Charlie Smith selected as USTA Missouri Valley Outstanding Official, Glass Ball recipient

With November designated as Officials Appreciation Month, USTA Missouri Valley is recognizing the impact of local tennis officials. Read about seven officials who earned district recognition for their work by clicking here.

Upon retiring in 2015 from a distinguished engineering and geological career, which included four years of service in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, Charlie Smith spent quite a bit of his newfound free time at one of his favorite spots—the tennis court.

Smith learned from his mother how to play tennis at just 3 years old, and a lifelong passion for the sport was ignited. He continued competing in tennis throughout his life, including three decades as a resident of Edmond, Okla.

But Smith’s knees began to swell up with increasing intensity during his post-retirement play. After a few months of watching her husband lumber around with bags of ice wrapped around his knees, Smith’s wife suggested he try something different to stay in the game. Officiating came calling, with Smith taking his first USTA online classes in 2017.

“It would have been really difficult to not be involved in tennis in some way,” Smith said. “I always thought, ‘Well, if I can’t play, at least I can maybe give back and help kids and other people who want to play.’ I’ve always seen officials as facilitators of the game. They help us enjoy the game rather than trying to dictate the terms of the game. I want to be an official that helps people enjoy playing tennis.”

This past year alone, Smith chaired 123 matches, completed 46 roving days, called seven days of professional lines and refereed six events where he was in charge of officials for the tournament. An NCAA Division II conference assigner and ITA dual-match official, Smith has worked an array of tennis competitions at the USTA Oklahoma, USTA Missouri Valley and USTA National levels.

“I tell anyone, ‘If I have a day I’m not doing something about tennis and you have an opening, I’ll go do it,’” Smith said. “… The reason I love tennis so much is it’s a game of life. If you can learn to manage yourself on a tennis court, you can manage yourself in life. I love watching any level of tennis that’s competitive. And yet the people are generous to one another even though they want to win so bad.”