Why we have created this website

We built this website to outline our major concerns about what has been going on at the Red Deer Tennis Club (RDTC).

You may be aware of the termination of the contract with Simon Tennis School by the current Board of the RDTC on April 1, 2025. This termination took many people by surprise. People have a lot of questions. We believe the current Board has not been forthcoming with explanations.

On this site, we aim to provide you with some background information about the context that led to this termination.

To be clear, we do not believe that the current Board was justified in terminating this contract.

We believe that it was planned and intended for months, if not years. We also believe that it was merely another step in a long series of harassment that the Simon Tennis School has endured at the RDTC.

We feel it's incredibly important to ensure that everyone involved in the tennis community in Red Deer has the opportunity to learn about what is going on at the club, especially given the lack of transparency this Board seems to prefer. We believe that providing accurate information will help people to understand what we believe has been happening and to make informed decisions about how they would like to respond.

To help RDTC members and players understand our main concerns, we have broken them out into two main sections:

Harassment Concerns Governance Concerns

We know that many people share our concerns. If you are one of them, please TAKE ACTION to advocate for positive change.

How you can help

If you are concerned about the direction of the club, or about the behaviour of current Board leadership, please take some action.

The most important thing you can do is be an engaged member of the community at this time. Make your voice heard, whether it’s speaking to fellow tennis players, or posting on social media, or writing to the Board.

Our suggestions for you include:

Come forward with additional information

If you have information that may relate to the threatening notes that were left for STS coach Rene Simon, please go to any local police station and submit a written statement.
Quote case file #2024-1371560.

If you have information about words or actions that seem to reflect the concerns laid out in this website, please share it with us. We would like our records to be as complete as possible for the benefit of this whole community. We will treat your information with discretion and with confidentiality, and protect your identity to our utmost ability. 

Please know that we will vet any information submitted to us. We have done our best to verify everything on this site and will continue to do so. We are committed to accuracy and accountability. We have sought legal counsel to review the content of this website in our attempts to represent all material and individuals fairly.

Donate to our legal defence fund

The Red Deer Tennis Club has sued the Simon Tennis School for “damages” related to the contract termination. They have also sued us (the six individuals behind the Friends of Red Deer Tennis initiative) to stop our efforts to bring transparency, accountability and public awareness to their actions. Help us stand up to unjust and reprehensible behaviour by contributing to our legal defence fund. Your donations will be used to help sustain these lawsuits, to hold these Board directors accountable for their actions, and to help create a safer, healthier, and more respectful environment for tennis in Red Deer.

Donate to our legal defence fund

Write a letter to the City of Red Deer

The City of Red Deer owns the land on which the RDTC operates. Part of the obligation of the RDTC is to use this land in a way that promotes the game of tennis in a safe environment, providing fair and equitable treatment for all potential users. The RDTC is also obligated to stimulate public interest in tennis and to comply with all applicable regulations, bylaws, rules and legislation.

If you feel that the current Board is not honouring the intentions behind this generous arrangement or contributing to a positive, healthy community, write a letter to the City expressing your concerns. Any letters for the City sent to [email protected] will be forwarded to the appropriate parties on your behalf.

Withdraw your financial support from the club

If you have a membership, demand a refund of your membership fees until the Board lives up to the behaviours you’d like to see. 

If your membership is coming up for renewal, do not renew and be clear about your reasons for letting your membership expire. 

If you pay a drop-in fee to play, show your objections to the current leadership by cancelling your court bookings and refusing to give your money to the RDTC until you see some meaningful change.

Now that it is summer, play on outdoor community courts! Show the RDTC Board that building community means more than operating a bubble; it means treating people respectfully and fairly, and promoting a positive and inclusive culture.

Let the Board know your concerns

Write an email to the Board. If you don't know the email addresses of any Board Directors, please email us using [email protected] and we will forward your email to all the Board Directors.

Please be clear about what you'd like to see, and do so in a respectful manner. Consider: 1) expressing dissatisfaction with, or lack of trust in, Club leadership; 2) asking for a return of your membership fees given the lack of access to coaching from STS; 3) stating your intentions not to renew your membership; and 4) asking for Board Director resignations.

We know many folks have written letters already - thank you! If you’d prefer not to email, you can always voice your concerns directly to a Board Director in person (make a note of how they respond).

Attend the next AGM (keep in mind that for the most recent meetings, this Board has only allowed Members to attend)

This Board will be calling an AGM in September or October, 2025. If you are a member, be present, ask questions, and voice your concerns. Vote for change if you feel it is warranted.

Correct misinformation

Over the past year(s), a lot of misleading and inaccurate information has been circulating around the club. If you hear comments that you believe to be inaccurate, share what you know or refer people to this website. Pointing out gaps in information and correcting inaccurate information helps to clarify what is happening and to support informed action.

Stay Informed

If you would like to stay informed about events as they unfold, please sign up for our distribution list. Since the Board has exclusive access to the RDTC distribution lists, there is no easy way for members of the tennis community to communicate with each other. This will function like a newsletter; your email address will be kept confidential. Communications will be limited to specific notifications, key updates, or information about the actions of the Friends of Red Deer Tennis.

Subscribe here