Nambour mourns loss of driving force in local sport
Fay Gibson won various State titles and first played for Queensland when she was 21.
Vale Fay Gibson, Nambour
Fay Gibson was born Fay Marina Evans and grew up on a property in Jondaryan, just west of Toowoomba. It was here her love of sport began, playing tennis against her 6 older brothers and sisters from a young age. She moved to Nambour at the age of 12 and in her late teens made it to the top division of the Maroochy Tennis Competitions.
She was introduced to badminton at the age of 17 and this quickly became her passion. When she was 18, she won the Sunshine Coast Badminton Association (SCBA) Open ladies singles winning 10 times until she was 32. During those earlier years while at the top she won mixed doubles with husband Lyle 16 times and the Ladies Doubles 10 times.
Fay Gibson focused on what she could give back, volunteering with Sunshine Coast sporting organisations for over 60 years.
Throughout her sporting career, Fay had won various State titles and first played for Queensland when she was 21. She represented Qld in the open team at the Australian Championships 15 times. Despite major setbacks with two broken Achilles tendons and bouts of ross river fever, she continued representing her state in the open team until she was 39. She also competed in the Australian Masters in 1991 and the world masters in 1994 at 55.
Along with her sporting achievements, ‘Mrs Gibbo’ focused on what she could give back, volunteering with Sunshine Coast sporting organisations for over 60 years through roles as President, Secretary, Treasurer and Fundraiser.
Fay was a driving force to achieve the construction of a hall for Badminton at the Nambour Showgrounds. Fay steered a SCBA fund-raising committee from 1970 and organised catering at local Balls and the Nambour Show for over 20 years as well running canteens for Badminton for the majority of 40 years of her involvement. She also took on running the Nambour Cricket Club canteen for 30 years. Her reliable band of helpers to this day recall what a great time they had helping out at all these events.
Once the new hall was built, Fay was booking officer from 1976, taking on extra roles in the early stages of vacuuming, stocking the fridges and even cleaning the toilets.
To assist improving Badminton, Fay became a qualified coach in the 1970s teaching local juniors for more than 30 years as well as Qld state coaching for Qld Junior and Senior teams for 12 years.
Another big passion for Fay was her Mid-week Ladies Badminton Days that she launched in 1973 and continued playing until her late 60s. Woombye Ladies Tennis days also continued until her early 70s. Great catchups for a laugh with friends continued throughout her sporting involvement.
Fay received an Australia Day ‘Commitment to sports’ award as well as Quota Club ‘Award for Service to the Community’ plus Quota ‘Woman of the Year’ in addition to being nominated for the ‘Sunshine Coast Sportsperson of the Year’ awards for her badminton achievements.
Fay has tirelessly researched and recorded the history of the SCBA, as well as Nambour cricket in commemorative books. Through her dedication and never-ending ability to be at the helm of every committee, Fay was granted ‘life membership’ of not only SCBA but Nambour Badminton Club, Qld Badminton Association and Nambour Cricket Club.
After revitalising Badminton over the last 9 years, Fay only gave up the president’s role last year taking on vice-president as her health deteriorated due to Breast Cancer until she passed away on 12th September at the age of 83. Sunshine Coast Badminton and Nambour Cricket Club are both planning memorial games with all proceeds going to the McGrath Foundation for Breast Cancer research.
The Sunshine Coast Badminton Association and Nambour Cricket Club were very appreciative of Fay’s endless commitment and dedication and her knowledge and expertise that she shared and she will be missed greatly by her friends, and her husband Lyle, daughter Jenny and son Ian.