Coach Wesley Smith is an experienced tennis coach and history teacher at Edison High. He has made many memories during his upbringing with the sport, his time as both a teacher and a coach, and with players on the boys and girls tennis teams.
Smith started his tennis career at Edison thirty years ago, but even before coaching, he was a tennis player in high school and college.
“I’ve been coaching the girls tennis team since 1995 and the boys team since 2000,” said Smith. “When I was in high school, I started playing tennis because of my grandfather’s experience with the game.”
He recounts playing varsity tennis from tenth through twelfth grade, as well as in college, but eventually having to leave the team to focus on his university studies. Before Smith decided to become a full-time high school teacher and tennis coach, he also considered a career in law.
“I originally wanted to become a lawyer, but when I went through high school, I considered teaching tennis, so I became a history teacher,” he said.
Luckily enough, a position was available in 1994 at EHS, and later in 1995, the girls tennis coach position opened. Smith admits that if he had come even two or three years later to Edison High, someone else would have filled the position.
As both a history teacher and a tennis coach, Smith balances work from academic and athletic commitments. His time management is critical for his ability to stabilize academic and coaching demands.
“I live about an hour away, so I don’t get home until about 6 to 6:30 p.m. I finish grading schoolwork around 10 to 12 p.m., as I am somewhat tough with the work I give,” said Smith, showcasing his dedication to both his athletes and students. “I do make it harder on myself with assignments that I have to grade, so tennis seasons are typically pretty rough and make me lose a lot of sleep.”
In addition to his strong passion for tennis and teaching, Smith’s experience as a coach and player has made coaching a priority during the season for him.
“I like teaching, but I love coaching,” said Smith. “I get to establish relationships with my players, and then they come back, and they still remember something that happened years ago that I might have forgotten.”
Tennis, an activity that students personally pursue and dedicate themselves to, creates a much different relationship between Smith and his players compared to that with his students.
“When you play tennis, the athlete decides to play for the team,” said Smith. “If you’re in class, you have to be here. Those who want it are willing to be there and do it, get yelled at by Coach Smith, and go into these matches and enjoy the opportunity to play their best tennis.”
Smith also has a no-cut policy for students interested in tennis. He believes that every athlete should be able to play the sport because it is a positive experience for both new and proficient players.
“I don’t cut people, because it’s a sport you can play for the rest of your life,” said Smith. “You become better tennis players, and then you can play this great game for the rest of your lives.”
Smith attributes this philosophy to his own experiences as a coach and player.
“The cool thing about tennis is that a lot of times, what you get out of it is what you put into it,” he explains. “I personally want to get as many people involved as possible, to win some matches, to lose some matches, but to make themselves better, provide a social outlet, be part of a team, and enjoy the experience.“
In his years as head coach, Smith has many memories on and off the court. From some of his best tennis players like Erika Goldsmith ‘09 and Pranav Chundi ’22 to recent graduate Sarvesh Premkumar ‘25, Smith’s time with his players has made for countless memories over the years.
“I have had amazing tennis players like Erika, Pranav, Sarvesh, and other players who have been here over the years,” he said. “As I’ve been coaching for so long, I have made all these different relationships with different players over the years, and it’s really cool.”
Strong relationships are present within the team, but outside the team, Edison has many rivalries with other red-division tennis teams. These rivalries have only become more competitive in recent years, especially against tennis teams that have only narrowly defeated Edison.
“I’m a pretty competitive guy, but you realize that when you coach, somebody has to win and somebody has to lose,” said Smith. “If you’re an athlete, you always want to go and see what you can do when you play against these schools; it’s nice competition and nice rivalry, and if you become better and they become better, that makes for an even more exciting standoff.”
