DREAM, BELIEVE, LEARN, ACHIEVE! has been Evonne Goolagong’s life motto and has been adopted by her foundation. Her dream for life after her impressive professional tennis career is to give as many Indigenous girls and boys the opportunity to be the best they can be. Evonne’s tennis programs for children (age 5-15) are designed to help provide and promote quality education, and better health through diet and exercise.
“Kids who display enthusiasm, determination and a willingness to improve themselves given half a chance” are invited to participate in the foundation’s tennis programs. Free Come & Try Days, one in each state during the year, encourage Indigenous youngsters to have fun and ‘give tennis a real go’. Athletic ability is taken into consideration but is not a priority.
Some participants from each Come and Try Day may be chosen to receive assisted coaching. These kids will get the opportunity to be selected to attend a Goolagong State Development Camp and they can then progress to the Goolagong National Development Camp, held at the prestigious Kooyong Tennis Club in Melbourne, each January during the first week of the Australian Open.
To qualify for those selective camps the children are encouraged and expected to attend their tennis sessions regularly, and they must ‘STAY IN SCHOOL, EAT HEALTHY AND EXERCISE’. Evonne and her husband Roger Cawley are both personally involved in developing, running and supervising all programs and camps.
Since 2005 the Evonne Goolagong Foundation has awarded school scholarships, produced tennis coaches, sports administrators, university scholars and has helped with employment placement.