Interview with Paula Gates
Project Leader - Clubs and Inclusion at Tennis West
Beyond the Baseline: How Shared Vision is Breaking Down Barriers in WA Tennis
Tennis fans in Western Australia had exciting news come their way when Sport4All recently announced a groundbreaking partnership with Tennis West. This collaboration aimed to revolutionise tennis accessibility for people with disability across the state.
We caught up with Paula Gates, Project Specialist and Inclusion Lead at Tennis West, to delve deeper into this exciting partnership. Paula’s journey to inclusion advocacy is as inspiring as it is unexpected, and her insights offer a glimpse into the transformative potential of this initiative.
Let’s jump into the interview and hear Paula’s thoughts on building a more inclusive tennis community in WA!
Sport4All: Could you share a bit about your background and career journey, particularly how your experiences have shaped your commitment to diversity and inclusion within the sporting context?
Paula Gates: I spent the first 10 years of my working life in the Hotel industry before joining Tennis Australia through a contract role for Hopman Cup in 2017 managing Premium Hospitality. Following that I took on the Project Leader – Clubs & Inclusion role for Tennis West, starting my journey in inclusion. I am now Project Specialist and Inclusion Lead, sharing the inclusion space with my colleague Zara.
I wasn’t into sports as a kid, teen, or young adult. I was never a first choice (or even close!) in picking teams and carnivals were a time of dread. A therapist would probably say I’ve harboured self-confidence issues well into adulthood. It’s still surprising to me that I ended up in a sporting organization.
Now, as an adult, I see the immense value sports can bring to people’s lives, whether through playing, coaching, or being part of a club in other ways. Looking back, I wish my childhood had more sporting experiences. Even though I’m not a sports player, my past makes me want to contribute to making sports more inclusive and welcoming for everyone, especially those with disabilities. I believe in the power of sports to create a supportive and inclusive space for everyone, and that’s what drives me to make a positive impact in this direction.
Sport4All: Can you share insights into how the partnership with Sport4All aligns with Tennis West’s broader goals and mission for diversity and inclusion in tennis?
Paula Gates: Tennis West has established some great relationships with disability specific organisations and we absolutely value and intend to maintain and further those.
Our partnership with Sport4All will provide Tennis West with expert guidance ensuring that we are considering and capturing the needs of people with a variety of disabilities in all stages of planning and executing our diversity, equity and inclusion activities as well as direct support with our programs and initiatives.
It is important to consider a broad approach to diversity and inclusion in our sport, recognising that a range of disabilities can be supported. From a high-performance perspective, wheelchair tennis has international visibility, however many people may not realise the full range of programs and options available to them. Sport4All will support not only Wheelchair Tennis, but Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind and Low Vision, Intellectual Disability and All Abilities.
Sport4All: As the first sporting body in WA to partner with Sport4All, what challenges or opportunities do you anticipate in implementing inclusive practices within the tennis community, and how will Tennis West address them?
Paula Gates: Tennis West is excited to be the first sporting body in WA to partner with Sport4All.
We were pleased by findings of a survey Tennis West conducted at the end of 2023, where 70% of respondents indicated that they would like to know more about welcoming people with a disability to their club. This data gives us a fantastic starting point of which clubs and coaches are already interested in, and ready to start this journey, therefore reducing potential barriers through resistance to change. We look forward to working with these clubs and coaches further.
We expect the ongoing challenge that many sports face: volunteer led and time-poor committees. Overcoming resistance to change to ensure inclusive practices are embedded in the club community rather than sitting with one or two champions will be a focus. However, we see huge opportunities in fostering a more diverse and vibrant tennis community.
To address these challenges, Tennis West will host education and awareness sessions and collaborate closely with clubs and Sport4All to develop inclusive tennis behaviours and programs within our club communities. Recognising time constraints, our approach will prioritise efficiency, streamlined and targeted communications and accessible resources.
