What's All the Racket About?

It's everything Cameron Leslie had hoped for.

Leslie, appointed director of the Cherokee Tennis Center recently, said the opportunity to reshape the tennis program is just the opportunity he'd wanted.

“This is excitement for me, man,” said Leslie, 29. “This is a dream job.”

Originally from Richmond, VA, Leslie's journey to the Peach State was a little longer than just a drive down I-95.

He spent time living in Brazil and Uruguay while his parents were pursuing ventures in international business. He also lived in Charlotte for six years. But now, Canton is home sweet home.

He said he got his passion for tennis from his father, originally from Scotland, who played in Wimbledon in 1963. Tennis was “contagious” in his family – he and his two brothers played.

For Leslie, there's something about the sound of a tennis ball when it blasts seamlessly off the racket that has maintained his interest in tennis for so long.

When he's not playing tennis, Leslie enjoys other sports as well. He golfs, keeps up with college football (Sorry, Georgia Bulldogs, he's a Gators fan) and stays tuned to ESPN SportsCenter.

“It pretty much consumes me, between tennis during the day and sports at nighttime,” he said.

Leslie said his goal is to make the Cherokee facility more welcoming to people who aren't involved with the program.

“The CTC is a central hub for players that don't have [tennis] courts in their neighborhood,” Leslie said. “It's really a place for everybody to play.”

But it has been demanding.

Leslie said he gets to work before nine and doesn't generally leave until after nine at night. Regardless, the chance to make tennis more enjoyable and more accessible is worth it for the new director.

“My focus has always been on juniors, I love the kids,” he said. “It's seriously rewarding, and that's the most beneficial and satisfactory part of being a coach, is to see their success.”

Tommy Zaner, father of 13-year-old Evan, has seen that focus firsthand.

“I think he's incredible,” said Zaner, who has known Leslie for about three years. “He treats each kid a little different depending on their personality. He doesn't believe in one size fits all.”

Zaner said Leslie runs a tight program, one where the lessons are just as applicable on the court as they are off. He said Leslie will pull kids aside if they're slacking off. Whether it's a practice, a game, or a job later in life, Leslie teaches the kids to put in 100 percent.

“He teaches them things that will help them not only in tennis, but in life,” said Zaner, a tennis player himself.

Deanna Benson said she's noticed changes since Leslie has taken over. A few weeks ago, Leslie started coaching her 12-year-old son Walker, after years of encouraging him even though Walker wasn't one of his students.

"He genuinely cares about how good the kids get," she said. "It's really evident to me that he wants to grow the program, get the word out and put his personal touch into the facility."

She said she has known Leslie for a couple of years. An avid tennis player herself, she said she looks forward to upcoming changes at the facility.

That's one benefit of the Cherokee Tennis Center – the whole family can play.

The facility organizes teams segmented into “quite a range” of age groups, Leslie said. From the under 10 crowd to the seniors category, there's a team for everyone.

No experience? No problem.

“There's so much tennis in this area and there so many different levels that everybody – young, old, male, female – you can get out there and play,” he said.