SUNS SHINING FOR 30 YEARS

SUNS SHINING FOR 30 YEARS

The SUNS Table Tennis Club which operates from the Brickpit Stadium in Thornleigh has celebrated 30 years of successful operation.

Members have all come to accept that SUNS is the true name for the Club but it really stands for Sydney Upper North Shore and in true Australian spirit has been shortened to SUNS.

Who would have suspected that when Theo Morsink decided to set up table tennis near his home in Berowra that the club would have grown to achieve over 300 members.

In 1992 Theo started the club with borrowed tables and other equipment and then his efforts really started to gain track. For those of you who have dealt with Theo, he has an inbuilt ability not to accept no for an answer and thus he started the SUNS journey.

SUNS have had a number of homes but their set up at the Thornleigh Brickpit Stadium is to be applauded as a credit to Theo’s never-say-die attitude. The sports centre was not designed for table tennis and was originally intended solely for basketball. However, Theo was aware of the fact that a new facility was to be built and through his efforts in lobbying support for table tennis, the new home of SUNS was available.

Theo was not content with simply increasing the SUNS membership and was also the long serving President of Sydney Northern Districts Table Tennis Association which now boasts about 20 separate clubs. At the state level, Theo was also one of the Treasurers of Table Tennis NSW.   

Time has moved on and Theo decided it was time for others to take over the reins of the club. At the age of 84, Theo deserves to have others continue with his legacy.

Thus, the new SUNS Committee was formed. It is not easy to find a more enthusiastic group of committee members to ensure the longevity of SUNS.  Members wished to ensure that Theo’s efforts were not forgotten, and Theo was awarded the title of Life President.

Ted Davis, Vice President of Table Tennis NSW, was honoured by the Committee to be invited to the 30 years celebration lunch at the Castle Terrace Chinese Cuisine where over 100 members were able to join in the celebration.

The Committee has now negotiated with the Brickpit management to extend the playing times and are able to have three sessions weekly for seniors.

About 60 players come on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings to play table tennis regularly.  In particular, seniors enjoy the healthy benefits of table tennis.

Congratulations to the SUNS Committee and Theo for their efforts in bringing table tennis to such a diverse group of members at all levels. 

David Lee and Michael Li wish to gratefully acknowledge Sydney Upper North Shore Table Tennis Club