Academy Tennis

The Top Tennis Academy in San Diego

Introduce your children to the game of tennis, a sport they can love and play for a lifetime. La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s Academy Tennis Program is directed by Director of Tennis Conan Lorenzo, “2019 USTA Janet Lauer National Organizer of the Year” and “2018 San Diego USPTA Pro of the Year”. Academy Tennis offers a full range of junior tennis activities, including lessons, clinics and camps, that teach your kids the fundamentals of the game and how to compete in tournaments. Hotel guests who are interested in Academy Tennis lessons should contact the Director of Tennis, Conan Lorenzo, at 858.551.4605 or CLorenzo@LJBTC.com.

Academy Tennis

Academy will be held in the afternoons one, two and three times a week depending on the age and level of your junior. Each player will have a specific progression tailored for their improvement throughout each session. Progressions will range from beginner concepts of learning how to hit on the move for the younger kids to learning pattern play and strategy for the more advanced older kids. If you are unsure of what class would best fit your junior or to register, please contact Conan Lorenzo at 858.551.4605 or email at CLorenzo@LJBTC.com.

2024 Summer Jr Tennis Camps
Camps Offered each week beginning:

June 10, 17 and 24
July 1-3 (3-day camp and pro-rated), 8, 15 & 22
August 5, 12 & 19

Regular Camp
Monday through Friday
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Ages 5 to 14 years old
Designed for the beginner looking to enjoy the game of tennis for the first time or the player who wants to improve to the next level of competitive play. The week of tennis will include our progression of learning tennis while incorporating games, fun, and Friday prizes for all participants. Pros will use Red, Orange, and Green balls for ages ten and under per the USTA guidelines.

Hotel Guest

$295

Competitive Camp:
Monday through Friday
10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Ages 8 to 16 years old
Designed for tournament-level players, focusing on tournament preparation and

the refinement of their tennis skills. Each week will focus on training for a specific
tournament, depending on the week of attendance.

Hotel Guest

$395

Please contact Tennis Director Conan Lorenzo at 858-551-4605 or CLorenzo@LJBTC.com to register or for additional information.

Spring Session: March 18 to June 14

In the Tier 1 class, we work to establish a love of the game. Kids will begin improving their technique while also learning to hit the ball over the net from half-court. Hand-eye coordination is enhanced with specific tennis exercises while learning how to hit the ball on the move.

Ages: Beginners
Days: Monday and/or Wednesday
Time: 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $305 1x per Week
$440 2x per week

This program is designed for high-level players who want to achieve a Southern California ranking while playing tournaments. Players are working on pattern play, strategy and player style preference while incorporating the proper footwork and technique. Dynamic stretching and agility aspects are provided in this program. This class is offered to the serious player who wants to work hard and push themselves.

Ages:     10 to 17 years old
Days:     Monday and/or Wednesday
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m
Cost:     $475 1x per week
$845 2x per week

Invite only. Please reach out to Conan Lorenzo at clorenzo@ljbtc.com.

Ages: High School
Days: Monday and/or Wednesday
Time: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: *This is a month to month cycle for billing

May Tournament: May 13-19

12 Week Sessions:
Spring Session: March 18-June 14

Summer Week-by-Week Session: June 17- Aug 23

Fall Session: Sept 9- Nov 29

**Weeks off from Programs
May 13-19: National Tournament

July 29-Aug 4: Jewel Ball Set Event

Dec 2-8: National Tournament

Don’t hesitate to contact Conan Lorenzo at CLorenzo@LJBTC.com for more details.
Due to the private nature of our property, Tennis Services and courts are reserved for Club Members and their guests or registered hotel guests only.

Our Staff

Conan Lorenzo

Director of Tennis

Education

Washington State University

Certifications

USTA High Performance Development Coach, USTA Safe Play Certified, Certified Sport Science Coach, USPTA P1, Master Racket Technician, Certified USTA Umpire and CPR certified, USPTA Pickleball Certified Coach, USPTA Elite Coach (moved up from Level 1 to Elite)

Playing History

Two-time Washington State High School champion, singles and doubles; Member of Division 1 Men’s Washington State University tennis team.

Areas of Specialization

Junior Academy Director, junior development, advanced stroke biomechanics, pattern play, percentage tennis and fitness training

Teaching Philosophy:

Become the best person possible, on and off the court, and turning into a great tennis player will follow.

