MATT SMITH 28 COUNTRIES LATER LTA COACH ENGAGEMENT MANAGER MATT SMITH HAS TRAVELLED THE GLOBE COACHING AND ENCOURAGING YOUNGSTERS TO PICK UP A RACKET. IT’S BEEN ONE HECK OF A JOURNEY, AS HE TELLS #ACE ...

Can you tell us about your tennis programme. With the success at Epping coaching journey? Tennis Club, in 2011 I was lucky enough to be awarded British Coach of the Year. I used to play and compete. I was A lot of that was due to my work with a member of a local club and as an mini tennis, so junior players, and also 11-year-old I was asked to be a bit British tennis initiatives like cardio of a hitter, an assistant coach, and tennis and engaging more of our local then when I was 16 I took my fi rst demographic into tennis. Growing our qualifi cation. Before I knew it, I went1970 on tennis programme from 12 up to 300. to Loughborough University Place:and did West my SideFrom Tennis that, Club, I became the head of club DCA, which is now the LTA Level 3.New I was York City,coaching USA at the University of Bath. Then coaching at a club alongsideEvent: my US studies Open adoptsI took the my tiebreak Level 5 qualifi cation and I was and outside of university I became the tasked with growing their programme. head coach at a small, rural club in Essex From there we went from around called Epping Tennis Club. I completed 300 weekly visitors to 1,000. We won my Level 4 qualifi cation whilst there. I education venue of the year. I was there went to Australia for a year, delivering for four and a half years and had a lot of their Hot Shots, their mini tennis success there.

So how did you end up travelling the themed event around the world tour. It world teaching tennis to kids? was a competition, but it was just playing within your local environment That’s a good question! We had fantastic with friends. We found that really retention within our coaching gripped them and it gained that programme; we didn’t spend anything retention through the programme, which on marketing. What we realised is 1970helped our success. With Tennis for Kids, Place: West Side Tennis Club, actually that coaching isn’t the sport. which is off the back of the City, USA Things like football, where you train once Event: US Open adoptslegacy. the Wetiebreak realised it was such a great a week and you play a match once a initiative from the LTA – why can’t we do week – that’s the real retention. We put this around this world? It’s basically together the Mini Tour, where our 10 and tennis for anyone, anywhere. Anyone under players were able to play a fun, can play tennis anywhere.

How did you make the leap for it to I’ve worked with since Epping Tennis happen? Many ideas are concocted Club, loved the idea and they wanted and then fall by the wayside... to sponsor the trip. That gave me an extra reason, really. What happened The idea was with a friend in the pub, was, we formulated a plan that every where the best ideas are often country I visited I’d deliver tennis, but formulated! I’d achieved this success1970 I’d also train up local ambassadors Place: West Side Tennis Club, at Bath and wanted a new challenge, who could continue the delivery. So , USA and I wanted to give back to the game. I’d go in, deliver the sport to children Event: US Open adopts the tiebreak So I spoke to the International Tennis in primary schools or orphanages, Federation, who put me in contact and then Zsig Sports would ship out with all the tennis associations around equipment to the locations so they the world. From that, Zsig Sports, who could continue to play.

So you just went for it? balls. It’s quite funny, with the guitar case I blended in quite well through Yeah. I quit my job and just took carry-1970South America! I would often be asked on luggage – a backpack fi lledPlace: with West Sideif Tennis I played, Club, which was quite amusing New York City, USA clothes – and a guitar case with a when I responded, “Yeah, do you fancy Event: US Open adopts the tiebreak three-metre Zsig net, two rackets and a game?” I’d get some perplexed looks.

Where did you go fi rst? and the owners there spoke to me about some kids around the corner In December 2016 I booked a one- who would love to be involved. One of way ticket to Brazil, into Rio. That the kids was actually one of the faces was the biggest wake-up call. I wasn’t1970 for the Rio Olympics, a bit of a poster sure about delivering the product,Place: West Sidechild, Tennis and Club, before I knew it we were the programme, and whether it wasNew York City,surrounded USA by kids wanting to play going to work. It was goingEvent: to be US more Open adoptsand theget tiebreakinvolved. It’s one of the poorer of a pilot. As soon as we got there we communities around and we realised it were staying in a hostel in a favela was going to have a lasting impact.

Sport’s a real equaliser in a way, different weddings that year! Buddhist, isn’t it? Chinese, Indian – I really got into the heart of the communities and was Yeah. There’s this stigma around tennis accepted by the families. What it really that it’s elitist, but actually it cuts showed me is that many of the kids are through that social hierarchy – anyone1970 incredibly happy, if anything happier Place: West Side Tennis Club, can play. We went from Brazil, by bus, all than those back home. They don’t have the way to Mexico, stopping off inNew every York City, USA Event: US Open adoptsanything, the tiebreak but what they do have – their country along the way. There’s a whole families, that connection with people host of stories, I could go on and on, and – bringing sport into it just enhanced every country and community opened that even more. They just don’t have the itself up to me. I ended up going to six equipment over there.

As the quote on your website says, “Give long those kits will be used in the the man a fi sh and he can feed his family community, it’ll be hundreds of for a day. Give him a net and he can play thousands of kids we impact. It’s tennis for a lifetime.” something I’m very passionate about, giving back to the sport I was very [Laughs] Yeah, as you can tell I made1970 Place: 1970West Sidelucky Tennis to Club, play as a child. My family that one up, but it’s true! ThePlace: nets West Side Tennis Club, New York City,were USA involved, then being able to and equipment are being deliveredNew York City,play USA myself, to now being able to Event: US Open adopts the tiebreak by these ambassadors and we talk give back and allow other people the about the impact on 10,000 children opportunity to be involved in the but it’ll go beyond that. That’s just sport. As a personal journey, it was for the year. If you think about how pretty incredible.

