Tennis Lessons

Tennis Program Director

Rodrigo Schtscherbyna

Rodrigo Schtscherbyna was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and started his athletic career as a swimmer. Thanks to his dad, an avid tennis player, Rodrigo became so passionate for tennis he decided to jump out the water even after achieving a few national titles.

His passion for tennis led him to some major accomplishments. Rodrigo held the #1 position in Brazil in the 14’s, 16’s and 18’s junior rankings. In ‘98, he received a full tennis scholarship at Florida International University, a NCAA Division I school, where he graduated with a double major in Finance and International Business. After college, he dedicated himself completely to becoming a professional tennis player. During those years, he trained hard, traveled to many countries, and won a few titles.

In ‘02, Rodrigo was offered a position at Winthrop University in South Carolina to coach the NCAA Division I Woman’s Tennis Team and, at the same time, to get a MBA degree. After getting his degree he decided to take on a bigger challenge. Once he heard: If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere!!!

Rodrigo arrived in New York in ‘03 and has worked in the area since. Prior to Club Fit, he was part of some of the most well attended racquet clubs in Westchester County. Rodrigo is a certified USPTA and PPTA professional.

Rodrigo, who lives in White Plains with his wife Kristie and their children Matteos and Nicolás, is a big sports fan and loves tennis, platform tennis and soccer. He is also interested in Finance and the world’s socio-economy.

Adult Tennis Director

Emily Chang

Biography:
Emily Chang is a tennis professional with experience in coaching, program development, tournaments, camps, and club operations. She has worked with adults and juniors of various skill levels through private and group lessons, clinics, and competitive programs. Emily is passionate about developing engaging tennis programs that help players improve their skills, build confidence, and enjoy the game. She also has experience organizing and leading junior tennis programs, seasonal programs, and summer camps, including Red, Orange, and Green Ball programs. She is committed to player development and creating a positive, supportive environment where every player feels motivated, challenged, and encouraged to grow.

Playing Background:
Emily Chang is originally from São Paulo, Brazil, where she achieved a No. 1 national ranking in the Girls’ 14-and-under division and competed in ITF tournaments. She moved to the United States in 2015 to pursue college tennis. Chang began her collegiate career at Mesa Community College in Arizona, where she was named Women’s Athlete of the Year. After transferring to ASA College, she earned ITA Sophomore Player of the Year honors in 2017. In 2018, she transferred to the University of Mobile, where she was named Newcomer of the Year and an NAIA First-Team All-American. In 2019, Chang was named SSAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year and was ranked No. 13 in the country in singles by the ITA. She graduated from the University of Mobile with honors in 2020. Following college, Emily competed on the professional tour before transitioning into coaching

Coaching Background: 

Sportime – John McEnroe Tennis Academy
Coached juniors ages 3–17 and adult players through private lessons, group lessons, clinics, and competitive programs. Led Red, Orange, and Green Ball groups, developing age-appropriate drills. Managed summer camps for the Red and Orange Ball programs, organizing daily schedules, tennis activities, games, and match play. Created a positive and supportive environment that encouraged player development, confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong enjoyment of tennis.

Brae Burn Country Club
Coached primarily adult players through private lessons, group lessons, and clinics for various skill levels. Developed lessons focused on technique, strategy, movement, consistency, and match play. Organized and ran internal tennis tournaments and competitive events, including player scheduling and match formats. Also managed the Tennis Cardio program, creating high-energy sessions that combined tennis drills, fitness, movement, and conditioning.

Future Stars Summer Camp
Coached children ages 4–14 for two summers, creating a fun, safe, and engaging environment for players of different ages and skill levels. Organized daily tennis drills, games, match play, and group activities focused on developing fundamental skills, coordination, teamwork, and confidence. Managed groups of young players and helped create an enjoyable summer camp experience.

High-Performance Director

Nei Dos Santos

Biography:
Nei, originally from Florianópolis, Brazil, was a top-20 nationally ranked junior player in every age division. He played at the top of the lineup for Cowley County Community College in Kansas, earning All-American honors and finishing No. 3 in the nation. He graduated from Newman University in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and later earned his Master’s while serving as a Graduate Assistant. Nei is USPTA  and PTR certified with over 20 years of coaching experience.

