What would the Kiama Tennis Club be without Norma Stead? It’s a question worth pondering as the beloved caretaker recently turned 99. She’s been part of the club since it formed in 1953, and has seen it go from four clay courts in Hindmarsh Park to seven grass courts at Noorinan Street.But Norma herself takes it all in her stride. “I think about it now and well, I didn’t think I would be as involved in tennis, except that I always has,” she says. “Because I loved tennis.”Her story began, as many tennis-related ones do, with a racket.Norma grew up with her parents and three siblings, she being the oldest.“Mum used to play, dad used to play and I think we just followed them. I’ve held a tennis racket in my hand as far as I can remember,” she says.Her sister and two brothers used to play tennis, too. “They didn’t play tennis as long as I did. They were all quite good players.”But Norma’s initial, perhaps unlikely, tennis partner was a church across the road in Berry. She’s careful to stress that she “used to hit against, not the church hall, but the church wall.” Then, she moved on to playing in the street and with this being during World War II, there were no cars around.The children drew a tennis court using chalk, which “helped you with your consistency because you didn’t hit the ball hard like the kids these days. Because otherwise, you’d have to chase the ball,” Norma says.The art of consistencyThose early hits in the street, and the practice she gained hitting the ball on the line, came to serve her well as she began playing competitively, becoming a full-fledged baseline player.“I loved to stay back and play consistently,” Norma recalls. She would wear her opponents out by repeatedly hitting the ball back.“They used to say ‘oh,’ when they’d see me - ‘Oh, there’s the brick wall,’ she says. Norma would play competitions in both Kiama and Wollongong. Plus night competitions.She remembers playing at one o’clock in the morning. “These times, they got a finishing time. We used to play until it was finished,” she explains. All the sets? “Yes. Oh, dear.”SocialsBack in the day, when the tennis courts called Hindmarsh Park their home, there would be social tennis on Sunday afternoon and it was packed.“If you wanted to get on (we had four tennis courts) and have two or three sets in the afternoon, you’d be there at 12 o’clock,” Norma explains.People had to wait their turn and naturally, players would have a chat before or after matches.“Yeah, I used to enjoy it. You’d sit down, talk in between and always have afternoon tea. Nowadays, they just go on the court and play tennis, they don’t do any socials,” she notes sadly.Tuesday groupBut Norma, true to form, has never stopped doing socials. She still gets together every week with her Tuesday group, which started down in Hindmarsh some forty or fifty years ago.“We gradually all got older. Then it got too hot in the morning so we decided to make it evening time. Then, we stay and have chicken and chips,” she says.Just the other night, she had 14 people here at the club, out of whom four or five played tennis.About turning 99In July, she celebrated her 99th birthday with the members of the Tuesday group. And “had a little family get together. Went down to the bowling club for lunch,” she says.How does it feel to be 99? “I’m doing all right,” Stead replies. She admits though, twinkle in her eye, having slept in a bit this morning, until quarter to nine. Congratulations again Norma, you deserve all the sleep-ins that you’d like and more.On court achievements – Kiama & Shellharbour District Tennis Association Championships1953: B Grade Ladies Single Champion1954: AR Ladies Singles Champion1960: AR Ladies Doubles Champion with Beattie Long1963: AR Mixed Doubles Champion with Kevin Barr1964: AR Ladies Singles and AR Ladies Doubles Champion with Noelene Hurditch1965: AR Ladies Doubles with Noelene Hurditch, defeating Bernice Evans and Bev Taunton1967: AR Ladies Doubles with Bernice Evans1969: AR Ladies Doubles with Bernice EvansOff court achievements and awards 1968: Life membership, Kiama Tennis Club1969: Life membership, Kiama & Shellharbour District Tennis Association1982: “Member of the Year,” Kiama & Shellharbour District Tennis Association2000: Australian Sports Medal2001: The Stead family’s contribution to Kiama tennis was publicly recognised at a naming ceremony at the Kiama Tennis Club, which was named the Stead Reserve.2009: NSW Sports Federation Distinguished Long Service Award.2011: Tennis NSW Volunteer of the Year2021: Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to tennis
