Tennis Queensland Strategy

ACTION PLAN

ADVANTAGE QLD 2023-2024

Tennis Queensland Strategic Plan 2024 Update

A message from the Chairperson

Tennis has a rich history in Queensland. It does not matter if you are from Coolangatta or Cape York, we believe tennis is part of the Queensland DNA. Unique, among sports, tennis is truly a sport for life, allowing for intergenerational play and activity that fosters healthy and active communities.

On behalf of the Tennis Queensland Board, I thank you for your contribution towards delivering the final leg of the 2024 journey, Advantage QLD 2023-2024. To our clubs, affiliates, coaches, volunteers, players, officials and tennis fans we thank you for your amazing contribution that has seen tennis in Queensland thrive. You are the heartbeat of tennis in this state and I encourage you all to embrace this strategy and work with Tennis Queensland over the next two years of its delivery.

A message from the CEO

Advantage QLD 2023-2024 is about nurturing all our Queensland tennis communities. It provides a blueprint to get back to the grassroots and strengthen our tennis facilities and tennis delivery network - back to courts, coaches, competitions, in safe, welcoming, and inclusive tennis communities.

Tennis Queensland, Chairperson

The Advantage QLD 2023-2024 is an action plan specifically for Queensland and demonstrates an understanding of regional diversity while also acknowledging the benefits of national alignment and partnership with Tennis Australia. It absorbs the enormous consultation undertaken in the Tennis Queensland Strategic Plan 2024, incorporates three years of progress, and integrates the insights of three major national reviews covering participation, competitive play, and coach. It also ensures continued alignment with Activate! Queensland 2019-2029 as a key strategic priority for tennis in Queensland.

The revised strategy recognizes that grassroots sport has evolved and is now a congested and competitive landscape. It places the player experience firmly in the spotlight and provides a roadmap for delivering more people playing tennis more often. Advantage QLD 2023-2024 is a commitment to investing in the quality of the pathway, improving the capacity and capability of Queensland’s tennis delivery network.

On behalf of Tennis Queensland, it is my pleasure to deliver the Advantage QLD 2023-2024 Action Plan. I invite all tennis stakeholders to collaborate with the Tennis Queensland team as we work together to bring this plan to life.

Anthony White Tennis Queensland, CEO

Advantage QLD 2023-2024:

An integrated approach to strategy

In 2019, Tennis Queensland launched the Tennis Queensland Strategic Plan 2024. It was a bold and wide-ranging plan, and despite a global pandemic and significant financial challenges, over the ensuing three years, the Tennis Queensland team continued to make significant progress with its delivery.

Coming out of the pandemic and over the last 18 months, tennis has invested in several significant national reviews including the national Coach review, a national competitive play review, and the Game On! Australian Tennis Participation with a National Sustainability Plan are also in the pipeline.

Advantage QLD 2023-2024 is an integrated Action Plan. It absorbs the enormous consultation of the Tennis Queensland Strategic Plan 2024 but also incorporates three years of progress. In addition, it draws from the consultation and key learnings of three significant national reviews, helping align Tennis Queensland with Tennis Australia and the broader vision for our sport. Finally, Advantage QLD 2023-2024 also ensures continued alignment with the Queensland State Government’s Activate! Queensland 2029 program. Tennis Queensland is a proud Active Industry Partner and this partnership Is critical for Tennis Queensland moving forward.

Tennis Australia

Tennis Commercial Strategy

DRAFT Tennis Australia Sustainability Strategy

Tennis Queensland Strategic Plan 2024

Activate!

Queensland 2029

Game On! Australian Tennis Participation Review & Strategy

Advantage QLD 2023-2024.

