Meet Our Pros
2025 Tennis Pro Application
2025 Staff
STEVE VALENTINE, Director of Tennis
Steve, originally from Melbourne, Australia, was one of the top junior players in the country before continuing his tennis career at Coastal Georgia University.
After college, he joined The John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, where he worked with both junior and adult players, refining his coaching skills. With 23 years of teaching experience in the United States, Steve has worked with players of all levels, helping both adults and juniors improve their skills and achieve their goals. His extensive background and international experience make him a highly respected tennis professional.
KAT VALENTINE, Pro Shop Manager & Tennis Pro
Kat played college tennis at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK. She has built an impressive coaching career, starting with four years at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, where she worked with top junior players during the week and taught the Adults on the weekends. Kat then served as both operations manager and tennis coach at Lake Norman Tennis Center in Mooresville, NC. With her extensive experience in coaching and operations, Kat offers a well-rounded approach to tennis instruction for players of all levels.
FAITH VALENTINE, Pro Shop Attendant
Faith Valentine, a three-time Player of the Year, reached the state semifinals twice in an outstanding high school career. With experience in pro shops since 14 and a strong tennis background, she’ll be a great addition to the team. This August, she begins her college tennis journey at Grace College in Indiana.
WALKER VALENTINE, Tennis Pro
Walker is currently competing at the Division I level at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Walker brings a wealth of experience and passion for the game to his coaching role. Before joining the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Walker honed his coaching skills at the prestigious Lake Norman Tennis Center in Mooresville, North Carolina. There, he successfully coached both adult and junior players.
SOL TERRACINA, Tennis Pro
Sol, a former pro from Buenos Aires, has competed in National and ITF events, earning WTA points in doubles. She has played top leagues worldwide and won FFT (French Tennis Federation) tournaments. A former full-time coach for pro players, she’s excited for her third year, helping everyone level up and enjoy the summer on the courts!
REBECA TUDOSE, Tennis Pro
Originally from Romania, Rebeca has been playing tennis since she was 6 and is a former WTA player who competed on the ITF Pro Circuit. A multiple-time Romanian National Champion, she brings a stellar playing background to her coaching. With over five years of experience working with players of all levels, she is excited to return this season!
INDIA AMPAW, Tennis Pro
Returning for her second year, Indy Ampaw brings a wealth of experience from competing at the Division I level at universities in Alabama, South Dakota, and Maryland. Originally from London, England, she started playing at the age of 3 and began coaching at 17. With coaching experience at the ITF, national/performance, and recreational levels, Indy enjoys working with players of all ages and skill levels.
LEO LAZARIDES, Tennis Pro
Leo, originally from the UK, has played tennis since age 9, competing at county, regional, national, and international levels, achieving a top 800 world ranking and top 25 national ranking in U18s. He trained in Cyprus for a year, won a national event, and represented the country internationally. With coaching experience in Cyprus and the UK, including high-performance players, he’s excited to join Southampton Club this summer!
SAM PARSONS, Tennis Pro
Sam, originally from England, now plays college tennis in Alabama. He started at age 5 and competed in top national tournaments, winning the County Cup four times and participating in ITF events. He trained at an academy in Spain and is a Level 2 Accredited LTA coach with experience teaching all levels. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge with everyone!
CLIFF DRYSDALE, Founder & President
Professional Biography
Both on and off the court, International Tennis Hall of Fame member Cliff Drysdale is one of the most popular personalities in the international tennis community. Drysdale has devoted over four decades of his life to promoting the advancement of the tennis culture. His leadership and contributions span across an award-winning career as a professional player, his leadership roles in advancing Open Tennis and in the founding and presidency of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), a 30 year+ tenure as an ESPN tennis analyst, and the ownership of the tennis and sports management company, Cliff Drysdale Tennis.
About Cliff Drysdale Tennis
Founded in 2001 by International Tennis Hall of Fame member Cliff Drysdale and partner Don Henderson, specializes in daily tennis operations and management for resorts, hotels and private tennis clubs; sports design and construction consultation for companies interested in building world-class tennis facilities; tennis educational programs, summer camps, clinics and retreats; and resort, hotel corporate outing planning and leisure operations. CDT is dedicated to growing the game of tennis and strives to develop, promote and teach new programs that bring more tennis to more people. As the sport continues to grow, as does the CDT commitment to hire, educate and advance talented tennis professionals that provide service excellence both on and off the court. Cliff Drysdale Tennis’ managed property portfolio currently boasts 27 tennis facilities nationwide, including multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal ranked tennis resorts on Tennis Resorts Online’s Top 100 list. For more information, visit www.cliffdrysdale.com
