Order of Australia (OAM) award to Norma Stead

We are delighted to announce the truly deserved award of the Medal of the Order of Australia to Norma Stead for her dedication to the tennis community.

Norma was quoted in the Illawarra Mercury as saying she was “surprised” to receive an OAM.

“My reaction was just ‘oh’, I didn’t carry on.  I just went quiet,” she said.

“My mum and dad both played tennis.  My dad used to play with (Australian tennis champion) Harry Hopman.  I’ve got a trophy of theirs that they won together, which I was very proud of.

“I won our school championships when I was about 12 at the public school in Berry.  Then the war came along and put a bit of a stopper to tennis and all kinds of things, but I managed to play a bit of social tennis around the place.  I’ve always been interested in tennis.”

We congratulate Norma on this most fantastic achievement and recognition of her efforts over the years.