ACTIVATE! Queensland, Accelerate 2022–2025

Tennis Australia Coach Review

Queensland Tennis Facilities Plan 2028

Australian

Tennis Competitive Play Review and Blueprint

7 Tennis Queensland Regional Assembly Strategies

Plan On A Page

OUR VISION To be the #1 sport in Queensland for participation, inclusivity & accessibility

OUR PURPOSE To enable, develop and lead a thriving tennis delivery network throughout Queensland

Respect

Collaboration

OUR MISSION More people playing tennis more often OUR VALUES

Imagination

Excellence

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

STRATEGIC FOUNDATIONS

Tennis Courts & Facilities

Tennis Communities

Tennis Competitions & Pathways

Tennis Coaches

Prudent financial management

Best practice governance & risk management

Our People

Inclusion & diversity

Local & State Government Relations

Queensland Tennis Centre management & major event activation

KEY STAKEHOLDERS Players

The Ambition

OUR VISION

To be the #1 sport in Queensland for participation, inclusivity & accessibility

OUR MISSION OUR PURPOSE

More people playing tennis more often

Major Events

State Government

To enable, support and develop a thriving tennis delivery network throughout Queensland

How We Work …

Tennis Queensland works through our affiliates and coaches to inspire player growth and deliver sustainable facilities. Our primary role is to enable, support and develop thriving tennis communities that provide opportunities for volunteers and rewarding careers to coaches and operators.

Commercial Partners

Tennis Australia

Parents

Professional Coaches

LGAs

Universities

Tennis Queensland

PLAYERS

Affiliates & Regional Assemblies

Venue Operators & Administrators

Volunteers & Officials

Schools

Stadiums Queensland

Teachers

Our Values & Behaviours

A great strategy alone is not enough. Values and culture will enable success.

RESPECT

We will be considerate, self aware and treat all members of the tennis family with respect. We will be positive, build relationships on trust and take responsibility for our actions.

COLLABORATION

Off the court we choose collaboration over competition. We listen, work together with all members of the tennis community and celebrate each others success.

Each member of the Tennis Queensland Board, Regional Assemblies and staff will demonstrate these values in the choices we make and the behaviours we model.

IMAGINATION

We welcome those that think differently and encourage diversity.

EXCELLENCE

Excellence is an attitude and a continual process. Every day we strive to be better.

Strategic Priorities 2023-2024

Tennis in Queensland is a large, complex, and interdependent ecosystem. We have identified four strategic priorities to drive grassroots tennis over the next two years.

TENNIS COURTS & FACILITIES

Tennis facilities are the foundation of our sport. Our role is to help ensure tennis facilities are fit-for-purpose, accessible, and located in areas of demand. We will work hand in glove with our affiliates, schools, and local Governments to maximize court utilisation and encourage sustainable management models.

TENNIS COMPETITIONS & PATHWAYS

Tennis is a game and players want to play! Our role is to encourage and support the delivery of a holistic player pathway that attracts and retains players of all abilities and standards. We understand regions have unique strengths and challenges, and our competitions and pathways have to be adaptable across the state.

The Opportunity

TENNIS COMMUNITIES

Our tennis communities are a diverse mix of not-for-profits, privately owned facilities, coach operators, schools, and competition facilitators. Our role is to inspire and lead safe, collaborative, and inclusive tennis communities. We will endeavor to provide an affiliation model that represents value to all our affiliates and deliver best practice governance that is fit-for-purpose and has a positive influence on our sport.

TENNIS COACHES

Tennis coaches are the catalyst to thriving player pathways and the driver of sustainable tennis communities. Where great coaches work, tennis thrives. Our role is to develop and nurture a diverse and highly capable coach delivery network to meet the needs of our affiliates and assure the long-term future of tennis.

Data shows more than 400,000 Queenslanders who do not currently play tennis will be interested in playing in the next 12 months. Advantage QLD!

(data supplied by Aura/Kinetica March 2023)

TENNIS COURTS & FACILITIES

Strategic Objectives

To identify and prioritize investment in tennis infrastructure across Queensland, ensuring facilities are fit-for-purpose, accessible, and meet participation demands.

To work through our affiliates and coaches, and with our schools and local Governments to establish sustainable management models that maximize court utilisation.

Focus Areas

 Continued strategic implementation of the Queensland Tennis Facilities Plan 2028 (QTFP 2028).

 Continued support and assistance for affiliates to achieve funding for upgraded tennis facilities throughout the State.

 Retention of, upgrades to, and increased accessibility to school tennis facilities via the Tennis in State Schools Initiative program.

 Support innovative models to increase investment in and the development of new tennis facilities.

 Promote stage 1 of the Queensland Tennis Centre Master Plan.

 Work with clubs to adopt best practice management models, that based upon the specific venue’s needs, maximise venue visitation and long-term venue sustainability.

