The 2024 Scotland women’s tennis team and Head Coach Charles Smith.
Andrew Smolar | The Laurinburg Exchange
LAURINBURG —Describing last season as unusual for Scotland’s women’s tennis team would be a massive understatement. It was announced in the middle of August last year that their season was going to be postponed due to a coaching vacancy. This led to Athletic Director Patrick Williams having to go on a lengthy search for the program’s new head coach that only ended when Charles Smith, a security guard at the high school, volunteered to take on the role despite not being at all experienced in the sport.
Passionate about primarily being a travel softball and basketball coach, there was quite a learning curve that everyone had to go through in order to get to where they are now. The experience was one Smith admitted he “didn’t have a clue what he was doing,” at times as he was relying on senior Maleah Locklear and Lillie Rankin to teach him the ins and outs of the game of tennis.
He also had six players last year who had never played tennis in their life. While they didn’t win any games, it was a major step forward for such an inexperienced team that didn’t have any seniors on it. The continuity from last year to this year is what has Smith saying his current group of seniors: Rhea Truesdell, Locklear, Jacquelyn Rankin and his daughter Marissa Smith, are ready to win now and make some noise this upcoming season.
“I think the continuity helps for sure,” Smith said. “They’re going to be ready to play and they’re hungry.”
With some valuable experience under their belts, Smith firmly believes they are capable of winning some games this year. His ultimate goal is to make some serious strides and become a program that can compete with anybody.
“I’m feeling pretty confident,” Smith said. “This year we want to win some matches.”
The team has added two freshmen to the group this year in Danyah Norton and Kaleigh Leviner. Sophomores Mickenna Bristow and Trinity Rodriguez are also new to the team. With some exciting new pieces and much of last year’s team returning with more knowledge about the sport and a renewed sense of confidence, Smith feels good about the direction they are heading in as a program.
Their season opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 20 at the Scotland County Tennis Center & Ball Field vs Hoke County at 4 p.m. They have six home matches and 11 total on the schedule. Their full season schedule can be found on MaxPreps: Schedule – Scotland Fighting Scots Girls Tennis (Laurinburg, NC) (maxpreps.com).