Ian Goolagong made history as the first Indigenous man to compete on centre court at Wimbledon, and now he's hoping to teach the second.
"I would love to coach the next Indigenous player to compete at Wimbledon, but it's such an individual sport many Indigenous players aren't attracted to it."
When he's not travelling the country scouting for Indigenous talent for Tennis Australia, Goolagong is president of the Lalor Tennis Club, north of Melbourne, where he uses the sport as a tool for social inclusion, inviting kids from newly arrived migrant communities and disadvantaged backgrounds to take part.
"How I got most of the kids to come is if they were mucking around out here ask them to come in and have a hit and give them something to do, because otherwise they're on the streets all the time," he said.
Goolagong's commitment to making tennis accessible, means he is often paid in kind.
"We just work out some sort of bartering system where like they can help out at the sausage sizzles at Bunnings or around the club," he said.
Club membership has exploded since Goolagong began coaching, rising from 50 to more than 300 in the past five years.
Club secretary Dein Vindigni said Goolagong had played a big part in attracting new members, and also in securing a $1.25 million redevelopment grant from the Whitlesea Council.
"He's a bit like the pied piper, the children will just follow him where ever he goes," Mr Vindigni said.
"He has an amazing ability to make people feel welcome - young and old - and our kids have gone from strength to strength."
Goolagong competed on the professional circuit for five years in the 1980s, debuting at Wimbledon in 1982 alongside his sister Evonne in the mixed doubles.
As a coach, he was recruited to elite training camps run by legends of the sport John Newcombe and Harry Hopman.
His name may be known across the world in tennis circles, but to his students he's simply known as coach.
"You wouldn't think of him as a big deal if you just met him and didn't know who he was," said 13-year-old student Matthew Lurati.
Meliz Bilgin, 14, said she was intimidated at first, but Goolagong was very welcoming.
"He's just kind of like family now, just a normal person," she said.
And the feeling is mutual. Goolagong said his biggest career highlights were happening right now.
"My main highlight is to see the smiles on kid’s faces and when they enjoy the game I just feel better about myself."
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