My Journey in Tennis

I learned tennis on public courts.

I never belonged to a country club, and I know what it's like to love this game without easy access to high-quality instruction.

From the time I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to teach tennis. I started coaching at a young age and continued throughout my college playing career. After graduating, I went straight to Dennis Van der Meer's Tennis Academy to earn my professional certification and pursue coaching as a full-time career.

For the next ten years, tennis was my profession. I had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside some of the most respected professionals in the game, including Dennis Van der Meer, the legendary instructor widely known as the “Teacher of Teachers.” During that time, I also had the privilege of serving as Dennis's personal hitting partner.

Eventually, I moved into business, but tennis never left my life. I continued to play and coach on the side, and coaching remained a constant connection to the game and the people who play it.

For the past ten years, I've also coached high school tennis, and I currently serve as Director of Tennis at Charlottesville High School, overseeing both the boys' and girls' programs. Working with players across different experience levels has given me the opportunity to put my philosophy into practice every day—and to see how much changes when players begin to understand not just what to do, but why they're doing it.

Through these experiences, my understanding of tennis has continued to evolve. The more I've played and coached, the more I've come to believe that understanding the game is the foundation of playing it well. Technique matters, but it makes more sense when you understand the problems you're trying to solve and what you're trying to accomplish.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to coach thousands of players. I've seen firsthand that when players understand why they're doing something, the how becomes easier to understand. They begin to make better decisions, develop more purposeful technique, and take greater ownership of their improvement.

That's why I created Lift Tennis.

Why Lift Tennis?

Lift is built around a simple idea:

Understand the game, and better tennis starts to make sense.

I believe good instruction connects the why to the how. The game presents the problems. Understanding those problems gives our technique purpose.

That begins with something fundamental: getting the ball over the net and keeping it in the court. From there, the principles of good tennis begin to connect. How we swing, shape the ball, position ourselves, and make decisions all become part of a larger understanding of the game.

But Lift Tennis is about more than technique and tactics.

Tennis also gives us opportunities to learn how to compete, respond to adversity, work through challenges, and treat others. As players and coaches, we can strive not only to improve how we play, but also to make the experience of playing the game more meaningful.

That's what I mean by lifting the game.

Career Highlights

• 2025 NFHS National Coach of the Year

• Section II Coach of the Year

• Virginia State Coach of the Year

• Central Virginia Coach of the Year

• Multiple-time state championship coach

• Director of Tennis, Charlottesville High School

• Former personal hitting partner to Dennis Van der Meer

• College tennis player

• Coach of thousands of players

My Philosophy

I created Lift Tennis to share a clearer way of understanding the game—not just what to do, but why it works.

Whether you're a recreational player looking to improve, a competitive player searching for a better understanding, or a coach helping others develop, I hope Lift Tennis gives you ideas that change the way you see the game.

Lift the ball. Elevate the game.