To cover 28 countries gathering more coaches and volunteers in a year is impressive... who want to give back, to be able to take equipment with them and do the same Yeah, in 12 months we went through thing. I’ve already been invited to go South America, Central America, then back to many of the locations and deliver Eastern Europe, South-East Asia, and again, and you make lifelong friends. back. On the website you can see the You feel part of the community. I know map and routes we took. We’ve also1970 had I’ll be going back to some of them and coaches asking about takingPlace: it beyond. West Sidethere Tennis are Club, a couple of stories around an New York City,orphanage USA in Colombia where they’ve We didn’t even touch Africa.Event: This USwas Open adoptshad thea community tiebreak meeting around how just me, just a concept that anyone they’re going to raise funds to tarmac can play anywhere. It was fantastic for their courtyard for this mini tennis net myself, my growth and giving back, and that’s coming. There’s more stories than for the communities. It can work, it does that about how the communities really work, and what we’re looking for now is engaged. It’s more than just tennis now. Were there places where the pickled and fermented. But one of the conditions were so bad you wondered great games the kids were playing how you could possibly set-up a game – they’re so imaginative – was that of tennis? they’d have flip flops in a pile and one of the kids would stand on top of the Yes, that orphanage being one of them. pile and the others would have to try There was another one in Ecuador to steal their flip flops back without where it was just a dust courtyard and getting caught. And then we’d be the children were so malnourished1970 I setting up this net on a dust courtyard thought we were dealing withPlace: four orWest Sidein Tennis the middle Club, of all these shacks, and New York City, USA five-year-olds, whereas they were eight the excitement on their faces pressing Event: US Open adopts the tiebreak or nine. Their growth had been stunted up to the windows... Classes would by the lack of diet. come out one at a time to play this game that most of them had probably The big one was Myanmar. Some of the never seen before. In fact, in Belize I families literally killed their animals had adults asking me what the game to eat there and then, with a lack of was. They’re in their own world, it was fridges and power. All their food was beach life and family.

How wonderful to be able to show of the parents was so pleased about people of all ages this game you have their child having access to all this loved your whole life. 1970equipment at school that I was Place: West Sideinvited Tennis toClub, a Buddhist wedding. All of a Exactly. The sport opened up theNew York City,sudden USA I’m engaging with all parts of communities to me. In Myanmar,Event: US Openone adoptsthe community.the tiebreak

This is the million dollar question – orphanage as a six-month-old. She calls what were the major highlights of Fatima her mum. They can’t cope and she your trip? was teary that someone had visited and taken the time to help the children and Well, it’s tennis for anyone, anywhere. the fact they’ve now got equipment there. The anywhere part, and this is kind of You can tell it’s life-changing. There are so outside the story slightly, but as a way many people out there who give so much. of proving it could be done anywhere, It’s those people you meet along the way. I took the tennis kit with me up the volcano at Acatenango in Guatemala and Another highlight was a bit of a played with a friend there. The volcano1970 miscommunication. My Spanish grew opposite us erupted! We’ve gotPlace: photos West of Sidealong Tennis the Club, way, but when I was in Panama us playing tennis with this unbelievableNew York City,I thought USA we were going to see groups background. That was prettyEvent: epic. US Open adoptsof 16 the children tiebreak through the day, and I walked into a hall, with a corrugated As far as the children are concerned, the steel roof, with 64 children and all they big story for me, and it was a bit teary and had was three deflated basketballs. That hard for me to leave, was the orphanage was their PE kit for a primary school with in Ecuador. There was a woman, Fatima, 1,000 kids. As a coach, we adapted, we who was almost a mother to the children created mini games. That was a highlight and she’d been there for 25 years. One of of the fact they are in need, they don’t the assistants who was helping her was have the equipment. 16, and she had been dropped off at the

Coming back to work for the LTA, it and players are very much spoilt in that must make you so grateful for what respect. But I’m still able to give back to we’ve got here. the sport by engaging with coaches and 1970helping them to deliver to more children We’re very lucky to be workingPlace: in a West Sideand Tennis give Club, more people the chance to Grand Slam nation, a first-world country,New York City,play USA tennis. If we can prove that they US Open adopts the tiebreak where being able to pick upEvent: a racket can play in those countries, we can and play tennis is just a given. Coaches definitely play here. No excuses.

What do you enjoy most about your getting more children and players on the role as Coach Engagement Manager? court and making the biggest impact 1970on British tennis that we can. It’s really West Side Tennis Club, I enjoy engaging with coaches,Place: helping trying to facilitate and help coaches New York City, USA them to get the most out of their careers invest in their own businesses. Again, Event: US Open adopts the tiebreak as a coach and, more than anything, maxing out on British tennis basically.

How do you sum up this whole experience? position to deliver this fantastic sport to more children, the better. Life-changing. The perspective you1970 gain in life – the things thatPlace: matter West are SideFor Tennis me, IClub, could have bought a house the people, the community. It’s whatNew1970 York City,– it wasUSA basically a deposit I’d saved sport can bring to that community.Event:Place: US WestOpen Sideadoptsup Tennis – the but tiebreakClub,you look back and the biggest That was the biggest driving force,New York City,thing USA I learned is that there are different the giving back. Now, comingEvent: back US Opento adoptstypes the of tiebreakrich. That richness, through the the LTA and realising how privileged I communities I’ll go back and see, that’s am; the more people we can put in a what you are remembered for. The giving.

Check out minitennisworldtour.com for more of Matt’s stories and help support his mission of ‘tennis for anyone, anywhere’ by helping deliver more tennis and equipment packs, becoming a part of the charity team or donating to the cause. You can also keep up-to-date by following @minitennisrtw on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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