Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club Life Member Ian McDonald, with the well deserved sign in the background, recognising his 51 years of calling the club’s Easter tournament
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Atter 51 years of his voice being heard loud and clear by thousands of players at Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club’s annual Easter Tournament, Ian McDonald did an unveiling at this year’s Easter Tennis Tournament.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The unveiling resulted in a sign Ian ‘The Voice’ McDonald Tournament Box, on the northern side of the tournament box.
“It’s a great tournament box, good facilities and comfortable,” the 89-year-old told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.
“It’s a bit different than the earlier days, sitting at an uncovered table, particularly when it rained!”
Ian “The Voice’ McDonald said he met a lot of wonderful people and made a lot of friends during his time assisting the annual Easter Tournament.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Ian greatly appreciated the gesture by the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club to formally recognise his contribution to the annual Easter tournament.
“It’s just amazing the sign,” he said. “And I received such a lovely letter form the club thanking me for all my services.”
Ian’s connection to the extremely highly regarded tennis club with its magnificent lawn courts spans eight decades, starting with junior tennis. He became of the senior stars of the club before retiring as a player at about age 60.
“Jack McCurdy was my toughest opponent. Other terrific players were Pat O’Kane, Bill Holeman, Bill Rush and Ray Munro.
“My biggest highlight was Yarrawonga winning A Grade at Country Week at Kooyong. The team was Pat O’Kane, Bill Holeman, Ray Munro, Jack McCurdy and myself.”
He loves the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club and has many fond memories, with five of those eight decades calling the Easter tournament. “Jim and Una Campbell were president and secretary when I started calling the Easter tournament 51 years ago. Daryl (Bennett) is a good president,” Ian said.
“It was very enjoyable to do what I’ve done. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people and they’ve turned into friendships.”
Club president Daryl Bennett said Ian was an incredible supporter of the Easter tournament “which has such a massive positive financial impact for all of Yarrawonga, not just the tennis club”.
“Even now, some four or five years since his deep voice has been calling players at Easter, we still get asked ‘Where is The Voice?’,” the president said.
“Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club was incredibly lucky to have Ian mowing the adjacent J C Lowe Oval for about 30 years.
“We are very grateful for the many hours that Ian has sat on the mower to provide such a great playing surface. It was fitting that we stopped the entire Easter Tournament this year to unveil the sign on the Tournament Box in recognition of Ian's contribution to the club.
“Not even the hundreds of people standing and applauding adequately conveys how fortunate we have been to have Ian do so much for so long.”
Mr Bennett recalled a chat with the highly regarded previous greenskeeper Warrick Henderson. “When he told us he was leaving last year, I had a discussion with Ian about what the future may look like as the tennis club searched for a new greenskeeper. Ian was a true gentleman and graciously understood that the tennis club couldn't afford to keep him on if the new greenskeeper wanted to mow the oval themselves,” the president explained.
“However our new greenskeeper Mick Sheahan was happy to keep Ian mowing the oval and it wasn't until just recently that Ian rang me and said he was done. He would mow the oval one last time and then he would be hanging up his mowing boots.”
The tournament box is a solid brick 1994-constructed Godfathers Sport Support Group facility, is home to football and tennis.
Ian is a Life Member of the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club and the Yarrawonga Football Netball Club where he played over 100 senior games in defence, mainly as a back pocket.
The green grassed surfaces beside each other is an area he cherishes. “When it’s in full flight, it’s magnificent,” Ian said of the action on the tennis courts and football oval.
Contributions like Ian’s in the community are invaluable, as commented by the Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club President. “As members of the YLTC committee, we are just caretakers of a long history of tennis in Yarrawonga. I am lucky to see how much work goes on behind the scenes, by so many people, to make the tennis club run so smoothly,” Mr Bennett said.
“Ian finishing up is a loss, but we have a great team of people and I am very confident the club and the playing surfaces will remain at the incredibly high standard that Ian leaves them in. Thank you Ian.
“In conclusion, it was with great pleasure that there was an unveiling of the tournament box as the Ian ‘The Voice’ McDonald Tournament Box. Long term Easter players were very receptive to the naming.”
