Easter Cup was held on Saturday
Lovebirds Nola and Chris Wilson reminisce as meeting place Melville Palmyra Tennis Club reaches turns 60
The merger that brought together two tennis clubs 60 years ago did so much more for two of its foundation members, Nola and Chris Wilson.
As part of the countdown to Melville Palmyra Tennis Club’s milestone celebrations, the Wilsons this week took a trip down memory lane to share how the union kicked off 54 wonderful years of marriage.
Chris, 76, began playing the sport at the Palmyra Tennis Club when he was just 10.
Nola, 75, first played at Melville Tennis Club when she was 12.
“With the Melville council forcing the two clubs to amalgamate, we met, so the council has a lot to answer for,” Chris told PerthNow.
The pair were just friends until 16-year-old Chris went to extraordinary lengths to have 15-year-old Nola by his side at a wedding.
“My cousin was getting married and I needed a partner, we were friends through the tennis club but that was the first time I asked her on a date,” Chris said.
“I didn’t have a licence and Nola didn’t have a phone and I lived in Mosman Park, so Mum and Dad drove me to Nola’s place in Melville and I knocked on the door and asked if she wanted to come to the wedding with me.
“I was nervous thinking ‘what if she says no’.”
Luckily for Chris, she said yes.
At the wedding, Nola surprised Chris on the dance floor and in Nola’s words “that was that”.
“We were sitting there at the wedding and I thought, should I ask her to dance,” Chris said.
“So we got up on the dance floor and I thought wow.
“She completely swept me off my feet. I always said I wouldn’t marry someone who couldn’t dance because I loved dancing.”
Chris and Nola married seven years later in a hall opposite the tennis club and over the next 54 years, have proudly watched each other, their children and grandchildren hitting on the courts next to Melville Reserve.
“We call this our second home, it has always been our second home,” Nola said.
“Our kids grew up calling everyone in the club aunty and uncle, I don’t know what I would have done without this tennis club,” Chris said.
The couple have lived in Kardinya for years now but still choose to travel to Melville despite there being another club in their home suburb.
“The thing that has kept me at the club is the people,” Chris said.
“It is only a building and they are only tennis courts but the people keep me coming back.”
“We always say we are a family club, we have always been a family club, promoting people to get involved in the sport,
“With the anniversary coming up, we have families who haven’t been involved for 45 years coming because that is the connection and type of friendships which have been made through this club.”
Chris is the club’s longest-serving life member and the host of the anniversary party being organised for Sunday, February 23, where the newly renovated clubhouse will feature live music, finger food and drinks for past and present members to celebrate the 60-year milestone.
“Social functions have always been a huge part of the club, creating harmony and friendships amongst members and getting people involved,” Chris said.
“This event is another way people can feel part of the Melville Palmyra Tennis Club family.”
Melvillle Palmyra Tennis Club 60th Anniversary
Final Rounds
SECOND LAST ROUND gave us some excellent tipping, and four people managed to select the perfect 9/9. We congratulate ANZACS, Mark Rule, Michael Spadanuda, and Natasha Wilson, each of them winning $20-00 in each of the $80-00 jackpots. This means that for the last round, we have a jackpot of $40-00.
With Natasha Wilson getting the 9/9, this puts her on the top of our ladder with a score of 131, closely followed by Shirley Christie and Lena Wilkinson, who are both on 130, while just one game further back, we have Mark Chamberlain, Mike Concannon and Mick O’Rafferty.
FINAL ROUND This round seemed a little harder to select winners with most people scoring 5 or 6, But Shirley Christie managed the perfect score and collected our jackpot of $40-00.
SHIRLEY FINISHED ON TOP OF OUR LADDER, and being our winner takes home our winner’s prize of $300-00, finishing on the magnificent score of 139. Shirley actually also beat ALL the “expert” commentators in the West Australian who select week by week, allowing for weather conditions and injuries. Top job, Shirley.
