On 12 October 2024, the club members held a special celebration party for Hazel, the occasion of her 80th birthday.
More significantly, we also celebrated her 60th continuous year as a member of Meadowridge Tennis Club. A remarkable achievement that is surely not one that many have surpassed or come close to for that matter. To recognize this milestone, a celebration bench was named after Hazel. Hazel has been playing competitive league tennis up to now. Sadly Hazel has had to stop playing due to a back injury. She is however a frequent visitor to the club supporting the players as they go about their league matches. Her granddaughter, Eirian, runs the kitchen during the league season and Hazel enjoys visiting her too.
Here are some brief highlights of Hazel’s life:
Born in Aliwal North 12 October 1944. Went to junior school at Eunice Primary School in Bloemfontein. My father was transferred to CT in 1958 when I was mid way through Grade 8. I went to Good Hope Seminary in Gardens for the remainder of Grade 8 and for 9 and 10. My parents built in Bergvliet and I went to Bergvliet High for Grades 11 and 12 when we moved here. Met Len at school and we used to play tennis at MTC on Sundays after we matriculated in 1962. I joined the club during 1963 as said they were short of singles players. The teams in those days having 2 singles players and 2 doubles couples. Len and I married on 8 June 1968. Carey born on 7 March 1971 and Nigel on 28 December 1972. Widowed on 2 December 2011. I started playing tennisette at the age of 7 and then tennis from the age of 11. The only time I didn’t play was right after having my children. I started with matches again as soon as I could and fellow members used to take turns to watch the children when I was on the court and then when Carey was about 6 years old they used to walk across to Len’s parents home in Faraday Way and spend most of Saturday afternoons there.
