Launceston receives Youl's legacy of good service

A site of constant change over the past 20 years, the 11-court facility now called Tennis World Launceston had no members, social leagues or coaching clients.

In the absence of a clubroom or an office, Youl's computer rested on a trestle table in a shipping container near the site's eastern entrance.

When he left the same shipping container for the final time last month - now also the home of a mini-cafe and a stringing machine - the centre had more than 100 members, 100 social competitors and 200 coaching clientele.

And, much to his delight, an undercover outdoor deck.

"This was one little win here I had with the deck - this has been a major step in the right direction for the facility," Youl said on his second last day in the job.

"It's drawn people to this facility and to some of the ancillary benefits we have inside like the commercial coffee machine and generated a significant improvement in sales for Tennis World.

"But it's also given people that space to chill out and socialise and so forth post social comps, and parents have an opportunity to sit somewhere when they're watching the kids, so this has been a good win this one."

A former professional, Youl has given plenty back to the sport including 15 years with Tennis Tasmania, with whom he served several years as vice-president.

The ex-farmer was on the steering committee that oversaw the Launceston centre's rebuild in 2011, and also managed it through the transition to the nationally-run Tennis World in early 2018.

Youl said the friendships he had built over the journey had been the most rewarding part of the job, but conceded struggling with a lack of autonomy in recent times.

"The challenges that have come with it have worn me down and that's the reason I'm exiting, we weren't on the same page," Youl said.

"It's managed from Melbourne and I didn't agree with some of the philosophies of the way they were thinking it needed to be run so it was time to move on.

"They have a particular model they like to operate from and we're a regional area so it's different down here - Launceston's a different landscape being a regional town and so that requires some remodelling ... we were at odds in regards to that."

With the haze of regular 50-70-hour weeks now in the rear view mirror, the father of two is looking forward to resting and spending time with wife Audrey before seeking out a new venture, whether it be event management, sport or agriculture.

The brother of former world no.80 Simon hopes to stay involved with the Launceston Tennis International, of which he is a committee member and former co-tournament director.

"I haven't seen the feedback from the pro tour yet as to this year's event but from all reports I understand they were very happy with the changes we made," Youl said of the growing event.

"We took the event to another level as far as professionalism was concerned so I would see no reason why they wouldn't continue to invest in it."

He will also finally get the chance to pick up his own tennis racquet - and there's an 11-court facility in Launceston ready to give him a warm welcome.

"It's been suggested by many in the past that it's the best regional facility in the country, it's just one missing link that's still to go, the community tennis events facility," Youl said.

"I am proud of what we've achieved here in a relatively short period of time, we've had a small team but a good team working alongside me, so I'm proud of what they've done and hopefully that will continue."