TRIBUTE FROM TUGGERANONG NETBALL ASSOCIATION.
It is with great sadness that the Executive of the Tuggeranong Netball Association (TNA), together with all Life Members, advise that Life Member Suzanne Smith passed away on Sunday 4 April 2021 at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.
Suzanne, better known as Sue to all her many friends, was awarded the very first Life Membership of TNA in recognition of her significant contribution to the establishment of the netball facility in the Tuggeranong Valley. Her efforts have resulted in the successful delivery of netball to many generations of players in the Tuggeranong Valley over the past 29 years.
Without the years of dedication and commitment of the Life Members TNA would not be what it is today, and this effort was led by Sue through her pioneering efforts to establish and develop the TNA.
As previously stated, Sue was TNA’s first Life Member. This honour was bestowed on her in 1996 in recognition of the role she played in establishing TNA as an independent association in the first instance and was followed by her working closely with the ACT Government to establish our home courts at Calwell.
It was through her expertise and hard work that TNA came into being and has been successfully bringing netball to the Tuggeranong community since 1982 when we played on the courts at Kambah No3 oval and later at our current home in Calwell which was opened in 1988.
TNA commenced operation under the guidance of the Tuggeranong Sports and Recreation Association (TSARA) and the Arawang Netball Association in 1982.
Games were conducted at the original netball facility in the Valley at the Kambah No 3 oval with nine grass and four asphalt courts and no lighting. We had no office facility on site so every week the competition organisers brought everything needed for the games in their cars and ran all of the games from a fold up card table in the middle of the grass court area. We successfully ran the Winter Competition and the Summer Twilight Competition in this way for the next six years. Over this time Sue was actively involved in running the weekly competitions while also working to establish netball in the Valley as a sporting endeavour with its own governance and identity.
Under Sue’s guidance TNA achieved separate status as an incorporated body on 28 December 1984. It was subsequently admitted as the fifth District affiliated with the ACT Netball Association.
Sue was also one of the first TNA umpires to receive State Accreditation at the C Badge level.
As the player and member numbers continued to grow steadily it was apparent that the temporary arrangements at the Kambah facility could no longer provide the facilities necessary to run the number of games weekly to meet the growing demands.
It was at this point that Sue took the initiative on behalf of the Committee to lobby the ACT Government for a permanent site and home for TNA. We were originally scheduled to move to Monash, however, the Government decided to locate TNA to its present location, with the assurance that Calwell would eventually become the centre of a large Tuggeranong Valley community.
After much consultation between Sue, as TNA’s representative, and ACT Government staff the courts were developed in Were Street Calwell and officially opened by then local member Ros Kelly on 16 April 1988, which was also Sue’s 39th birthday. The original lease included four asphalt courts and a small pavilion with the grass courts being leased from the Government.
Sue continued to contribute to the Executive and Committee in numerous roles for many more years, as well as continuing her very active participation as a player, coach and umpire.
Sue’s greatest loves were her daughters and her five grandchildren. She left her involvement with TNA when she moved to Melbourne in 2010 in order to be part of their growing up.
Sue loved being a contributing member of her community wherever she was. She volunteered as a support to the schools her girls attended as well as their many sporting interests. Netball was principle among these, but she was also involved in touch football when her daughter Kim was playing.
Her volunteer pursuits were constant and endless, she was highly committed to breast cancer groups both in Canberra and Melbourne where, as a survivor, she assisted with many fundraising and support group activities.
She also volunteered for the Melbourne city council providing tourist information, advice and direction to visitors to her city as well as locals needing help to find their way around town. Sue was also a volunteer driver to Olympic executives during the Sydney Olympics.
We all know that one of Sue’s greatest loves and passions was her beloved Collingwood football club. After she returned to Melbourne, she rarely missed attending a game and, win or lose, her support for the black and white never wavered.
Sue will be greatly missed by many.