Playing Background:
At Cowley College, won the regional championship in both seasons with the program, earning All-American honors and finishing the season ranked Top 3 nationally in doubles.

Coaching Background: 

• Worked closely with respected coaches Rafael Westrupp, Marcelo “Cascata” Rebelo, Ricardo Pimentel, Carlos Alves, Carlos Goff and Thomaz Koch.
• Served as a sparring partner for Fernanda Alves, Lorena Valent, and Florentina Hanish.
• Worked with Eliot Spizzirri before he committed to play college tennis at the University of Texas. Spizzirri is currently ranked No. 112 in the ATP rankings.
• Served as Director of Tennis at Sooner Tennis Academy in Norman, Oklahoma.
• Worked with players at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.
• Coached Alex Suviniski, who reached No. 1 in New York in 2025 after winning 17 consecutive matches.
• Coached Jack Reis, who won the New York State Public School Singles Championship in 2026

Junior Development Program Director & High Performance Assistant Director

Mathias Degardin

Playing Background and Highlights
Mathias Degardin was born and raised in Lyon, France, where he reached a national ranking of No. 10 in the Under-14 category. He left France in 2014 to attend the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA), where he played through 2018. During his time there, USCA was ranked No. 8 in the nation in NCAA Division II. Mathias played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, reaching an individual national ranking of No. 40 and a doubles national ranking of No. 15. Over his four years, he achieved a career-high UTR of 13.5 and was named Freshman of the Year in the Peach Belt Conference, recognized as the most competitive conference in the nation. He has also served as a hitting partner for ATP- and ITF-ranked players, including Noah Rubin (No. 184 ATP), Corentin Denolly (No. 280 ATP, No. 2 ITF), and Roy Smith (No. 600 ATP). In three seasons at USCA, Mathias set the program record for most career singles wins with 42, posting a singles record of 42-12 over that span. He served as team captain from 2016 to 2018 and was named USC Aiken’s Best International Athlete in 2016. Mathias then enrolled at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina to pursue his MBA, where he also served as team captain. He played one season for Queens, where the team achieved its highest national ranking in program history, No. 15.

Professional Background
Mathias worked as a tennis professional each summer throughout his bachelor’s and master’s studies: at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in Syosset (2016), the Patterson Club (2017), and as Assistant Tennis Professional at the Tamarack Country Club (2018). After completing his MBA, he returned to the Patterson Club as Head Pro for two seasons, managing a team of six junior pros and the club’s junior program, including scheduling and running practices and organizing junior interclub events. He also ran the club’s adult clinics and leagues, grew the Point Play tournament into the club’s most successful event by revenue and attendance, and organized events such as pizza parties, a Halloween party, and a glow-in-the-dark night. In March 2022, Mathias joined Weston Racquet Club as Junior Director and USTA Supervisor. He is responsible for the entire junior program, growing its revenue threefold and increasing junior participation by more than 70% over three years, while managing a team of eight teaching professionals and developing the program’s tennis curriculum. He also directs three USTA women’s league teams at the 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 levels and a men’s evening USTA practice, with responsibilities including running practices, setting doubles pairings, and coaching the teams during official matches. In 2025, the 3.0 team he coached won its district and finished fourth in the nation. During his tenure at Weston Racquet Club, Mathias has created more than 20 in-house tournaments with over 200 participating juniors, and has organized and managed more than 10 USTA Level 6 and Level 7 tournaments.

Coaching Background
Mathias served as assistant coach at the University of South Carolina Aiken, where the team reached No. 5 in the nation in NCAA Division II that year. He also served as assistant coach at Queens University of Charlotte, where the team finished the season with a top-20 national ranking. Mathias has also helped two of his students reach their full potential and go on to play college tennis, both achieving a 10.5 UTR. He is a USPTA-certified Platform Tennis Professional and holds current CPR certification.

Tennis Professional

Billy Ray Jackson

Billy Ray Jackson is in his 32nd year on Club Fit Staff. He was born and raised in North Central Texas. Billy was a service brat and moved frequently in the States and Europe as his father, an Air Force Major, was a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. He attended Shaw University and received an M.A. degree in Sports and Fitness Administration. In October 2003 he was inducted into the Shaw University Hall of Fame for his achievements in football, baseball, and tennis.