*Our strategic focus on tennis courts links directly with Key Outcome D of our Active! Industry Partnership with the Queensland Government. It also aligns with ACTIVATE! Queensland, Accelerate 2022-2025 Commitment #3 & #4.

 Recognition of complementary formats and their role in the Queensland tennis landscape.

Key Insights & Challenges

There is a correlation between a management model and court utilisation. Courts and facilities with a coach operator achieve 200% more annual visits per court compared to venues operated exclusively by volunteer clubs or managed by the council.

Significant progress has been made with digital enablement and 73% of affiliates with venues now have online court booking capability.

Complementary formats provide an opportunity to increase court utilisation, venue revenue and vibrancy of tennis facilities.

Many of our regional clubs located in areas of lower population density have aging infrastructure and struggle to maintain adequate sinking funds.

Court accessibility and venue quality are all crucial in acquiring, satisfying, and retaining players.

ClubSpark, Book-A-Court, and Click-to-the-Court have driven online court bookings and revenue growth predominantly at NFP clubs.

Sustainable management models include responsible sinking funds and reasonable lease fees that incentivise and reward professional coaches/ operators for growing.

TENNIS COMMUNITIES

Strategic Objectives

To ensure our board, company members, and staff can inspire and lead with respect, imagination, collaboration, and excellence.

To ensure our affiliation model represents value to all affiliates. Deliver best practice governance that is fit-for-purpose and responsive to the evolving needs of our tennis community.

Focus Areas

*Our strategic focus on tennis communities links directly with Key Outcome A & C of our Active! Industry Partnership with the Queensland Government. It also aligns with ACTIVATE! Queensland, Accelerate 2022-2025 Commitment #1.

Key Insights & Challenges

The needs of affiliates differ substantially between regions. Furthermore, our affiliates are an eclectic mix of not-for-profits, privately owned clubs, coach operators, commercial administrators, schools, and competition facilitators.

Significant opportunities exist for new affiliation models with only 16% of tennis venues in our 12 largest LGAs affiliated.

Our tennis volunteer network is aging, and tennis volunteerism is not being embraced by future generations.

Succession planning and diversity at all levels of administration and governance needs to be prioritised.

Professional coaches and club administrators must be embraced if Queensland is to have sustainable tennis communities.

Adult club membership is in decline, particularly for young adults.

Our tennis communities constantly rely on the same small group of volunteers who are overworked and suffering fatigue.

TENNIS COMPETITIONS & PATHWAYS

Strategic Objectives

To clarify and support the delivery of a holistic player pathway that attracts and retains players of all abilities and standards.

To support the training and development of officials, coaches, and tournament directors to deliver high-quality competitive play opportunities right across the state.

To encourage and support the delivery of a pathway from playing to coaching, volunteering and a career within the tennis industry.

Focus Areas

 The education of Queensland players, parents, and coaches on the Queensland player pathways, UTR, rankings, competitive play opportunities and behavioural expectations.

 Expansion of the Tennis Queensland-endorsed primary schools team tennis competition with the purpose of establishing pathways and links between kids, schools, and affiliates.

 Educate and develop a state-wide network of league deliverers and tournament directors within the affiliate network.

 Invest in and improve our kids’ first-defined tournament experience – The Junior Development Series experience..

 Increase the awareness of and opportunities for coaching, tournament directing and volunteering amongst players.

 Continue investing in the officiating of a thriving competitive play structure within each region.

*Our strategic focus on tennis competitions and pathways links directly with Key Outcome B of our Active! Industry Partnership with the Queensland Government. It also aligns with ACTIVATE! Queensland, Accelerate 2022-2025 Commitment #2.

 Introduce new team tennis initiatives to complement and enhance the existing tournament framework.

Key Insights & Challenges

Findings from the competitive play review showed Queensland’s competition pathway was disconnected, cluttered, and difficult to understand for players and families entering our sport.

To retain kids in our sport, tennis needs to invest in, and enhance our kids’ first defined “tournament” experience.

Regional areas have unique strengths and challenges. Our competitions and pathways must be adaptable and consider regional nuances.

Society and families’ expectations are dramatically different from what has come in the past. We must acknowledge this change and adapt our player opportunities accordingly.

With an 80% approval rating in the QLD competitive play review, team tennis tournaments were a priority for players.

Clubs with strong school links are 67% more sustainable.

