Front Row (L-R):  Simon Martin (BGS), Stuart Garraway (1985), David Goffage (BBC), Angus Munro (1987) and Damien Edmonds (1987) Back Row (L-R): Jim Webster (1987), Adam Read (1987), Andrew Rankin (1987), Roger Frank (1987), Chris Oates (1987), Tod Parker (1987), Adrian Cool (1987) and Tim Wilson (1987)

In 2017 it was the 30 Year Reunion for the Churchie 1987 cohort that provided the catalyst for a group of Old Boy mates to get together for a monthly hit of tennis. Parenting and work commitments soon became the priority and reluctantly tennis fell to the wayside.

Reinvigorated after catching up again at the 2019 Churchie Cricket Lunch the tennis group took to the court again, playing on a weekly basis. The curve ball that was COVID soon halted plans again.

With the launch of the Viking Wellbeing program and signs of emergence from a world isolated by COVID, the 2021 Churchie OBA Long Lunch provided renewed inspiration and a desire to reconnect further inspiration was drawn and encouraging reconnection the group for a weekly smash for the now self-named Spring Hill Amateur Tennis group.

At the 2022 Churchie OBA Invitational Tennis Tournament, held last December, on hearing murmurings of another Old Boy tennis group, the East Brisbane Lawn Tennis Association, the competitive rivalry warmed up sparking discussion in favour of a cross town tennis showdown.

So, on the morning of Sunday 26 March, as the Brisbane weather cooled down, 13 men arrived at a residential home in East Brisbane to compete for the inaugural SHEB Shield. Over the course of the morning, the serves grew bolder and the balls flew far and wide. Call it old rivalry, call it banter, call it a racket – connections presented themselves on the day. Yes, winners are grinners, but the result at the end of the day was the outcome of 40 years of friendships formed from within 1987 cohort at Churchie.

Well played boys!

SHEB Shield Winners Spring Hill Amateur Tennis (L-R): Jim Webster, Andrew Rankin, Adam Read, Roger Frank, Chris Oates, Tod Parker, Damien Edmonds.

SHEB Shield Runners-Up East Brisbane Lawn Tennis Association (L-R): Simon Martin, David Goffage, Stuart Garraway, Angus Munro, Tim Wilson, Adrian Cool.