Bill Moss: Tennis Scotland mourns passing of former National Coach
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Tennis Scotland is mourning the passing of Bill Moss, the first full-time National Coach of Scotland, who has died at the age of 98.
For nearly 30 years, Bill oversaw the development of junior players and aspiring coaches around the country, passing on his experience and knowledge, gained not least from partnering the great Fred Perry to doubles success in the early 1950s.
Bill was born in Birmingham in August 1926 and honed his game as a teenager at the Edgbaston Club. During the Second World War, he played in junior tournaments and enjoyed so much success that, following the end of the hostilities, he was selected to play for Warwickshire.
An invitation to train with the Great Britain Davis Cup team soon arrived from coach Dan Maskell, however Bill suffered an untimely broken leg while playing football and was left out of action until 1947 – although he still managed to qualify for Wimbledon that year.
Even though he was regularly representing England, his day job as a draughtsman left him struggling to find the time to develop his tennis game as much as he would have liked so, in 1949, Bill decided to dedicate his professional life to the sport by becoming a coach.
He continued to compete, winning the British Professional Championships in 1952, 1953 and 1965, as well as winning the doubles event 18 times with 13 different partners. One of his most memorable achievements came in 1953, when he won the European Doubles Championships alongside British tennis legend Fred Perry.
Travelling the country
Bill was appointed as the first full-time National Coach of Scotland from 1 December 1961, agreeing an initial three-year contract. He quickly settled into the role, travelling around the country and getting to know District and Club officials as well as players. He continued to develop the sport in Scotland, overseeing the formation of national squads and helping to train coaches in a bid to raise standards.
From his favourite location at the National Training Centre in Inverclyde, he would spend weekends coaching up-and-coming youngsters and was described as having “the patience of a saint” while strolling around the court, puffing on his famous pipe as his players worked on their skills.
Among those whose potential he helped nurture was Winnie Shaw, who went on to win Junior Wimbledon, reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals of the ladies’ event and represent GB at the Fed and Wightman Cups. He also helped to bring the best out of Ken Revie, who also won Junior Wimbledon as well as 12 national titles and went on to become Scotland’s most capped player.
Bill stepped back as full-time National Coach in 1982, but continued to work on a consultancy basis until 1989, before being recognised for his services to Scottish tennis during a gala dinner in Glasgow the following year. He continued to get on court as a member of Whitecraigs Tennis Club, but also made sure he found of plenty of time to protect his cherished single-figure handicap on the golf course.
'Missed by many'
Blane Dodds, Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland, said: “I have had calls and messages from all over the world regarding this sad news, which shows that Bill will be sadly missed by so many. He will always be remembered for the incredible impact he had on our sport over such a long period.
"Bill was a great ambassador for Scottish tennis and an inspiration to young players and coaches due to his complete understanding of the game, as he worked tirelessly to help them realise their potential. He had the ability to see immediately the potential in young players. He is very fondly remembered and will be missed greatly. Our thoughts and condolences are with Bill’s wife Jill, family and friends at this time.”
A funeral service for Bill will take place at the Hurlet Crematorium in Glasgow Road at 1pm on Thursday, 19 September, with all then invited to Dalmeny House Hotel, in Lochlibo Road, Barrhead.