On a score of 136, tied three behind Shirley, we had Lena Wilkinson and Natasha Wilson, who shared 2nd and 3rd prize money and won $175-00 each. Again, well done to our ladies. One game further back as equal 4th were Mike Concannon and Mike O’Rafferty.
With Shirley winning the final jackpot, there was nothing left to be divided between the person on the bottom of the ladder and the tennis club.
Thanks to everyone for being a part of our tipping competition and we hope that you (and any family or friends you would like to be it in) will join us again next year. The more people in it the more interesting it becomes. This year due to your participation we have paid out $1,610-00 in prize money and raised $490-00 for the tennis club. For those who have won money during the year, we will get your prize money to you so soon as possible.
Thanks to Steve Doig who gets the results every week onto the club website for us.
Again many thanks, keep well, and see you again next year.
CHRIS AND NOLA
Thanks to Chris & Nola for running such a wonderful competition for the club – Steve.
Round 21
OUR ROUND 21 once again proving difficult to select winners with most people missing Pt Adelaide, Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn all having a win. No one selected the perfect 9 with our top score being 7/9 and only three people achieving that – David Kitto, Fay Kitto and Mike O’Rafferty.
We now have just one person at the top of the leaders board – Natasha Wilson on 114 – well done Natasha. One game behind Natasha on 113 are
Shirley Christie, Don Doig, Mike O’Rafferty and RAT. On 112 is Mark Chamberlain and on 111 we have Mike Concannon, T& M O’Reilly, Mark Rule
and Lena Wilkinson.
With no winner this week, our jackpot jumps to the huge amount of $280-00 so keep those fingers crossed that you made some good decisions
back in March.
Good Luck Everyone
CHRIS & NOLA WILSON
Round 17
Hi Everyone,
Attached is the up-to-date tipping from the last two weeks. Neither week gave us a winner so next week we have $160-00 in the jackpot.
This week, we had six people select 8/9 – all missing the same game – Essendon defeating Collingwood – Roger Hooper, Mike Kessell, RAT, Kylie Squiers, Lena Wilkinson and Natasha Wilson. Great Tipping, folks.
With our leader’s ladder, we have 8 people within 3 points of each other. Don Doig leads the way on 97. He leads Shirley Christie and Natasha Wilson who are both on 96, followed by Faye Scorer on 95, while on 94 we have Mark Chamberelain, T & M O’Reilly, RAT, and Lena Wilkinson.
Good Luck everyone for the $160-00 jackpot next round.
CHRIS & NOLA WILSON
The 2024 Kevin Farrell Golf Cup
The Australian Padel Tour – Perth Cup 2023 at Melville Tennis Centre
See Australia’s top-ranked Padel players compete at the highest level
Date: November 3, 4 & 5
Location: Padel West, Melville Tennis Centre
(Corner Stock Rd & Canning Highway, Melville)
- Free entry for all spectators
- Food is available to purchase all weekend
- Onsite Pop-Up Bar
Round 20
ROUND 20 – For the first time since Round 4, 2022, both WA teams had a win – hooray, BUT did it help with the tipping – NO.
In fact, the round proved full of upsets and the best tipping result for this round was 6/9, and only three people managed to do that. We do say “Well Done” for this to Fran Chamberlain, Mike Eames and Danika Squiers.
Not much of a change on the leaders ladder with most scoring 4/9. Don Doig remains our leader and is now on 121, followed by Mike Concannon and Gail Harper on 119, Mike Eames and Mark Rule on 116 followed by Tim & Rodg on 115.
With just 4 rounds to go, it looks likely that our winners could come from this group, but then we still have 36 games to select winners and if it is anything like this weekend – any team can win and cause another upset.
With no winner this week, we have $80-00 sitting there for anyone clever enough to take it, so good luck to the teams you have selected.
CHRIS & NOLA WILSON
Easter Social Tennis – Saturday 8th April 2023
