50 years at Bellevue Tennis Club

My dad, Lu Engler, is an avid tennis player and was a good one at that too. This year he celebrated 50 years of being a member of the Bellevue Lawn Tennis Club in Glenwood. To honour him for this very fine achievement, they had a lamb on the spit on Saturday, 14 November 2009 at the club. It was great to go back there and it still looks very much the same as what I remember from a little girl going there. There have been some alterations done, of which my dad was the "work party" in getting it done. One of the guys who made a speech. All the speeches made were just so true of my dad. He is never one to sit around. If something needs to be done, he gets on and does it. He maintained the books of the club as well as keeping the bar stocked and apparently he used to tell the barman not to throw away the empties as he would count those against what was left in the fridge to balance against the money received!!

One of the things said in one of the speeches was you wanted a person like my dad on your committee and you just don't get people like that any more. This is a picture that the club had framed and will take pride of place in "The Lu Engler Lounge".

Val Maiden giving a speech. She reminded everyone of the brilliant "falls" my dad had. The "off the fence run" where my dad ended up running up the fence due to the momentum in getting a shot. There was also one where he could not stop and ended up rolling on the ground and then getting up and carrying on playing. Another when he could not stop at the net and ended up going over the top!! I must say I did witness one or two of those and they were spectacular - funny too!!! When I was younger and went to the club I used to play with Val's children who I think went on to play tennis themselves. I played for a short while, but preferred badminton and squash.

Inside the pub looking out onto the lounge my dad built.

The club from the main entrance.

The club from down on the tennis court.

Our family at the club.

My mom and dad.

In 1962,63,67 and 68 my dad won the men's singles competition. In 1961,63 65,66,67,68 and 69 he won the men's doubles competition. In 1963,64 66,67 68,69,70,71,72 and 76 he won the mixed doubles competition.

He also played in the masters championships as well as the grand masters championships. Sadly his knees have been giving him problems and last year he had a knee replacement and needs to have the other knee done as well, so is not able to play much tennis at all.

Well done dad, you are certainly an inspiration to the youth of today and have been a great inspiration to me.


Proud daughter signing 0ff ....