Comanche Nation's Brady Matthews leads Southwest Baptist University tennis teams

Brady Matthews got involved in tennis as a child in Anadarko, Okla. A member of the Comanche Nation, he started playing in tournaments run by the North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA).

His first tournament was the Jim Thorpe Games in Oklahoma City in 2012. Matthews had no idea it would be the beginning of a lifelong connection.

“I was just there as a kid who just wanted to play tennis on that Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “It wasn’t anything beyond an interest in tennis.

“But through the years of attending more tournaments, it’s almost become like a family reunion. The people who are involved with it have become like family. The adults are people I’ve grown up with. They’re always super supportive of me when it comes to working in tennis and also being a Native American.”

Matthews is in his second season as head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Southwest Baptist University, an NCAA Division II school in Bolivar, Mo.

He played tennis for two years at Seminole State College in Seminole, Okla., and then two years at Southwest Christian University in Bethany, Okla. He spent several years as a graduate assistant and an assistant tennis coach before landing his first head coaching job two years ago at Newman University in Wichita, Kan., where he led the men’s and women’s teams.

He knew about Southwest Baptist University because he played and coached against the Bearcats previously.

“They’ve always had a strong tennis history,” he said. “That’s what really drove me into it. They not only had the tennis aspect, but the alumni have always been very supportive and very helpful.”

Limitless Game

Anadarko is steeped in Native American culture, but tennis is not a big part of that culture. The high school Matthews attended was really into team sports like football, basketball and baseball. Though the tennis program at the high school was solid, it didn’t garner the same spotlight as other sports.

But the sport of tennis doesn’t require a lot of equipment to play, just a racquet and a can of balls. You only need one other person to have a match. And if you can’t find another person, you can hit by yourself against a flat wall somewhere.

Try doing that with baseball or football.

“There’s no ceiling with tennis,” Matthews said. “I think that’s what really draws people into it. Even my college players know that your skill development doesn’t end there. There’s always a sense of developing; always a sense of growing. No one really completes their development in tennis.”

As a Native American and USTA Coaching member, Matthews appreciates the support the USTA gives to his people. That includes assisting with the annual NAITA Championships.

“The USTA has really helped us out a lot, especially in the past three or four years,” he said. “They host clinics where the kids who attend get a racquet.

“It continues beyond that weekend. Obviously, you want more than that initial weekend to develop the skills, but that’s all you need to get out and hit the ball.”