The award was presented at NSW’s state dinner in January and the crowd enthusiastically applauded Angel.

“I don’t like the public eye,” she said.

“So I thanked whoever nominated me and mentioned how many friends I’d made through tennis across the state and interstate and that was about it.

“All I like to do is make people happy, what you do for one sometimes comes back two or threefold.”

Angel, who will turn 76 this year, is Muswellbrook’s Park Tennis Club secretary and has been since the early 1990s.

And, she says if she was “30 to 40 years younger” she would still be playing netball as well.

“It keeps the mind occupied all the time and I’ve always liked running around.”

 “I just love to chase that yellow ball and hit it.”

“It’s like I have a magnet at the end of the racquet – I see it and I’ve got to hit it!”

At the Gold Coast, Angel’s team was runner-up to WA in the 65s team event.

“We had some fun,” she said with a smile. “It’s only what you make it, I go to have fun.”  

An example being her top-spin, forehand lob.

“It was irretrievable,” Angel said with a laugh. “The woman I was playing against stood with her hands on her hips and said ‘How dare you?’”

Seniors tennis is for anyone over 35 years of age.

Angel may have a distinct loathing of self-promotion but fellow club member Pam King has no such misgivings over her services.

“Val’s been the backbone of our club for many years,” King said.

“I can’t speak highly enough of her, she never sees any bad in anybody and goes out of her way to make sure anything our club does is done well.

“She’s very worthy of the award. She works above and beyond and never, ever complains.”

Angel has played at the Park Tennis courts since joining the club in 1981. 

She was there when the clay surfaces were made into synthetic courts in 1999 and 2005 and involved when the club began running their seniors tournaments in 1997, celebrating its 20-year milestone last year.