LAURINBURG — Charles Smith doesn’t know much about tennis. As a travel softball and basketball coach, it’s not the sport he’s passionate about.
But without him, the Scotland women’s tennis team would still need a coach to have a season.
Smith became the team’s coach a week before they started practicing on Sep. 5 after a lengthy search for one by Scotland Athletic Director Patrick Williams.
“I told Coach Williams if he couldn’t find anybody, I’d step in and do it,” Smith said. “I push my travel ball softball players and my basketball players to get out of their comfort zone, so I’m leading by example to get out of mine.”
Smith works as a security guard at Scotland High School, which helps him already have a connection with many of the players on the team. That bond made Smith’s decision to take on the additional responsibility a little easier.
“For the kids,” Smith said on why he accepted the position. “Just so they’ll be able to get out and be able to play.”
While Smith is close with his players, he has one he’s closer with than the rest — his daughter, Marissa Smith.
Marissa Smith had never played tennis before she joined the team with her father, but learning the game with him has made the new venture exciting.
“It’s fun learning how to play something,” she said. “It’s really good that he came in and helped them out, so they actually do get to play their season. Even though he doesn’t know much about tennis, he’s taking the time to learn it. There are a bunch of girls on the team who actually really do enjoy tennis. They took the time to show me the ropes. If I’m confused, they sit there and take time to help me out. They don’t really get stressed out about it.”
Maleah Locklear and Lillie Rankin are two players who have helped teach Charles and Marissa Smith. They described how they felt when they learned that the team would potentially not play because there was no coach. “Honestly, I was upset about it,” Locklear said. “They had to find a coach last year, so it’s kind of the same thing.”
“I was really disappointed that we weren’t going to have a season,” Lillie Rankin said. “I was really looking forward to playing again.”
Their emotions flipped around after Charles Smith took the job, however.
“I was a little excited because I actually do like this sport,” Locklear said. “I didn’t think he would be the coach. But I thought it was pretty cool. I’m glad he stepped in.”
“I was super excited,” Lillie Rankin said. “My mom loves tennis, and she passed that love for tennis on to me. To know I could actually play it again my junior year was pretty great.”
Locklear, Lillie Rankin and Rhea Truesdell are the only returning players on the nine-rostered team; the other six “had never picked up a racket.” Those players are Shay Ward, Arabia Nimetullah, Honey Freeman, Jacquelyn Rankin, Rylie Rankin, and Carmen Taylor.
The team isn’t short on athleticism, though, as most players participate in other sports.
“I’ve got a couple multisport players,” Charles Smith said. “I’ve got some girls that play volleyball, some girls that play softball, I’ve got a cheerleader, (and) a couple soccer players.”
With most of the team inexperienced in tennis, they’ll all grow in the sport together as the season continues.
“The only thing I want them to improve on is score, game by game,” Charles Smith said.
The Lady Scots played their first game of the season on Tuesday against Richmond at home, which resulted in a 7-2 win for the Raiders. As for the team’s four first matches that they didn’t play against Southern Lee, Union Pines, Pinecrest, and Lee County, Charles Smith said he plans on attempting to make them up.
Scotland’s next game will be Tuesday when they host Southern Lee at 4 p.m.
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