We were recently invited to join the CBC BC Today team for a live interview to discuss our work bringing tennis to Indigenous communities across Vancouver’s three local First Nations – Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Summer Smash Tennis founders Spencer and Marshall Mackoff sat down with host Dan Burritt to share the story behind the Pathways to Tennis initiative: where it started, how it’s grown, and why it matters beyond the sport itself.
The conversation covered a lot of ground, from the origins of the initiative in Spring 2023 at Squamish Nation’s Chief Joe Mathias Centre, to the trust-building process that makes this kind of work possible, to the milestone moment of Celina Dorame becoming a Tennis Canada certified instructor after starting as a complete beginner at Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
The interview also touched on a broader question that many people have about tennis: is it really accessible? Spencer and Marshall addressed the perception of tennis as an exclusive, expensive sport head-on, and made the case that when you strip the game down to its essentials, it can be as grassroots as soccer or basketball. All you need is a racquet, a ball, a partner, and a good coach.
The founders also spoke to what tennis teaches people beyond the court, perseverance, dedication, and the rewards of committing to something difficult over time. These are values that resonate deeply within the communities we serve, and they’re a big part of why the response from Nation members has grown season after season.
We’re grateful to the CBC BC Today team for the opportunity to share this work with a wider audience. If you’d like to learn more about Pathways to Tennis, visit pathwaystotennis.ca or watch the full interview above.
