Remembering Heidi Smith

Heidi Smith served as the USTA Missouri executive director from the spring of 2019 until she passed away at the end of January 2022. Heidi was so dedicated to the district that she was still working in her final days. Her enthusiasm and positive attitude will be greatly missed.

Heidi was a lifelong tennis player. She often played with her family and she started taking lessons at a young age. By the time Heidi was an adult, she was regularly involved in USTA leagues. Heidi was described as being very smart on the court and very competitive. Many of her teammates have commented that she was a true team player and always stepped up and did what was best for the team. Even though Heidi was shy by nature, she took on the role of captain anytime there was a need.

Heidi became the executive director of USTA Missouri in early 2019. She was a great mentor and delegator which allowed her to get more players and volunteers involved. The district experienced significant growth under Heidi’s leadership, even during the pandemic. She entered the district at a financially challenging time and was key in keeping the district afloat. This was true in the literal sense when the district office at Cooper Tennis Complex flooded. Heidi handled the situation with her usual grace and used it as an opportunity to get the district’s affairs in order (e.g., going through years and years of files).