{"id":27920,"date":"2026-06-05T11:40:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T01:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/?p=27920"},"modified":"2026-06-05T11:40:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T01:40:51","slug":"collaroy-tennis-club-sets-the-standard-for-inclusion-this-pride-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/news\/2026\/06\/05\/collaroy-tennis-club-sets-the-standard-for-inclusion-this-pride-month","title":{"rendered":"Collaroy Tennis Club Sets the Standard for Inclusion this Pride Month\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This Pride Month, Tennis NSW is proud to spotlight Collaroy Tennis Club (CTC) as a leading example of how embracing inclusion can transform clubs, strengthen communities, and grow participation in tennis.<\/p>\n<p>Collaroy Tennis Club has once again achieved Silver Tier status in the Pride in Sport Index (2026), marking its second consecutive year of recognition and reinforcing its commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion both on and off the court.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Embedding Inclusion into Club Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Inclusion at CTC is not a standalone initiative, it is embedded across the club\u2019s operations and long-term strategy. LGBTQ+ inclusion is explicitly outlined in the club\u2019s Strategic Plan, supported by a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, a dedicated Diversity &amp; Inclusion sub-committee, and clearly communicated Guiding Principles promoting equity, respect and belonging.<\/p>\n<p>Visible signs of allyship, including \u201cOpen for All\u201d rainbow signage and a rainbow version of the club logo, reinforce the club\u2019s commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all players, members, volunteers and visitors.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27923\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-2.png 700w, https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-2-360x230.png 360w, https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-2-200x128.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Driving Community Impact Through Action<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CTC has continued to bring inclusion to life through programs, partnerships and events that foster participation and connection. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hosting its third Australian Open (AO) Pride Night, attracting strong attendance and community engagement<\/li>\n<li>Delivering \u201cRainbow Racquets\u201d, an inclusive tennis program designed for LGBTQ+ participants<\/li>\n<li>Partnering with Fusion Pride Northern Beaches to support inclusive events such as <em>Roll \u2018n\u2019 Stroll<\/em> and provide greater access to sport<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The club has also played an active role in broader inclusion initiatives, including Sydney WorldPride 2023 and the Australian Pride in Sport Festival.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Positive Growth and Recognition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since prioritising inclusion, CTC has experienced significant growth and success. Membership has expanded to over 260 members, with demand leading to the introduction of a waiting list. Inclusive events and programs have attracted new participants and strengthened ties within the local community.<\/p>\n<p>The club\u2019s efforts have also been recognised across the sporting sector, receiving major honours including Most Outstanding Club \u2013 Metro (Tennis NSW and Tennis Australia) and NSW Community Club of the Year, with CTC again named a finalist in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #0a6dff\"><em>\u201cWe are immensely proud to have achieved Silver Tier status for the second time,\u201d said Dave Keogh, Committee Member \u2013 Inclusion and Diversity at Collaroy Tennis Club.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #0a6dff\"><em>\u201cThis recognition reinforces our commitment to inclusion and is a key reason we are attracting new members in such large numbers. It strengthens our reputation and highlights our focus on providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27924\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-3.png 700w, https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-3-360x230.png 360w, https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/files\/2026\/06\/Collaroy-Tennis-Club-3-200x128.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>A Model for Inclusive Sport<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CTC&#8217;s journey highlights the broader value of inclusion in sport. Beyond fostering a sense of belonging, inclusive practices have delivered tangible benefits, including driving membership growth, enhancing club culture, and building stronger community connections.<\/p>\n<p>Members report a more positive and welcoming atmosphere, with increased engagement across club events and activities.<\/p>\n<p>CTC&#8217;s message to the tennis community is clear:<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #0a6dff\"><em>\u201cBeing inclusive isn\u2019t just the right thing to do &#8211; it strengthens communities, enhances member experiences and helps clubs grow.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Encouraging Clubs to Take Action<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tennis NSW encourages clubs across the state to take inspiration from CTC&#8217;s success through initiatives like the <strong>Serving Pride Initiative<\/strong>, a program which supports clubs in building more inclusive environments. If your club or venue would like to participate in the 2026 Serving Pride Initiative, complete the <a href=\"https:\/\/airtable.com\/apphN74e7mIYgMLh0\/pagL2H9VX1oRYOWUc\/form?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=N%2FA&amp;utm_source=TA-Email&amp;utm_content=Clubhouse+News+%7C+21+April&amp;utm_campaign=Clubhouse+News+%7C+21+April\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>EOI form here<\/strong><\/span><\/a> before Tuesday 30 June.<\/p>\n<p><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This Pride Month, Tennis NSW is proud to spotlight Collaroy Tennis Club (CTC) as a leading example of how embracing inclusion can transform clubs, strengthen communities, and grow participation in tennis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6323,"featured_media":27921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6323"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/nsw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}