He is a life member of the Eastern Tennis Association, a certified P-1 for PTR, an Elite Professional for USPTA and a level 3 for the MTM. His accolades include PTR Pro of the Year (1992), Eastern Section Pro of the Year (1998) and the Presidential Award for the Eastern Section (1996).

He is the former President the Eastern Section of the Professional Tennis Registry. Billy is the former Athletic Director of the Abbott School. He has worked with tennis legend Arthur Ashe and studied under world-renowned teaching professional Oscar Wegner. Billy is on the cutting edge of tennis teaching and techniques. His programs are geared toward teaching the proper techniques and shot selection. Billy lives in Ossining, NY, and has extensive contacts in the tennis industry

Co-ed League Coordinator

Daniel Reisner

Daniel Reisner grew up locally, living in Millwood NY for most of his life and graduated from Horace Greeley High School in 2005. He has always been an active member in the community, and before he started his career at Club Fit as a tennis pro, he was a member of the club for 10+ years.He grew up playing several sports and they became his niche and he always seemed to excel in basketball, baseball, wrestling, football, lacrosse, racquetball and of course tennis. Daniel also has a strong passion for weight training as well as cardio and nutrition training.At a young age, Daniel quickly realized the extra edge you can get over your opponents if you train hard. His favorite quote ” train hard and play hard. You play how you practice.” One of the toughest decisions Daniel had to make was to pick only one sport to focus on and play in college. Since he was heavily recruited and received a small athletic scholarship to Keene State College in New Hampshire, where he played four years of college lacrosse at the Division 3 level. Immediately after college Daniel went back to his true love and devoted all of his attention towards tennis. Daniel has always had a passion for helping others, so he became certified in “10 and Under” tennis as well as adult tennis. He is an active member of the USTA, and plays in local leagues and tournaments. He has a lively, energetic and patient personality which makes him a pleasure and easy to work with. Besides teaching group and private lessons, Daniel runs several social events and is the head stringer at the club. As Daniel likes to say: “You only live once, but you get to serve twice.”

Testimonial
I have been with the same group of women for that time for the most part. Daniel has taken me from novice, like real novice (never played in my life, couldn’t hold a racquet), to the point where I am playing in the club league and now will be on his USTA team.  This may not seem like as big a deal as it is but I am one of the less athletically, ok klutz total non-athlete is more accurate, inclined people I know. He has found a way to make every lesson valuable, make the sport something I am good at and getting better and most of all for the first time in my life I actually am bummed if I cannot make a clinic.  I look for times to play the game on my own, I look forward to league play.  I have confidence in my play, I strive to do better. He challenges me, pushes me and frankly expects me to work hard and improve in a way that is always pleasant, fun but firm.  He is an outstanding teacher. It is easy to teach those who have natural ability, I see this with my husband who is a natural athlete.  It is a feat to make those of us with skills in other areas think we can be athletic in what we choose to do.  Tennis is the first sport I ever liked, like more each time and a lot of that is due to Daniel. I wanted to recognize him for this and for the person he is with me and with our group.” – Juliana Badescu

Tennis Professional

Harry Fowler

Biography & Playing Background
Harry was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He began playing tennis at the age of three years old. As a junior player, he achieved the No. 1 USTA national ranking in the Boys’ 12 & Under division and reached No. 2 USTA national ranking in the 14 & Under division.

His accomplishments included winning a Gold Ball at the USTA Clay Court Level 1 Super National Championships, a Silver Ball in singles at the 14 & Under Easter Bowl level 1 Super National, and a Gold Ball in doubles at the Easter Bowl. Before turning 16, Harry won nine national titles, also winning the international Eddie Herr 14 & Under Doubles Championship. He was also the only player to take a set from Grigor Dimitrov during the Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl 14 & Under international competitions.

