedication of both club members and the Monaro community.
“In country areas sport has always brought communities together and tennis in the Monaro is no exception,” Mr Askell said.
“The Cooma Royal Tennis Club provides a venue for the community to get together, play tennis socially and competitively, create friendships and more importantly, build community spirit.”
Over the years the club has undergone a series of upgrades, with water first laid to the courts in 1922 to keep the surfaces up to scratch, while the first clubhouse was built in the 1930’s consisting of a single room which is now the club’s kitchen.
The first lighting was installed in December 1927 bringing tennis under lights to Snowy Monaro region and letting workers enjoy extended playing hours, with lighting for all courts eventually completed in 1978.
Juniors weren’t accepted as club members until 1929 when the club’s official history shows local schools and convents were asked to conduct trials to find the best three boys and girls in town and they were offered free membership but not afforded standing for meetings.
Club Secretary Alison Starr says these days a family-friendly membership rate means people of all ages can enjoy a hit on the Cooma courts.
“Playing tennis covers generations of players and there’s really a continuity of players and families through the club,” Mrs Starr said.
“The group playing on Wednesday night has been playing for around 35 years and over that time the group has seen families come and go, and the kids come up and play in the same team as other family members.”
The club’s official history shows the number of courts and competitions expanded over the years, and matches between Cooma and clubs from neighbouring Dalgety, Jindabyne, Michelago and Bredbo were hotly contested, with championships played until the start of WWII.
The club may have also generated a few local love matches, with social events including dances and dinners held at the club house.
From the start of World War II the club’s history notes ‘that with a gap of 30 years in the Minute Books we rely on the memories of people for information during that period, errors and omissions are therefore regretted’.
And some of those memories are colourful, with locals recalling some unique approaches to club hospitality and matters of player comfort and practicality.
One record notes ‘tea was made in a four-gallon bucket (about 18 litres) and suspended over an open fireplace near the end of the court before being carried up to the club house. This duty usually fell to the court captain’.
The official history also notes ‘the toilet block was completed in 1965 and was a vast improvement on the pan toilets that had been in use during the early days of the Club’.
Despite dipping to a membership of just 20 people in the early 1960’s the Cooma Royal Tennis Club has rallied as a local institution, bringing together the early families of the Snowy Hydro Scheme and uniting locals during hard times, and life member Kath Nichols said that sense of belonging is part of what makes the club so special.
“Royal Tennis Club has always been known as a friendly inclusive club, with Cooma being a truly multicultural town, newcomers are made very welcome at the club for both social and competition tennis,” Ms Nicholls said.
Club Secretary Alison Starr says the club hopes to continue its community-building traditions for many years to come.
“It really is a great place to come and just socialise, there’s a timeless appeal, it’s good for physical fitness, but also mental health during the bushfires, and even during COVID tennis was able to keep going compared to many others sports because of social distancing,” Mrs Starr said.
The tough conditions of recent years have taken its toll on the playing surface with the courts impacted by both drought and rain.
The club received $449,020 from the NSW Government to resurface six grass tennis courts, install new nets and posts on each court and upgrade lighting, with the final lighting works due to be completed in the first half of this year.
DRNSW Executive Director Harriet Whyte said supporting regional sporting facilities is key to building strong and resilient regional communities like Cooma.
“Sport brings our communities together, it gives us common ground and a space to build relationships and a sense of connection through shared wins, losses and memories created on and off the court,” Ms Whyte said.