Tribute to
ALAN CARROLL
30.11.33 - 18.8.08
The love of the game of tennis... a tribute to Alan by his wife Lois.
Alan having the desire in his nature to always be a winner in anything
that he set his mind to, playing tennis was no exception. In his
capacity to achieve he simplified his dream of tennis which ruled
his life and became a World-renowned player and an extremely
respected professional tennis coach. He made an excellent living
out of doing something he loved and finally accomplished his life
long dream, of owning his own tennis complex. I suppose you can’t
ask for anything more out of this fantastic sport.
Our family travelled hundreds of kilometres around Australia setting
up in many different towns and organising Tennis Coaching Clinics
for everybody to learn this art. One magnificent coaching clinic
that we ran was a two week clinic at Tennyson Park, Wagga Wagga when
Roger Waugh and his family came to help with the vast number of
children enrolled. The people in the town still talk about the
Waugh family and the great fun they had with their well known
cricketing sons. The then President of Tennyson Park, Mr Tom
Berrigan, who was a Tennis Umpire at the time, enjoyed these
occasions immensely and his family who are still our life long
friends are still playing the sport. Mr Berrigan estimated that
Alan would have coached over several million children and adults in
his tennis career.
Alan in all his glory of winning outstanding tournaments himself was
never interested in that part of the game. He was more devoted to
coaching and making a player of anybody who was willing to “give it
a go”. He won his place many times to accept opportunities to go
overseas not only in his early years but with the Veterans Tennis
Association also, however he refused these offers because he was
running, particularly in the later part of his career, the largest
and most successful coaching clinics in Australia. We used to have
a competition between Ross Jones and ourselves to see who had the
most children attending these schools. Billy Gilmour was also in
the running, however Alan would go all out to get those numbers and
make a great time for the kids who attended these holiday schools.
A great attribute to have for a lifetime in the sport. For the
family in these cases Alan never gave away any information without
cash being exchanged. The business side for his family was
paramount in his management skills of providing a comfortable living
for himself and his family. I must say Alan had a different
approach to the game. He only wanted people to play the game and
enjoy it to its fullest.
Here in Lismore we met a great family who have three well educated,
sensible boys who Alan took under his wing and was hoping to make
them tennis coaches. These boys would come around when the big
matches were on and really enjoyed Alan’s clever knowledge of the
game. It was magnificent sitting watching say “Wimbledon” because
he would say the ball is going --- and to quote “the ball is going
to land so and so and it would”. They too certainly miss Alan’s
company.
In regard to our Tennis Complex which is unique in many ways the
night bookings have run non stop for ten years. These people really
enjoy the game and just love playing tennis. Alan only mentioned
hours before going into hospital for the last time “you know Lois,
those folk have been with us ever since we put in the courts and
they are still going, why can’t that be me? You know I love tennis
so much that it hurts now to see those people playing and not
myself. Perhaps I have let you down in getting this wretched
Leukaemia but I can’t beat it. Pity it can’t be ruled out like a
tennis ball can”.
Alan’s legacy lives on through our two girls, Alison and Melissa.
Alan of course coached them tennis before they could hardly walk,
however during their childhood years always had them on the tennis
courts at every available moment. Alison played and won many age
tournaments and was lucky to marry Patrick Crowe who was the number
three ranked player in Australia for under 16’s (1990). They have
been married for nine years, now living in Exmouth, Western
Australia with their two beautiful children, Eve and Jasmine.
Melissa also played and won many age tournaments and still is
actively involved in both playing and coaching tennis. Through
Melissa’s position as a Physical Education teacher she was selected
to manage the New South Wales Secondary Schools Pizzey Cup Tennis
Teams, a position Melissa has held for five years. Melissa was also
very fortunate to have married another Physical Education teacher,
Tim Pulsford, with their interests still remaining in Tennis. Alan
was very proud of his two girls in his quiet way and admired not
only his girls but their husbands too.
I would like to finish on this point for everyone to enjoy. Alan
was a true sportsman, a wonderful husband, a loving father, a fun Pa
and a great person to all who knew him well. He lived for the game
of Tennis.
He gave all he possibly could give to ensure that Tennis holds its
place in the Australian way of life.
Happy Tennis to all.
Four Tennis Courts owned by Alan Carroll Tennis
Pty Ltd – Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah, NSW 2480
Built on Lismore Council Land under lease for
twenty years which are attached to the
Lismore Worker’s Club, Lismore.
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