Celebrating service, sport and community
Return Serve, a family tennis event which pays tribute to veterans, will take place in Collaroy on 12 April, in the lead up to ANZAC Day. Return Serve aims to honour those who have served or are currently serving in the Australian Defence Force and was inspired by a club member who is also a veteran, and who enjoys playing tennis.
Collaroy Tennis Club is partnering with RSL Lifecare – Northern Beaches Veteran Wellbeing Centre to host the inaugural event. “We’re really hoping to involve the community and give them a chance to say thank you to these guys and women and for everything they’ve done,” says David Keogh, the club’s inclusion and diversity officer.
The event is completely free for the community and includes a tennis round robin, POP tennis, table tennis, and golf putting. POP tennis is played on a smaller court with a shorter racquet and a slower ball. You can even try your hand at cornhole, which people may not have heard of.
“Apparently it’s very popular with the services in the USA,” explains David. “It’s like an angled board with holes in it and you throw small bean bags onto the board and get points for getting close to or into the hole.”
As well as free activities, there will be lots of free food and drinks, including a Bunnings barbeque, cheese platters, fruit and some sweet offerings. On top of that, there’ll be a free raffle with the chance to win some great prizes from local supporting businesses and there will also be prizes for winners of each of the activities.
The gates open at 12pm, with the event beginning at 12.30pm with a bugler, followed by a thank you veteran ceremony.
The tennis begins on five of the six tennis courts at 1pm with players changing partners after every set. The sixth court will be dedicated to the POP tennis, golf putting and the cornhole. Table tennis will take place inside the club.
“We’re expecting a lot of families and kids to the event and there’ll be activities happening all day,” David says. “There’ll be volunteers encouraging people to come and have a go.”
There’s also free entertainment around 3pm with a ‘fantastic local duo’ called Modern Vintage. “Jules (Juliana) De Sisto, from The Voice Australia (season 2), is one of the best vocalists you’ll ever hear, and with Seb (Sebastian Salz) on guitar, they’ll curate their set to fit the occasion,” says David. “That’ll be a very special way to chill out after the day.”
The event is funded by the NSW Government in association with Dee Why RSL Sub-Branch and supported by Invictus Australia and Legacy NSW.
Return Serve is a good way for veterans to connect and thrive in the local community, using sport as a catalyst for wellbeing and social connection.
David adds: “It’s just something that we want to give back a little bit, hence the title, Return Serve.”
Return Serve
Collaroy Tennis Club
Griffith Park, Anzac Avenue, Collaroy
Sunday 12 April, 12.30pm to 5pm
collaroytennisclub.com
Register by 7 April
