Not just has the sport of tennis enabled Peter Smith to travel the world and represent his nation, the Belmont Coast homeowner is, "Utilizing tennis to stay alive, child!"
" You get a bit older and you need these goals and reasons to get up and out of bed and function and look after your health," he said. "The goal for me was to play in this worldwide competitors which is something I have not done previously, (play) for the United States."
Last month, Smith, 60, went to Mexico City for the World Tennis Masters Tour's Von Cramm Cup arranged by the International Tennis Federation. There he competed with a four-man American group and won the 60-year-old guys's division championship.
" It was an unbelievable feeling to understand and win that last point that you represented your nation and you won," Smith said.
Smith's
Long Beach ties are strong on and off the tennis court. He won championship game as a gamer at
Long Beach State, and, after two seasons as a professional, he returned to coach at
Long Beach State for 4 years. He later coached guys's tennis at
Fresno State, Pepperdine and USC, where he coached for 17 seasons.
While at the Beach, Smith satisfied his better half, Tammie, who is the child of famous Dirtbags baseball coach Bob Westhoff.
Smith was inducted into the LBSU Hall of Fame in 2011.
" We live about two blocks from where I lived in college," Smith stated. "I enjoy
Long Beach. I enjoy strolling down Marine Stadium in the morning; it's just a really special location."
Smith presently works as the basic supervisor and director of tennis at the Jack Kramer Club in Palos Verdes. Turning 60 this year motivated him to find the International Tennis Federation's Masters Tour, which offers competitions like the Von Cramm Cup specifically for elite players in between the ages of 50 and 60.
After carrying out well in other ITF occasions, Smith was selected to join Bill Moss, Thomas Coulton and Polo Cowan as the 60 Men's American team. They only had a day to practice on the clay courts at altitude in Mexico City.
" We had an excellent group, and we had a lot of enjoyable off the court. That made it very simple for us to gel on the court," Smith said.
The Americans went unbeaten through the group phase of the 16-country department. 2 songs matches and a doubles match decided which group advanced. Smith played both songs and doubles with a particular plan.
" Playing at elevation helped my design of a basher," he said. "That wouldn't work well at sea level on clay, but at altitude, I simply turned it into a hardcourt and played really strongly."
An exhilarating victory over France in the last clinched the champion for the Americans, however Smith stated the narrow victory over Spain in the semifinals was likewise a peak due to the fact that of the worldwide interaction.
" They just had terrific attitudes, even after losing that close match," Smith stated. "It's what competition should be. Everybody is playing difficult and after that when you're done you sort of slap each other on the back and go forward."
Smith's virtuous approach to tennis originates from a long profession of instruction. At 23, Smith was the youngest Division I guys's head tennis coach when he took the top job at LBSU from 1988 to 1991.
I like helping people," Smith said. It was a real rush to have a kid having a hard time in class, or with his forehand, and you're able to really assist them."
Smith later on assisted the USC Trojans win 3 NCAA National Championships from 2009 to 2011 before retiring in 2019. He's likewise advised
Long Beach youth gamers at Billie Jean King Courts and El Dorado Park.
The ITF World Tennis Masters Tour provides tournaments for players from 30-90 years old, and Smith stated he wants to keep competing for as long as he can.
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