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Coach Spotlight: Matt Bees
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massive-dev | September 27, 2020
It’s National Coaches Week and we’re profiling a couple dedicated coaches who’s energy and dedication make a huge difference to our athletes.
First up is wheelchair tennis coach Matt Bees who coaches at our Richmond program and other tennis events around the province.
Here’s what Matt has to say about coaching wheelchair tennis!
“I first got involved in wheelchair tennis when I was playing in a tournament at Stanley Park. I remember seeing a group of wheelchair athletes warming up, as they too had their tournament matches. Out of curiosity, I walked over to the BC Wheelchair Sports tent just to look around. I ended up meeting the tournament director who let me sit and push around in a sports chair for the first time. She then asked my friend and I if we wanted to volunteer as ball boys for the rest of that tournament! I spent the rest of that weekend helping athletes push their chairs on and off the courts, ball boying, and any other little things that may have come up. From then on, I tried to volunteer at other events until I was lucky enough to start coaching tennis for BC Wheelchair Sports!
Coaching wheelchair tennis with BC Wheelchair Sports is an experience I will always be grateful for. The positivity and optimistic approach everyone brings to every practice is impossible not to enjoy. From watching Let’s Play kids smile after learning to hold a racket for the first time, to warming up players before matches. No matter the place nor the time, everyone gives 100% and is able to make each practice exciting and a pleasure to be a part of.
I cannot pick a favorite coaching moment as I have so many fond memories! However, the best feeling I get as a coach is getting calls/texts from players after they have competed in tournaments to tell me how they have done. Whether it is a big win against a top player, a certain shot that we have practiced coming into fruition, or even that they just had fun out on the court playing. Being able to help players reach their tennis goals and knowing that I have been a part of their success is a very rewarding feeling!”
We’re grateful to have dedicated coaches like Matt who give their time and energy to enhance our programs and help athletes achieve their goals!
