Our Story
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
My relationship with tennis began when I was seven years old on the public courts at Tyee Middle School in Bellevue, Washington. I still remember my mother gently tossing balls to me always underhand, of course and doing her best to introduce me to the game she loved. She was a beautiful player herself, but she quickly realized something that many parents discover: coaching your own child is not always the best path or the best strategy for family harmony.
Thankfully, she gave me the gift of falling in love with a sport that would shape so much of my life.
FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE GAME
Because I started young, tennis fundamentals became second nature. Over the years, I competed nationally as a junior player before earning a Division I tennis scholarship to the University of Colorado Boulder. Tennis taught me discipline, resilience, sportsmanship, mental toughness, and resolve lessons that have remained with me long after my competitive career ended.
My first lessons with a professional coach were with Wimbledon competitor Dick Knight at Supersonics Racquet Club, now the Pro Club in Redmond, Washington. After several lessons, my mother and I realized that I probably needed a different kind of coach someone who could match the determination, and occasional stubbornness, of a seven-year-old with a very strong will. That decision changed the course of my tennis life.
WHO CHANGED MY LIFE
My next coach, Mark Frisby who still coaches today at Seattle Prep transformed my game forever. To this day, I continue to seek his advice. He understands tennis at a remarkably deep level and remains, in my opinion, one of the finest strategists in doubles.
RETURNING TO TENNIS
Life eventually took me in other directions, and for many years I stepped away from the sport. But in 2015, thanks to tremendous advances in medicine and a renewed sense of possibility, I returned to the court not as the player I once was, but as a coach.
I actually began coaching tennis as a junior in high school at a summer club in Bellevue, Washington. Decades later, I returned to the sport and was hired as head coach at the nationally recognized Lakeside School in Seattle before being recruited to teach at my local country club.
What surprised me most was not simply how much I enjoyed coaching tennis, but how deeply I valued the relationships I built with students and families. I discovered that my greatest joy came from helping players improve, gain confidence, and experience the satisfaction that comes from mastering something difficult all while having a blast together.
As my coaching community grew, so did my vision. I wanted to create something larger than a lesson schedule or a training program. I wanted to build a culture and a tennis family.
PNW Tennis Titans was founded on a few simple principles: to develop character on and off the court, compete with respect and good sportsmanship, support and lift one another up, and enjoy the journey while having fun.
I wanted to surround myself with athletes and families who value sportsmanship, have a sense of humor, and pursue excellence; families who appreciate a coach who cares deeply about their children both on and off the court; and young athletes who understand that growth happens when high expectations are paired with encouragement and fun.
RAISING ATHLETES & BUILDING COMMUNITY
Long before PNW Tennis Titans existed, I was raising three athletes. Between swimming, skiing, basketball, football, lacrosse, and tennis, our family spent countless hours on fields, courts, slopes, and in gyms. Two of my children went on to compete in college athletics, while another was recruited after helping lead Bellevue High School to a state lacrosse championship.
During those years, I tried not to miss a single game, match, or race. My husband coached football and basketball, and along the way our family was fortunate to encounter extraordinary coaches who shaped not only my children, but also my own philosophy as both a coach and a parent.
I learned invaluable lessons from leaders like Mark Frisby, legendary football coach Butch Goncharoff, basketball coach Romell Witherspoon, and Lakeside’s Mike Lengel individuals who understood that great coaching extends far beyond wins and losses. The very best coaches do far more than teach technique they challenge us, inspire us, and help us discover strengths we did not know we had.
My coaching philosophy blends the fundamentals that shaped my own game with ideas from some of the best coaches in the country, as well as insights from former students who have gone on to compete at universities such as Northwestern and coach at institutions like Penn. Tennis continues to evolve, and I believe that great coaching means continuing to learn.
PNW Tennis Titans has never been only about producing better tennis players. It is about helping young people become resilient, gracious competitors, and confident individuals while creating a community they are excited to be part of.
More than anything, I created PNW Tennis Titans because tennis changed my life, and I wanted to create a place where it could change the lives of others as well.
