Meet Our Tennis Instructors
Catelyn (She/Her)
Catelyn is a Biology student from San Antonio, Texas. She has been teaching both adult and youth players for seven years, including teaching at RecSports since 2022. As the Program Assistant for Tennis Instruction, Catelyn helps coordinate private and group lessons. She played tennis competitively in middle and high school, during which she helped her varsity team continue a 29-year streak of district championships. Catelyn plans to work in wildlife conservation after graduation, focusing specifically on marine ecosystems. Catelyn's advice for those taking lessons for the first time is to approach tennis with a smile and let our instructors tailor lessons to best fit what type of learning and exercise works for you.
Isabelle (She/Her)
Isabelle is a Philosophy major from Jacksonville, Texas. She has played competitive tennis for eight years and was the team captain of her varsity team in high school. At UT, Isabelle plays intramural tennis, reaching the fall 2023 championship game in women's doubles. She teaches tennis both at RecSports and summer camps in the community. Isabelle loves playing at Whitaker Courts, and she encourages all new participants to have fun no matter where they are in their playing journey.
Jay (He/Him)
Jay is a Biology student from Cibolo, Texas. He has been a tennis instructor for two years and joined our team of instructors in fall 2023. A two-year captain on his high school team, Jay was a three-time district champion and reached the University Interscholastic League regional semifinals. He has played tennis abroad and loves playing on clay courts. His advice for first-time players is to remember that to succeed, you must first fail and learn what not to do next time!
Jonathan (He/Him)
Jonathan is a Computer Science student from Plano, Texas. He has taught tennis at RecSports since fall 2022. Jonathan played varsity tennis in high school. Of all the tennis courts he has played on, his favorites are still those at the middle school he grew up near. Jonathan encourages participants preparing for their first class to come with a goal in mind for each lesson.
Kaleb (He/Him)
Kaleb is an International Business student from Hondo, Texas. He has played tennis since he was 11 years old, competing on the varsity tennis team throughout high school. In the summer, he teaches at a camp for young people in his hometown. Kaleb has been a RecSports tennis instructor since spring 2023. Whenever given the chance, Kaleb's favorite place to play is the Weller Tennis Center, home to the Longhorn tennis teams. His advice to new players is to be positive towards themselves and have fun!
Katherine (She/Her)
Katherine is an Exercise Science student from McDonough, Georgia. She has been an instructor at RecSports since spring 2023. Katherine has played tennis for over 10 years, competing in high school and for multiple club teams. Her varsity squad once placed eighth at the Georgia High School Association state championship tournament. She encourages participants to keep an open mind and be ready to learn! Katherine is also happy to show you pictures of her cat, who she says is the cutest in the world.
Keiana (She/Her)
Keiana is a Speech-Language Pathology student from Kaiserslautern, Germany. She has taught players of all ages and skill levels. Competing with her varsity team in high school, Keiana won a district title in mixed doubles. When she isn't on the court playing or teaching, she loves to crochet, play PC games, and spend time with her two cats. Keiana encourages new players to be patient and have fun because it makes learning the game even easier!
Lourdes (She/Her)
Lourdes is a Biology student from Deer Park, Texas. She began teaching at age 15 and has spent many summers and holidays working with children to improve their game. She also was a coach at the Texas A&M University summer tennis camp. Lourdes' competitive experience includes four years of varsity tennis, where she was a team captain and named MVP each year. Some of her favorite tennis experiences have been being a ball kid for several professional players, including Taylor Fritz, John Isner, the Bryan Brothers, and Frances Tiafoe. She wants new players to remember to take things slow because building solid skills takes time!
Mario
Mario is an Economics student from Houston, Texas. He began playing tennis at seven years old and has been teaching tennis for three years. Mario is proud to be a left-handed player and will play on any court, anywhere, so long as the weather is nice! His philosophy for new players is just to get out there and have fun.
Saksham (He/Him)
Saksham is an Economics and Business student from Dallas, Texas. He joined our team of instructors in January 2024 and has experience teaching children and adults. Saksham began playing at age six and is an international-level player who reached his highest UTR of 12.63, making him one of the highest-ranked players in India. Although he is very passionate about clay courts being better than hard courts while playing, he is also passionate about men's mental health, even giving a TEDx Talk on the topic. Saksham promises that while tennis is not as easy as it looks on TV, in-person tennis lessons are much easier than following a YouTube tutorial!
Sanaj (He/Him)
Sanaj is an undeclared Business student from Houston, Texas. He has played tennis since junior high school and has been a tennis instructor for two years, previously at Lifetime Fitness. He was a two-time district champion in high school. Sanaj's advice for first-time players is to stay consistent and keep a positive attitude towards the sport.