Our Team - Tennis Memphis

Trip Wills

Trip is a native of the Memphis area. With a background in Division 1 college tennis at the University of Mississippi, his journey in the world of tennis began as a player, and he has since transitioned into a successful coaching career.

In 2007, Trip began coaching at Tennis Memphis, where he has been a pivotal figure in nurturing the tennis talent of aspiring players. He is committed to providing high-quality coaching to players of all ages and skill levels.

Trip enjoys working with both juniors and adults, helping them improve their game and fall in love with tennis. He has coached numerous players from the beginner stages to the collegiate level.

Trip is married to Kate and they have a beloved dog.

Scott Mitchell

Scott is a USPTA Master Professional and considered an industry leader in first-class facility operations/management, junior and adult coaching, and program design and implementation. Scott was formerly the CEO for Premier Sport International providing innovative and profitable solutions for clubs/facilities and professional tournaments around the world. He has been involved in some of the largest and most prestigious facilities in the U.S. and many of the worlds’ leading professional tennis tournaments. He has been the Executive Director of Racquet Sports with over 30 years experience at private clubs, public facilities and resorts. He now shares his experiences through career development and facility operations consulting and management.

Throughout his career, Scott has overseen operations as Tournament Director of several premier professional tennis tournaments including the Dow Tennis Classic, Savannah Challenger, Central Coast Tennis Classic, as well as the U.S. Women’s Pro Clay Court Championships to name a few. Over the last several years, he has been the Director of Tennis Operations for the Dallas Open ATP250 and the Atlanta Open ATP250. During his tenure with the Dow Tennis Classic, they received four straight years of Gold Star Standard by the USTA and became the benchmark of all Pro Circuit events around the U.S. Scott also served as the Director of Competition for the USA Games Special Olympics in 2022 held at Disney World as well as the Special Olympics North American Games.

Scott’s coaching background is extensive as he has won a National Championship as an assistant coach at Georgia Perimeter College. Scott is a PTR Master of Tennis Junior Development, PTR National Tester and Clinician, a USTA Coach Youth Tennis Faculty Member, a USTA National Zonal Coach working with many of the nation’s top boys and girls, and a sought-after speaker on tennis operations, management and coaching with the USPTA, USTA, PTR, and around the world.

He is married to Ashley and they have 3 children.

Tracy Pope

Tracy oversees Accounting and Finance for Tennis Memphis, ensuring that player accounts stay current and the organization’s finances are maintained. She also manages registrations for youth programs to support Tennis Memphis’ core mission of community outreach. When not in the office Tracy can be found on the courts with one of her USTA teams, or enjoying time with her family and friends watching Texas A&M football. She has a passion for service and is a member of the Junior League, and active in her church. Tracy has lived in cities from coast to coast as a military wife with her husband Dallas and her two sons. She has been with Tennis Memphis for 7 years and although a Texas native, Tracy now calls Memphis home.

Paul Goebel

Paul comes to us after 24 years with the University of Memphis tennis program and nearly two decades as the men’s head coach.

He successfully led the Tigers to nine NCAA tournament appearances, three conference championship matches and a C-USA crown in 2012. He was the two-time conference Coach of the Year and claims 242 career victories under his coaching. Paul has coached numerous players that have gone on to play tennis professionally. The most notable of which include Joe Salisbury, former world No.1 in doubles and five-time Grand slam champion. Another one of Goebel’s former players, David O’Hare, is now the coach of Joe Salisbury and his doubles partner, Rajeev Ram.

Paul is married to Shelly and they have four children.

As Director of Tennis Paul will be assisting the coaches at each of our facilities, helping to attract and coordinate events and tournaments, acting as the liaison with the University of Memphis tennis teams and assisting with the junior programs.

Adam Friel

Adam joins our team at Tennis Memphis with over ten years of experience in almost every aspect of the tennis industry. He has been a director for Adults, U10 and Junior development as well as worked in the sports equipment industry.

Adam has had some amazing opportunities so far in his life. He has coached players who have gone on to play on the WTA, BJK Cup, National Championships, Little Mo finals and reach junior rankings as high as top 20 in the country. He has also strung and customized rackets for many WTA and ATP players.

As the Adult Head Tennis Professional, Adam is extremely excited to bring everything he has learned in his career to Tennis Memphis. Whether players are looking for fun, competition or the next big social event, Adam is there to help! He cannot wait to show Memphis all of the fun you can have while improving your game every single day.

Adam and his wife have a daughter and are moving to Memphis from New York.

Cedric De Zutter

Cedric comes to Tennis Memphis with a decade of extensive coaching experience ranging from the junior to adult level. He has coached over 35 juniors in Regional, Southern and National level tournaments and continues to serve as a mentor to several collegiate players. Cedric served as the Director of Junior Tennis at the Racquet Club of Memphis until its closing in 2019.

