Family tennis event in Cambridge raises $11k for Ronald McDonald House

The youngest on court was 5 years old and the oldest celebrated his 88th birthday the following day.

Two tennis players, more than eight decades apart in age, playing in the same event at Cambridge Racquets Club in the mighty Waikato.

That’s what the inaugural Ray White Ronald McDonald Family Tennis Tournament was all about – bringing generations together, bringing families together, to play tennis and raise money for a worthy cause.

“The tournament proved to be much more than just one day,” event organiser Rosie Smith said.

“It brought whānau together on court to practise, in the lead up to the tournament and continuing on after. We had one family with three generations playing, and multiple families with every member on court, dragging in aunties and uncles to play with all the kids.”

There were 55 teams across seven divisions and more than $11,000 was raised for Ronald McDonald House Charities, which supports families when their child is in a New Zealand hospital away from home.

Ronald McDonald House provides thousands of families with accommodation and support free of charge each year at its facilities throughout New Zealand.

“Having spent countless nights at Ronald McDonald House myself while my son was receiving treatment for cancer at Starship Hospital, I wanted to give back to this incredible charity,” Rosie said.

“Thank you to all our club members who helped out and supported the event, we really couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. We really do have an awesome club.”

Cambridge Racquets Club, which has been around since 1888, hosted more than 160 players and guests on March 12, with the courts full from 8.30am right through to 3.30pm. 

“The club culture was shining bright with more than 20 volunteers and club members helping out on the barbecues, in the kitchen, at the bar, cleaning before and after the event, donating morning tea, afternoon tea, and an endless lunch of steak buns, sausages and salads,” Rosie said.

“The club was full of laughter and smiles, with the most common question from the kids being, ‘When is the next tournament, I want to play again?!”

There were matches played at all levels – including with red dot balls, orange dot balls and green dot balls – and the top division boasted several Waikato junior players who represent the region.

“We had grandparents on court with grandkids, and parents being skilled up by their juniors,” Rosie said.

Or, in the case of Paul Honiss, it was the juniors getting a lesson.

On the last day of his 87th year, Paul made it all the way to the finals.

Local junior Kiwi Tennis coach Andrew Hood was also at the club all day, supporting the kids playing, helping out the tournament director and, when there was space on court, running fun games with spot prizes.

The event was a real team effort, Rosie said.

Several local businesses, including Ray White Cambridge, sponsored the tournament financially and supported Ronald McDonald House.

“They believed in our family tennis tournament and our community.”

With the first Ray White Ronald McDonald Family Tennis Tournament such a success, Rosie said she would like to make it an annual event.

“To all the adults who pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to be on court in an environment they are not so familiar with, I suspect we will be seeing you all back again next year with the smiles that came off court.”