Programs that establish links between schools, clubs and coaches must be prioritized.

90% of kids want to play for social/fun reasons, but most “ways to play” are focused on individual competition. Emphasis on individual development and competition is too strong particularly for girls.

TENNIS COACHES

Strategic Objectives

To source, attract, and retain a diverse and highly capable coach delivery network.

To support coach development programs that meet the evolving needs of our players, affiliates, and society.

Focus Areas

 Increase collaboration, and the sharing of ideas within the coaching community.

 Improve the off-court capability and capacity of our coach network, including the ability to deliver online enrolments and accept online payments.

 Invest in and support appropriate pilot programs to drive coach recruitment and coach retention strategies within the state.

 Develop and support a long-term career coach development program to encourage coaching as a career.

 Develop private coaches and operators to help deliver coach development and coach mentoring throughout the state.

*Our strategic focus on tennis competitions and pathways links directly with Key Outcome B of our Active! Industry Partnership with the Queensland Government. It also aligns with ACTIVATE! Queensland, Accelerate 2022-2025 Commitment #2.

Key Insights & Challenges

In Queensland, one of the biggest barriers to more people playing tennis is a lack of capacity in the coach delivery network.

Coming out of the pandemic the nation is facing a 48-year low in the jobless rate prompting severe labor shortages and tennis volunteerism has been on a rapid decline.

Research from Game On! shows the biggest barrier to more kids playing tennis is navigating a burdensome registration process and coaches that overemphasise technique over engaging kids.

Regional coaches have unique challenges with low populations, significant distances to travel between venues, and customers/players with less discretionary spending available.

If we aspire to have great tennis coaches delivering our sport, the first step is a community that welcomes and embraces well-paid professional career coaches.

Only 10% of coaches offer online coach bookings and payment. This compares to 73% of clubs now offering online court hire and payment.

Less than 4% of clubs without school partnerships or formal coach relationships meet participation benchmarks – Schools and coaches are critical to thriving clubs.

Great beginner programs and engaging coaches are the sources of inspiration for kids to either continue in tennis or the reason for leaving.

Clubs in metropolitan Brisbane are restrained from growth due to a shortage of capable coaches.

Data shows venue participation measures more than double with professional coach involvement.

Advantage QLD 2023-2024

Strategic Foundations Our Team

Prudent Financial Management

 Diversify revenue streams and increase the ratio of income outside of Tennis Australia.

 Responsible financial management that applies a balanced view to investing in tennis and sensibly managing financial reserves.

Best Practice Governance and Risk Management

 Best practice, organizational appropriate governance practices.

 Continual constitutional refinement of the fitfor-purpose constitution.

 Best practice risk management frameworks.

 Best practice child safety protocols.

 A highly capable team focused on tennis in Queensland.

 A nation-leading executive team.

Inclusion and Diversity

 Implementation of the Tennis Queensland Gender Equity Plan 2022-2024.

 Commence implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan and support the delivery of quality, co-designed, and culturally appropriate participation opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

 Support and expand our all-abilities player pathways.

Local and State Government Partnerships

 Tennis Queensland’s Friends of Tennis network.

 Partnerships with local councils, Federal and State Government for the benefit of our affiliates.

Queensland Tennis Centre Management and Major Event Activation

 Optimise QTC court utilisation and broader venue activation.

 Partnership with the National Tennis Academy.

 Deliver the Brisbane Summer of Tennis to raise the profile of grassroots tennis.

 Work with TA to deliver major Australian tennis events.

Summary

Queensland is geographically vast, and the needs of our regions vary enormously. Whether it be Metropolitan Brisbane, Far North Queensland, or Western Queensland, we are at a critical juncture for tennis player participation right across the State.

Over the last three years, the state has seen enormous population growth, particularly in the southeast. In this region the demand for tennis is extremely strong, and player growth is predominantly constrained by a lack of facilities and capacity within our coach delivery network. However, in other regional areas, the story is different.

Many of our western and northern regions have large facilities but towns with dwindling populations and ageing coaches. Combined with heavy competition from other grassroots sports, especially in women and girls, the long-term viability of tennis in these regions is uncertain.

The Advantage QLD Action Plan acknowledges these challenges and provides guidance for where and how to focus investment to influence both our short-term growth and long-term sustainability.