He is a University of Memphis alumni and competed on the tennis team during his time there. In 2013 Cedric helped lead the team to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He is in his seventh season as the Volunteer Assistant to the Men’s Tigers Tennis Team.

Cedric is the son of Marnix and Caroline De Zutter and the youngest of their three children. He is also a proud (and favorite!) uncle to Laure and Nick. While Cedric is a Belgian native he is happy to call Memphis home and excited to be part of the Tennis Memphis team.

Daryl Greenan

Daryl comes to us from his most recent position as the winningest Head Coach in the history of Mississippi State’s Women’s Tennis. He has coached at the college level for over 25 years and has received awards such as South Regions Assistant Coach of the Year and Big Ten Conference Head Coach of the Year.

As a college player himself, Greenan was a member of the men’s tennis team at Valdosta State. He was the No. 1 singles player for two seasons, and was part of the No. 1 doubles team for three campaigns. Greenan was ranked in the top 20 in singles and achieved his highest doubles ranking in 1995, when he finished second in the nation. As a native Canadian, Daryl represented the country in International Father-Son competitions with his father, John, on six occasions in four different countries.

Daryl teaches players of all levels and loves to improve their game. Daryl is married to Shannon and they have a daughter, Willa, and are excited to make Memphis their new home.

Andrew Bolds

Andrew joins us with nearly a decade of coaching experience across all levels and age groups (beginners to the elite and collegiate levels), specializing in juniors tennis. Born and raised in Memphis, Andrew has been in the local tennis community all his life. As a junior player, Andrew was ranked top 40 in the South.

Professionally, Andrew has taken multiple junior teams to state championships. Most recently, he led the University of Jackson girls team to back to back state championships, and the boys teams to back to back finalist rounds of the championships.

In 2022, Andrew moved back to Memphis to continue his coaching career closer to home. Andrew is married to his wife, Megan, and they recently welcomed their daughter, Savannah, in July 2023. He is excited to continue to grow his career and expertise for the sport in the city where it all began.

Chip Malone

Prior to Tennis Memphis, Chip played tennis at an NJCAA level at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he made it to the MACCC semi-finals for two consecutive years. After transferring to Mississippi State University, he spent two years running an after-school sports program at Palmer Home in Columbus, Mississippi. This is where he discovered that he had a passion for coaching, mentoring and serving the community. Chip has helped Tennis Memphis partner with organizations across the city such as Girl’s Inc., Memphis Athletic Ministries, Emmanuel Center, Memphis Delta Prep, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis and more. He has also had the opportunity to build the Junior Development program for over 175+ children.

Alvin Abston

Alvin started his tennis journey in the early 90s as a student at one of the organizations that would eventually become Tennis Memphis – the Tennis Association for Memphis Youth. After his career as a collegiate tennis player at LeMoyne-Owen College in 2001, he worked as the assistant director of tennis at Camp Lohikan in Lake Como, Pennsylvania for six years. Alvin has been a member of the Tennis Memphis staff since 2015, working at center front desks and stringing racquets. He is happy to join the instruction ranks alongside his fellow tennis pros and help mentor and mold players across the City of Memphis.

Valewis Simpson

Valewis has joined our team with an extensive background of playing experience. Born and raised in Memphis, Valewis has been apart of Tennis Memphis since he was 6 years old. As a junior player, Valewis was ranked top 5 in the south and was a 5 star on tennis recruiting. He also held the number 1 spot in Georgia and Tennessee.

Professionally, Valewis turned pro at 15 years old and started training with pro players in Atlanta. These players included, Donald Young Sr, Donald Young Jr and Taylor Townsend. At 16 years old he played his first atp challenger in Blois France, being the first American in the 2001s to play on the atp tour. He also played a few ITF Pro Circuits in Egypt, Turkey, and a few other countries. He plans on playing more in the future.

In fall of 2023, Valewis moved back to Memphis to continue his education at the University of Memphis and to begin his coaching career. With his experience he is able to teach players of all skill levels. He is excited to continue to grow his career and expertise in the sport he loves and at the organization where his tennis journey first began.

Diane Hannifin

Diane is the Tennis Memphis Operations Manager, and has been with Tennis Memphis since 2014. Diane reports to the Director of Business Operations, and brings with her a lifelong passion for tennis at quality facilities like those that Tennis Memphis operates. This drives her to engage and coordinate with the City of Memphis and subcontractors aimed at maintaining and improving the tennis experience.

Diane’s love for tennis doesn’t stop at the end of a match, she has also assisted in many fundraisers for Tennis Memphis and has volunteered to help at the Memphis Open. Being an avid tennis player, Diane has played in many leagues at Tennis Memphis. She looks forward to seeing you out on the courts.

Ann Sneed

Ann has called Memphis home since moving here from Germany when she was in elementary school.

