Meet the trailblazin’ M’bah coach empowering Tweed women

When Gemma Eaton started carving out a space in the world of professional tennis coaching, she was an anomalie.

Murwillumbah tennis coach Gemma Eaton has been nominated by a community member for a shout out as an amazing Tweed woman for International Women's Day. She is pictured here with student Seth Sproule. Photo: Wendy Powick

WHEN Gemma Eaton started carving out a space in the world of professional tennis coaching, she was an anomalie.

A female tennis coach.

Eighteen years on, Ms Eaton is the only qualified Master Club Proffessional Coach in the Northern Rivers, winner of Tennis NSW coaching excellence award two years in a row and one of 12 coaches picked to further study in a high performance course this year.

However, tennis female coaches are still heavily outnumbered by their male counterparts in an 80 to 20 per cent split.

The Murwillumbah coach is also a 'shero' - a Tennis NSW iniative which works to empower women in tennis from players to volunteers and coaches to grow the game.

Part of this, the born and bred Tweed local has helped train and support two local young women to become qualified tennis coaches themselves.

A prime example of where perserverance can get you, Ms Eaton has worked hard for everything in her life and career - things which came easier to men.

As part of Sunday's International Womens Day celebrations, the Tweed Daily News asked the community to highlight women in the region who deserved recognition.

"There are plenty of times I would go for those high level jobs and conveniently come second every time to a male counterpart, I found myself having to do more study and courses to get the higher positions because they were just not given to female coaches," the mother-of-two said.

"It has taken me a lot longer and I've worked harder to get to where I am."

And she is still working hard, often pulling 12 hours days, Ms Eaton coaches at local schools before heading to the courts for lessons in the afternoon with students from three to in their 60s.

Ms Eaton believes in any sport or profession good role models and female representation is cruical.

"If girls can't see it then they can't be it," she said.

 

Murwillumbah tennis coach Gemma Eaton has been nominated by a community member for a shout out as an amazing Tweed woman for International Women's Day. She is pictured here with student Seth Sproule. Photo: Wendy Powick

 

"If there is no role models then there noone showing them this is possible or who they can be.

"Sports is crucial for health and wellbeing, we are so lucky in tennis as it is a social sport, and girls love to participate in sport with their peers and socialise which helps them be happy and healthy."

"I like to put emphasis on fun. I run a few ladies groups throughout the week aimed at women in that 30 to 60 age bracket who are having a hit for the fun of it, enjoying a lesson not hard work."

Me Eaton would love to see opportunities for women in the Tweed adveritised more.

"We don't put it out there enough. I had to do the research and look around and find the opportunities, rather than it being easy to see them," she said.

"I think its important, it seems cliché and people talk about it a lot but finding you passion, finidng what it is your interested in, finding that thing you love, if you find it it motivates you to get out there and keep going.

"Even on your low days, the love and excitement and the fun continue to drive you to keep going, then ride the high time. Even better if you can find something to be paid by something you love. I am very very grateful everyday to enjoy doing.

"I think its great we are celebrating women, thankyou to all those organisation and people publishing it and continuing to support us. Thankyou to the fantastic men out there who support us as well."

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