Hometown
Kennesaw
Club/Facility you currently teach at?
Druid Hills Golf Club (High Performance Head Pro)
How did you get involved in teaching tennis?
I needed to payoff some college student loans and a friend asked me to coach some tennis while I waited to be accepted into a Masters program. I never made it back to college because I realized I loved working with athletes a LOT more!
Diehard fan of what sports team?
Atlanta United & UGA football
Best part of your game?
Volleys, but my overhead STILL needs work!
Dream doubles match would be me and….
Gabriela Sabatini vs. anyone
When I’m not teaching tennis I’m…..
Spending time with my dog Angel
My favorite tennis memory is…
Too many to mention, but most of them were at tournaments with the kids I coached.
My favorite pro player is….
Jannik Sinner
# 1 reason why I enjoy teaching & coaching tennis
I love working with athletes who truly want to get better. It does not matter if they are 8 years old or 18. Hard work ALWAYS pays off for the players who really want it!
What important tennis message do you want to promote?
Tennis is a team sport! I have coached at the USTA National Spring Team Championships in Mobile 5-6 years and have coached teams who have made it to USTA JTT nationals three times with two championships. Kids want to be part of a team so coaches should find more ways to get their players involved in team formatted events. If a junior’s goal is to play college tennis one day, they are going to play on a team.
Also, surround your junior player with a “team” of people who will help them thrive. Each child needs a primary caoch, but make sure to find a coach who will help your child learn from different coaches, assisting them with all aspects of their game (technical, tactical, mental, nutritional, etc.)