With Us Since

2006

Conan Lorenzo is the Club’s Director of Tennis, bringing more than ten years of professional expertise in the tennis industry. In April 2019, Conan was the recipient of the Janet Louer Junior Team Tennis National Organizer of the Year. Conan’s former experience includes five years as the Director of Junior Programs at the George Barnes Junior Tennis Center in San Diego, coaching USA Team Tennis teams and leading four teams to sectionals. Additionally, he coached and managed the Club’s World Team Tennis team, leading two teams to the national championship, with both winning first place. He also spent two years as an Assistant Pro and Master Racket Stringer at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club from 2000 to 2002 and four years as the Head Pro at the Sammamish Club in Seattle, Washington from 1998 to 2000. Conan graduated from Washington State University and spent four years on the school’s NCAA tennis team. He is also a USPTA P-1 Certified pro, official umpire, and lines person. He has been frequently published in Racket Tech Magazine, Tennis Magazine & Advantage Magazine.

Contact

CLorenzo@LJBTC.com

Watch Conan teach in the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s Tennis Tips videos.

Brook Deming

Tennis Coach

Education

Rutgers University

Certifications

USPTA Certified, USTA Safe Play Certified, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer

Playing History

Member of Division 1 Rutgers University Men’s Team. Named Captain and MVP senior year.

Areas of Specialization

Junior development, personal training, and private lessons

Teaching Philosophy

With Us Since:

2007

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com

Doug Fitzgerald

Tennis Ambassador

Education

Western Michigan University

Certifications

USTA Certified Official, USTA Safe Play Certified, Referee since 1969

Playing History

Navy Tennis Team, 1966-69. Ranked Top 5 in SoCal—Men’s 50 Doubles, 2000.

With us Since

2013

Contact

DFitzgerald@LJBTC.com

Max Weishan

Tennis Coach

Education

B.S. in Psychology, University of Arizona; Currently at San Diego State University for a M.A. in Education with a Concentration in Counseling

Certifications

USPTA Certified, USTA Safe Play Certified

Playing History

Top-ranked junior player in Southern California, #1 Varsity singles from 2009-2012 at Serra High School, Alumni from the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club Elite Academy, Manager for the Division I NCAA Men’s tennis team at Arizona from 2012-2016, working and training with top-level, international college players, active Open-level USTA tournament player, and competing in the BNP Paribas Indian Wells Pre-Qualifying tournament in addition to ITF events.

Areas of Specialization

Player Development, Junior Development

Teaching Philosophy:

Results don’t come to those who seek them; results come to those who seek improvement.

With Us Since

2015

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Drake Pieper

Tennis Coach

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play Certified, CPR Certified and 2023 Junior Team Tennis Coach of The Year

Playing History

La Jolla High School Graduate #1 Doubles and CIF participant. He also worked for the Men’s UCLA Tennis Team Summer Camps and was a member of the Beach Club program growing up. Drake is our lead ball kid organizer for the Pacific Coast Doubles, May National Hard Courts, and the December National Hard Courts.

Areas of Specialization

Junior development and clinics for all levels

Teaching Philosophy:

“The rewards will come, but the happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.”

With Us Since

2021

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Sidney Lowry

Tennis Coach

Education

B.S. in Biology, Westmont College

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

Ranked #6 in Oregon as a junior tournament player. 2018-2022 #1 & #2 Doubles and #2 & #3 Singles at Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA.

Areas of Specialization

Junior Development, clinics for all levels and ages, on and off-court fitness

Teaching Philosophy:

“To help players see and reach their potential by always giving the maximum effort and hard work.”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Emily Peterson

Tennis Coach

Education

B.S. Behavioral Neuroscience, Westmont College

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

Westmont College, GSAC champions, Rookie of the Year

Areas of Specialization

All ages and levels

Teaching Philosophy:

“I help athletes reach their full potential by developing a strong technical foundation and a lifelong love for tennis.”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Taremeredzwa Mariga

Tennis Coach

Education

B.S. in Marketing, Webber International University; Associates in General Applied Science, Seward County Community College

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

I started playing at four and received the first-ever tennis NJCAA All-American Award at Seward Community College in school history. It was ranked in the top 10 in doubles regionally at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia (2016 Fall) (NCAA D2 institution) and Webber International University (2017 Fall) in Babson Park, Florida.

