Former Gauteng East Tennis Association (GETA) president Ken Smith was described as a man who devoted his life to tennis and the upliftment of the sport in Ekurhuleni.
His daughter, Kerryn Tempest, explained Smith was a passionate tennis player, coach and administrator during the unveiling of the Ken Smith memorial garden at the GETA Complex in Lakefield on December 2.
Smith died in M
ay following a heart attack aged 79. He was the president of GETA for the past 23 years.
“Tennis and children were his passion. He became involved with Gauteng East in the 1970s as a player, coach and then administrator.
“He devoted a lot of his life to the sport of tennis and the upliftment of the sport in the East Rand,” said Tempest.
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The garden, which is situated next the administration building, overlooks the courts and has a bench with a silver plaque in Smith’s honour.
The St Columbus School teacher said she was honoured and proud that her father’s legacy would live on and that the role he played in the sport in the district will stay on for years.
She welcomed the renovations to the GETA tennis courts, adding the upgrades would have made her father proud.
“My father tried to raise funds for the upliftment of the courts and it was always a struggle to get money from the council. Seeing the new upgrades would have made him proud and happy that the new committee has done an amazing job. Thanks to them for keeping his legacy alive,” she said.
Smith started playing in the 1956/57 season until 1968 in the first league around the province.
He won numerous provincial titles and reached the SA junior championship twice while also clinching several junior doubles and mixed-doubles trophies.
Internationally, he achieved his best result in 1965 when he beat the flying Dutch machine Tom Okker. who won the Wimbledon men’s doubles title in 1969.
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After retiring, he coached full-time from 1970 to 1973 while continuing to play until 1988. He transitioned into administration as assistant secretary of the Benoni Country Club’s league.
He was appointed the president of GETA in 1999 and stayed on until his passing.
The umpire and ITF-accredited coach, Dundee Radebe, thanked Smith for his influence in his life.
“I don’t have the words to describe him. He opened doors for me. He played a key role in my life and he’s the reason I’m an umpire and a coach,” said Radebe.
The GETA juniors’ chairperson, Karen McRae explained the organisation will keep Smith’s legacy alive.
“As a committee, with the sad passing of our previous chairperson, we are going to keep his legacy alive and hopefully Gauteng East will be put back on the map again as one of the top provinces in the country,” she said.
