Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
DUBBO'S Glenn Armstrong was honoured with one of the most prestigious tennis awards in the state last week when he was named the NSW Senior Tennis Player of the Year for 2014.
The well-known local sporting identity has dedicated much of his time to playing at local, regional and state tournaments for years now and all that hard work was rewarded in Canberra last week when he was presented with the statewide accolade.
"We just got back from the Australian titles and went to the NSW dinner and awards night and I got called out, it's pretty much the biggest award you can get," he said.
"I'm just very proud, it's a great thing to win and I think I'm pretty much the only one from out west to ever win it, there's thousands of people so to be picked is something I couldn't really believe."
continued page 22
The 56-year-old is a key figure at the Paramount Tennis Club, helping organise events as well as playing and coaching and those efforts off the court helped his claim to be awarded Senior Player of the Year.
The fact anyone over 35 is considered a senior also makes Armstrong's effort even more impressive but there's no doubt the local veteran puts as much into the game as anyone.
"We run our own tournaments here and are heavily involved tennis and the promotion of it," he said, before speaking about his on-court efforts in 2014.
"I played a lot around town and won a lot and I was travelling every second weekend or so, sometimes you'd be in Port Macquarie and then Nelson's Bay or Tamworth or somewhere further south.
"It would end up being close to 20 tournaments, every second weekend all year and this year will be about the same."
Armstrong's hugely successful 2014 began with him winning the Australian titles with doubles partner Wayne Dickinson and the duo was in action again last week when they attempted to defend their crown at Canberra.
"We came second, only by a game," Armstrong said.
"I didn't play the final because I blew out my arm again so I had to sit on the side and watch it and we were beaten, I think we might of won if I did play, but were we were beaten by South Australia by one point, we led 5-4 and had the advantage.
"Watching was a bit more painful, I really wanted to be out there because it was too nerve-wrecking."
According to Armstrong he plays purely for the love of the game and being active, not for any rewards, but was hopeful his recognition would help promote tennis more in Dubbo.
"I just love playing sport, I still play cricket and still captained in first grade when I was 40 but it's great, especially with the kids, helping them come on and at the tennis club there's kids around there too," he said.
"It's good for all of Dubbo tennis really, hopefully people see this and maybe a few others might start to play. You don't have to be Roger Federer to play, I've just been lucky my old man was a tennis coach so I've been playing since I was seven."
Armstrong is currently working on his arm injury to make sure he his fully fit for the year's first big tournament, at Gosford in close to two months' time.