From 2007 to 2010, Harry was a full-scholarship athlete in the prestigious Top Gun program at IMG Academy. During this time, he reached a career-high ITF World Junior ranking of No. 30 and competed in all four Junior Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, on two occasions. He also captured the 18 & Under Eddie Herr Doubles Championship. His best Grand Slam result came at Wimbledon, where he advanced to the Round of 16.

As a freshman at Rice University, Harry played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. He achieved an individual ITA Division I singles ranking of No. 30 and earned First Team All-Conference USA honors in both singles and doubles. He was also awarded the Rice University Sammy Giammalva Team MVP honors. During this period, Harry attained an ATP ranking of No. 1335 and reached the quarterfinals of Futures tournaments in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York.

Coaching Background
As a coach, Harry emphasizes teaching proper technique, helping each player develop their individual playing style, and incorporating strategic and tactical principles that foster a deeper understanding of the game, ensuring players learn not only how to hit the ball, but why, when, and where to hit each shot, as well as making intelligent decisions under pressure.

Harry brings more than a decade of teaching experience. He served as Associate Director of High Performance at the Houston Racquet Club. He has also served as a coach for the University of Saint Thomas Men’s and Women’s teams. He has coached multiple top collegiate recruits and highly ranked junior players.

Harry enjoys working with players of all ages and ability levels, tailoring his instruction to help each individual achieve their goals and maximize their potential.

Tennis Professional

Richard Krizso

Richard has over 30 years of coaching experience. He achieved a Top 5 National Juniors and Men’s ranking in his native Slovakia, and has also served as captain of the Hungarian Junior Tennis Travel Team. Richard has coached several of Europe’s top WTA and ITF players. In 2001, he joined a tennis academy in New York City. In 2003, this academy relocated to the Hardscrabble Club where Richard worked as Head Coach and Junior Development Program Coordinator. Richard is excited to bring all his tennis experience and knowledge to both adults and juniors and help Club Fit continue to elevate the level of our Tennis Program.

Tennis Professional

Sandro Pacheco Pérez

Biography:
I was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where my passion for racquet sports started before I could even see over the net. At 14, I picked up a tennis racket, eventually moving to Tandil, Argentina, to train full-time at an elite academy before heading to the U.S. to compete in NCAA Division II tennis at Lincoln Memorial University. On court, I bring high energy, positive intensity, and a genuine love for helping players find their rhythm. Off the court, you’ll usually find me behind a camera shooting sports and wildlife photography, or hunting down the best local pastries and bakeries in town.

Playing Background:

• Tennis (Age 14–Present): Trained intensively at the Tandil Tennis Academy in Argentina and competed as an NCAA Division II student-athlete at Lincoln Memorial University.
• ​Squash (Ages 11–13): Earned 3rd place in three South American Championships.
• ​Racquetball (Ages 6–11): Competed in three Junior World Championships, taking 1st place (World Champion) in my final championship at age 11.

Coaching Background:

• Tennis Director (The Block Island Club): Directed seasonal tennis operations, adult clinics, and club tournaments.
• Summer Camps & Junior Pathways: Ran high-energy summer tennis camps and ROGY junior development programs focused on athletic fundamentals, match play, and fun.
• ​Private & Group Instruction: 4+ years coaching all ages and skill levels, specializing in stroke mechanics, footwork efficiency, and live-ball tactics.

Tennis Professional

Veronica Rodriguez

Biography:
Veronica Rodriguez has been playing competitive tennis since age 12. She played #1 and #2 singles for Florida A&M University, where she helped lead her team to two conference championships and an HBCU national title in doubles, while earning All-Academic Honor Roll honors every year of her college career. She now coaches entry-level and intermediate players of all ages, bringing her competitive playing background to every lesson.

Playing Background:
Veronica began playing tennis in Venezuela, where she reached a national ranking of #3, and later achieved a #1 ranking in the state of Minneapolis, Minnesota. At Florida A&M University, she consistently played #1 and #2 singles, helped her team win two conference championships, and won an HBCU national title in doubles. She earned All-Academic Honor Roll recognition every season of her college career.

Coaching Background:
Veronica has spent the past four years coaching players of all ages, including kids, teenagers, and adults, with a focus on entry-level and intermediate skill development. Drawing on her background as a competitive player, she helps students build a strong foundation and develop confidence on the court.