Birmingham's Donald Smith grows the game without a paycheck

If you didn’t know the true story, you’d think Donald Smith’s job was tennis.

Smith does a lot at James Lewis Tennis Center in Birmingham, Ala. The one thing he doesn’t do is collect a paycheck.

“My tennis job is, well, it's a volunteer job because I don't get paid. The James Lewis Tennis Education Foundation runs Ensley Park and George Ward Park (tennis centers) and I run the Ensley facility at Ensley Park. I run it (for) free," Smith said. "I just come and give my time and work with the people that come to our facility.”

The James Lewis Tennis Center at the Ensley Park and Recreation Center was named for Jimmy Lewis’s late father.

“Donald is the teaching pro now at James Lewis Tennis Center," the younger Lewis said. "He also has a junior team that's been doing really well the last three years. He's taking care of everything at James Lewis. He arranged just about everything down there now. I think he's applied for several grants for court improvements. He's working on one right now.”

Smith’s volunteer work in tennis netted him the 2026 Hubert Kessler Inspiration Cup Award from USTA Alabama. The award is named for one of Alabama's most respected tennis volunteers and administrators who devoted decades to growing tennis across the state through USTA Alabama. Kessler, who died in 2012, was widely known for his enthusiasm, encouragement of volunteers and commitment to making tennis accessible to players of all ages and skill levels.

James Lewis inspired Smith to volunteer

“Donald was telling me (that) everything he does now is because of my dad,” Lewis said. “He's going to make sure that legacy lives on. Every time I say,  ‘Donald, you're doing a good job.’ He always says, ‘Well, it's because of your dad. Your dad started me (in tennis), and I want to continue everything that he envisioned and got going.’”

The elder Lewis was known for teaching tennis to countless men, women, boys and girls. Sometimes he taught at the tennis courts outside Ensley. Other times, he’d see someone trying to play the sport on other courts as he drove through Birmingham. In either instance, he taught anyone who showed an interest, all at no charge.

Including Donald Smith.