Barry Barton Award presented for 2025
Congratulations to Amy Stevens and Lewis Murray the recipients of the Barry Barton Scholarship Award for 2025. The scholarship award, valued at a total of $5000 is dedicated to tennis players from Country Victoria who are members of the Kooyong Foundation program. It emphasizes exceptional behaviour and sportsmanship in addition to tennis development.
Stevens, originally from Geelong Victoria recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with a triple degree of Medicine, Health & society/psychology, cognitive studies and was named to the 2025 ALL-SEC academic Honor Roll. “College was an amazing journey for me; I loved representing the school in tennis and combining my studies”. I’m ready for the next chapter of my tennis journey and want to go out and give it a crack on the tour and have no regrets. I’m very grateful to Kooyong and the Foundation for all their support over the years and thank you to the Barton family for this award, it means a lot to me to have everyone’s support, and I Iove being a part of the Kooyong community” Stevens said on acceptance.
Murray, originally from Castlemaine Victoria moved to the Scotch College boarding school at the beginning of 2025 and has been a part of the Goolagong Foundation and commenced his Kooyong Foundation scholarship this year. “I’m very proud to be at Kooyong and to have been selected for this award. My time here so far has been amazing, the squad trainings are great, the facilities, representing the Club in Pennant, I feel very fortunate. I’d like to go down a similar path to Amy and aim for a US college tennis scholarship in a few years after I finish school,” said Murray.
Ken, Jane, Kris, Pinn were on hand from the Barton family to present the award to the two award winners. “We love everything the Kooyong Foundation does in supporting player development and how far reaching it is. To have this award in my father’s honour supporting country-based players on their journey is something we are very proud of” Ken Barton said on behalf of the family.
Award Background
Barry was a legend of country tennis, winning the 1953 singles title at the Victorian Country Championships which were held at Kooyong for many years. These were the days when the Country Week teams event was held for the first week at KLTC and then the individual championships the following week. Winning titles like that were no mean feat, in an era when only those in the Davis Cup Squad usually travelled internationally.
As a boarder at Scotch College in the 1940’s, he recalled wagging school to cross Gardiners Creek and play tennis at Kooyong. He was a 50-year member of the Club, with very fond memories of his time there.
Barry was also a founding member of the Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club and went on to win the club championships 21 times. He also took part in exhibition matches at the club featuring Australian and International greats including Rosewall, Fraser, Gonzales and the like. The annual Labour Day tournament was also a successful event for him, with many competitive matches against touring professionals including a three-set loss to Neale Fraser the year he won Wimbledon.
In later years, he went on to represent Australia successfully in Senior’s tennis. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 85 years.
Scholarship Award
Our family's interest is in providing an annual scholarship that pays tribute to Barry's playing record and sportsmanship, his connection with Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and association with Country Tennis, all things he held dear, and supports the next generation.
Congratulations Amy and Lewis on winning the Barry Barton Scholarship Award for 2025!
