HONARARY LIFE MEMBER - E.A. "CHARLIE" BRAUNACK (2024)

When you think of Table Tennis and the Barossa one name instantly comes to mind from a lifetime of dedication to our great sport. It is my great privilege to honour Charlie Braunack today. As a player Charlie’s Career has spanned 58 years. It Began in 1967 in the local youth competition, there was brief break during his time in active service (although I’m sure he continued to have a few games when free time allowed). Charlie moved to the town competition with Ebenezer in 1976 and one the first of many premierships over the years (we think 6 or 7all up). Although we don’t have statistics for his entire career, we have most of the last 30 years and in that time, Charlie went 8 consecutive years without a missed week and 15 out of the last 30 with hundred percent attendance. In 1998 Charlie had a particular good year winning 70% of his singles and 85% of his doubles he is well known for being a good doubles player. He has played many close matches stretching games to the third in best of three and the 5^th in best of 5 games it is estimated he played 1200 games in a 23-year span (A lot during the 3-game match period). Over this same period, he won 147 doubles games and 357 singles. Charlie has been described as a talented and determined player, who was more than happy to have long rallies undercut after undercut after undercut. In fact, one night at Freeling his final against John Camillo finished around 2am after many long cutting rallies unfortunately he didn’t win that one but has won many trophies over the years, whether its premierships or in tournaments both locally and around the state. For Charlie though it has not always been about the trophies although he certainly enjoys a win, Charlie has always loved the game, the challenge and in particular the social aspect spending many hours with teammates and opponents before during and after a contest (as long as you don’t get too many nets or edges). It was through this many great friendships were developed. Charlie would also like to befriend new players and encourage anyone to join a club or get involved in Table Tennis. Charlie has been a loyal servant of the Ebenezer Table Tennis Club, and the level of success and participation achieved for this club from an area that sometimes doesn’t even get credited on the map is largely down to the efforts of this man he has put countless hours into getting teams organised and ensuring games went ahead. 

Whilst Charlie has always been a good table tennis player it is his efforts working as an administrator that have put him head and shoulders above his peers.Charlie began working as the Secretary of the association in 1992 and has now held this role for 33 consecutive seasons. Secretary has always been a very loose term as Charlie has taken on many and varied roles under this title. Charlie has almost single handedly ensured the ongoing success of our association, those that have been around for many years would know that there wasa time in the 90’s and early 2000s when both player numbers and volunteers were in short supply and it was the durability and dedication of Charlie that got the association through this grim time and many have stated that we would not have theBarossa & Light Table Tennis Association today if it weren’t for Charlie. In addition to normal secretarial roles Charlie has acted as our delegate to Table Tennis South Australia meetings where he is a strong advocate for rural and regional associations and junior participation. Charlie has also ensured there is annual access to top coaching for our juniors and is passionate about access to our sport for juniors. Charlie has been the association representative on the Country Carnival committee he has fostered the relationships with other associations ensuring participation at events like today and coordinates our inter-association matches. I mentioned earlier that if you think of Table Tennis locally you think of Charlie and this extends to the local police, when collecting players on the way to inter-association one of our players got an address mixed up and wandered into the wrong backyard. Long story short by the time we got to Tarlee Charlie had been contacted by and confirmed to the police that there was indeed Table Tennis on that night, and it wasn’t an attempted break in. Charlie has also been the chief architect of the draw and ensuring there is always a venue available for games to occur. He has largely been behind ensuring our local tournaments go ahead each year as well as organising all the trophies and catering for Grand Final nights. Charlie has long been involved in coordinating fundraising activities to ensure the viability of the association and keeping the cost of the game accessible to all. Charlie has also always fostered an environment that meant the game was played in the right spirit such that it could be just as social as it was competitive.

All the above alone is enough to ensure that Charlie will be remembered as a giant of the sport in our region, but it would ignore the thing which is perhaps his greatest legacy which is the event we are all present at here today. Die Barossa Meisterschaft kicked off in 1987 and with a two-year hiatus in 97/98 this makes this year’s tournament the 36^th Meisterschaft and Charlie has been involved since the very beginning. Charlie was instrumental in ensuring that the Meisterschaft returned after that early two-year break. Whilst he has had many able assistants over the years Charlie has taken on many of the roles that ensure that this tournament is and has remained one of the most popular tournaments on the Table Tennis calendar. His attention to detail includes but is not limited to:

·       Ensuring the event is well sponsored (He has been happy to visit the local winemakers over the years)

·       Ensuring the trophies are unique and memorable commemoration of our event.

·       Ensuring the hall is ready to host, the tables and dividers are set and there are enough volunteers to get all things prepared.

·       Organising the catering for the event, particularly our farewell lunch on the Sunday.

·       Ensuring the atmosphere is on point (think the Oom Pah music – Ein Prosit “Our National Anthem” as Charlie would say)

·       He has worked with Greg & Carol Bungey over many years to ensure the Table Tennis draws run like clockwork.

·       He has refereed the most popular event the Barossa Shoot Out

·       His smiling face always works the room to sell the raffle tickets, one of our major fundraisers (and it’s a great excuse to catch up with friends old and new).

Charlie has put in hour after hour to ensure this tournament is a success each year, his preparation starts early in the year and by the Sunday evening he is always ready for a well-earned rest which usually must wait until after Grand Final night the following Wednesday. 

When it comes to all these achievements and legacies it would be remiss to not mention family as Charlie is a proud and passionate family man and he has achieved all of this with the support of his wife Lyn and his children and grandchildren I am sure he is particularly proud of daughter Sarah’s work on the association committee in particular her work around our tournaments and Meisterschaft as well as taking great pride in watching his Grandchildren take up the sport.

As such It is a privilege to announce that for all of the above reasons as an association, we would like to acknowledge Charlie Braunack as our first Honorary Life Member for Outstanding Sustained Service and Commitment to our Association and to the sport of Table Tennis in the Barossa region and in South Australia.

Congratulation Charlie