Image Source: Tennis West
Image Source: Tennis West
Sport4All: How will you measure the success of Tennis West’s efforts to overcome these challenges and capitalise on these opportunities?
Paula Gates: Currently when we’re approached by service providers or parents looking for programs or clubs where their client or child with disability can participate, we are often limited as to the options or opportunities we can provide to them.
Success will mean having at least one coach, club or program to confidently refer someone into one of the streams of all abilities tennis. Success will be having a pool of clubs, coaches and programs where we can direct any new participants to with confidence.
Success will be having these clubs, coaches and programs with great self-promotion so new participants can easily find the opportunities themselves, and an easy customer journey to joining.
Sport4All: How do you envision the Sport4All program making a tangible impact on the disability inclusion of tennis in Western Australia, and what specific changes are expected as a result of this collaboration?
Paula Gates: We know that there are a number of clubs wanting to make a start in this space, though are overwhelmed with where and how to begin. Through the Sport4All Club Program and access to training, tangible support and advice we expect to see these clubs achieve the confidence to not only start their journey but implement learnings and take big strides forward towards a more inclusive environment.
We also know there are clubs who are already active but through the efforts of a few key passionate volunteers, where the Sport4All program and training could help bring more of the club and committee into the fold, armed with the confidence of information and awareness.
Sport4All: Can you highlight specific steps or strategies that Tennis West aims to undertake to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the Sport4All partnership in fostering inclusivity in tennis?
Paula Gates: Setting a solid foundation of education for clubs and coaches will be vital as well as bringing in the various teams within Tennis West that support different facets of club activity to support the individuals further. Having everyone on the same journey and accessing targeted support will help to embed inclusive practices within the club community.
We’ll be leaning on and collaborating closely with Sport4All to tailor and develop inclusive understanding, practices and programs for our tennis communities. The expertise that Sport4All can offer will ensure that our collective actions will make tennis more accessible for people of all backgrounds and abilities.
We’re excited to recognise and celebrate the success of clubs and coaches along this journey, believing appreciation and promotion will encourage others to take inclusive steps themselves.
Sport4All: How will you ensure that diversity and inclusion are embedded within the culture of Tennis West, rather than simply being treated as an add-on or tick-box exercise?
Paula Gates: Tennis West recently appointed its first full time Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead in my colleague Zara Cavalot. Prior to this the inclusion space had been combined with other roles and responsibilities. The ability to drive change that this affords Tennis West is exciting.
Zara and I are in the process of finalising a formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy, which will shape our operations for the future both internally with our colleagues and externally to our stakeholders. A big part of the success of this strategy internally will be bringing staff into and along for the journey. We are lucky to have strong leadership commitment to championing diversity and inclusion, setting the tone for the organisation and emphasising that this is not just add-on work, but integral to our identity.
Sport4All: Looking ahead, what is Tennis West’s long-term vision for disability inclusion in tennis, and how does the organisation plan to measure the success of its efforts in this regard?
Paula Gates: Our goal is to make tennis more diverse, equitable and inclusive by engaging cohorts historically underrepresented in tennis communities. We’re focussed on building strong connections with the disability community through partnerships and ongoing engagement. We want to stay in the loop, understanding what people need and keeping our activities and programs fresh and effective.
Success to us is not just about numbers, it’s about seeing more people with disabilities having the opportunity to be active within our tennis communities in a way that is meaningful to them.
As we move forward, we’ll celebrate the stories of those who thrive in tennis despite challenges and the stories of those who provide wonderful inclusive environments. These success stories will inspire others, showing the real impact of our collective inclusive initiatives. And, of course, we’re all about staying open to new ideas and best practices to keep making tennis accessible for everyone.
With Sport4All and Tennis West joining forces, the future of inclusive tennis in Western Australia is bright. This partnership has the potential to unlock a world of opportunity for people with disability, allowing them to experience the joy and competition of the sport.
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