While Ann discovered her love for tennis just a few years ago, it has rapidly evolved into an integral part of her life. Much of the credit for this transformation goes to Tennis Memphis, where she currently serves as our Marketing Manager. Ann takes pride in sharing the stories of how Tennis Memphis positively impacts the city and its communities. You can often find her on the tennis court, either competing or alongside the juniors in our program. Her commitment to their growth and development embodies the essence of Tennis Memphis’s mission.

Ann is married to Craig, and they have two children.

Melinda Hoehn

Melinda has been the Director of Business Operations for Tennis Memphis for the past 6 years. Prior to her time at TM she was the Director of Finance for another local nonprofit. Melinda and her husband Robert both play on numerous USTA teams and enjoy traveling, hiking, and all things outdoors. She is a native Memphian and serves at both her church and a local ministry. She loves the mission of Tennis Memphis and being a part of its wonderful team!

Arnold Thompson

Arnold is a certified USPTA elite teaching professional with over 20 years of teaching and coaching experience. He has been with Tennis Memphis for 10 years – serving in a number of capacities with the organization – including summer campsite director, director of programs, grant writing and strategic planning. He is currently responsible for numerous grassroots programs and developing strategies for consistently growing the game of tennis in Memphis. Arnold loves teaching tennis to all ages.

Thomas Hall

Thomas is a highly experienced tennis pro with ten years of coaching experience in and out of the Memphis area. Originally from Virginia, Thomas relocated to Memphis as a teen where he played as a high level junior and collegiate player. Thomas has worked with adults and juniors of all levels. His proudest accomplishment has been his dedication to bettering himself with tennis even while working two to three jobs throughout high school and tennis to fund his development as a player. With his work at Tennis Memphis, Thomas hopes to help make tennis development accessible to everyone.

Chris Holmes

Although Chris was born in Montana and has lived in many different places, he considers the Whitehaven area of Memphis his home. Chris keeps Eldon Roark running at its best, and it’s hard not to have a smile on your face when you see him at the front desk. He’s never too busy to ask about a player’s day, and his favorite part of working at Tennis Memphis is greeting and befriending the staff and clients. Chris is married to his wife, Lolita, and they have two sons and a granddaughter.

Elite Group

Advanced tournament level players that are ages 12 and above. This group has UTR level requirements.

Competition Group

Tournament level players that are 10 years old and above.

Red Ball

In our first stage, players learn the basic concept of the game and how to direct and control a ball in a space. Players develop fundamental movement, balance, as well as basic hitting and rallying skills, reception, contact, and a basic short swing shape. From the very beginning they learn key tactical and technical concepts of the game, with the focus on controlling and directing the ball to help win points. They will build the skills required to serve, return, rally and score beginning at the very first clinic.

Yellow Ball

Players now have transitioned fully to the regulation court and have a good understanding of all the play situations. Tactical and technical aspects of development are the main focus. Players will continue to develop their own game style and have the ability to make adjustments under pressure. A good understanding of high percentage play and pattern for singles and doubles fundamentals will be a focal point. Hard work, sportsmanship, and discipline is a must as the intensity and demand of the program is increased. Staying mentally and emotionally positive through the process is expected from all participants.

Green Ball

The third phase of the program has them transitioning to the full court. Players at this stage are more confident and tactically aware. Goals are now more focused around their opponent and how to attack and defend. Focus is placed on developing more tactical skills and refining technical ones, building upon the quality foundations from previous stages, including attacking, defending and using strengths and weaknesses. As they continue to grow and develop, basic strength and athletic skills play a bigger part in their game; physical size must be considered as players transition.

Orange Ball

The next stage becomes more challenging for players as they improve their skills, movement, and play situations. Here they need to use class time to make the ball go faster, add spins, and connect a variety of shots together using patterns of play. Moving forward in the court and using angles will also become a priority at this level. They will now be developing all five play situations; baseline rally, serve, return, moving forward, and your opponent moving forward. Mentally they learn to focus, embrace, and enjoy challenging situations.

Ryan Beattie

Ryan is the Welcome Center Manager for the Leftwich Tennis Center and a proud native Memphian, raised by a great family. He has a background in sales, marketing and insurance. Prior to his tenure with Tennis Memphis Ryan was the Networking and Marketing executive for a local Insurance Company. Ryan is ambitious and driven and plans to enter the field of international business.

His favorite things about working at Tennis Memphis are the people and the family like atmosphere, as well as, the opportunity to get to know people. Ryan loves to cultivate relationships with people from different backgrounds and bring people together.

Jay Robillard

Hailing from Muncie, Indiana, Jay was first team all-state doubles for two consecutive years in high school before heading to Indiana University where he received his USPTA certification and coached for four years. When he isn’t playing or teaching tennis, you can find him on the golf course or watching sports.

Tennis Memphis Staff

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