Areas of Specialization

Junior Development, clinics for all levels and ages, and private lessons

Teaching Philosophy:

“All ages and levels.”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Valentina Sotille

Tennis Coach

Education

B.S. in Leadership and Justice, San Diego Christian College

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

Member of Division 1 Eastern Washington University Women’s tennis team. Two-time scholar-athlete at EWU. Awarded New-Comer of the Year as a Junior. Named captain and MVP as a senior at SDC. Regular Season GSAC Champions and All-Conference 2020-21

Areas of Specialization

Junior Development, clinics for all levels and ages, and private lessons

Teaching Philosophy:

“My philosophy is to have all my players work hard while having fun. If you enjoy and give your best in tennis, as with everything else you do, you’ll grow as a player and person.”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

German Ziella

Tennis Coach

Education

B.A. in Psychology, San Diego Christian college

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

Reached a rank of #13th in the nation with his team. 2015-2019 #1 & #2 Doubles and #4 & #5 Singles at San Diego Christian College.

Areas of Specialization

Junior Development, Player Development, on-court mental development, on and off-court fitness.

Teaching Philosophy:

“Quality over quantity.”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Jenna Mariga

Tennis Coach

Education

Associates in General Applied Science, Seward County Community College

Certifications

USPTA Certified, Safe Play certified, CPR certified

Playing History

I started playing tennis at six years old, 4 years of collegiate tennis.

Areas of Specialization

Junior Development, adults looking to improve at any level

Teaching Philosophy:

“There is always something to learn no matter your level!”

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Jerry Jayapal

Pickleball Coach

Education

M.A. Harvard University. B.S. Davenport University

Certifications

USPTA Pickleball Professional. USPTA Elite Coach PPR Pickleball Professional. IPTPA Certified Pickleball Professional. RPPk Certified Pickleball Professional. PCI Pickleball Professional

Playing History

Medaled at 5.0 level at PPA, APP, and USA Pickleball tournaments nationwide. Played first pro tournament in 2021.

Areas of Specialization

Advanced strategy, player development, tournament preparation, junior development, DUPR coach, rating specialist

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Julia Balkova

Tennis and Golf Programs Coordinator

Education

LLM in International Law, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, Ukraine. M.A. International Economic Relations, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, Ukraine. Paralegal Certificate, California State University, San Marcos

Certifications

USPTA Safe Play Certified

Playing History

Recreational leagues and tournaments

Areas of Specialization

Julia combines her love for tennis and excellent organizational skills to ensure the pro team is set for success and that daily operations run smoothly.

Contact

Tennis@LJBTC.com or 858.551.4680.

Junior Tennis FAQs

Club Academy Juniors are placed in groupings by age and ability levels, with specific consideration to growth and developmental stages. If your junior is participating for the first time, our Academy Director will provide a 15-minute evaluation in order to best place your junior into one of our Club programs.

Our Club coaches meet together before, during and after the session to discuss, which juniors are ready to move.

Our movement of juniors is placed on technical, physical, and mental progressions. Each junior is unique. There is no exact length of time a junior player moves from one class to another. Private lessons are a great way to accelerate the movement process while obtaining specific individual attention.

The time a Junior tennis player should spend practicing depends on age, skill and individual goals. Speak with one of our tennis coaches for specific information on practice strategies and outcomes.

On rain days, contact the Junior Academy Director for an update. Normally, when it is raining all day, we elect to cancel class. If it is raining off and on, we will hold class in one of our banquet rooms, using indoor tennis balls and exercises. We also take advantage of our video library to analyze tennis play.

Yes! Please speak with our Junior Academy Director to make up your programs and classes.

We do not pro rate tennis classes at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. Please contact the Junior Academy Director for special circumstances.

The Club has an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) on site at all times, to take care of specific occurrences. If there is a serious injury, parents will be contacted immediately based on the contact information provided through membership

Unfortunately, once a junior signs up for a particular class(es), these will be the classes they must attend. This is due to the fact that we have a set amount of coaches for each class, based on the number of juniors attending. If additional juniors join the class unexpectedly, then ratio of juniors to coaches will be compromised.

We do not offer credits or refunds for these days. Please try and schedule doctor’s visits around classes. However, please contact the Junior Academy Director for special circumstances.

Junior Academy will not be held on Thanksgiving Day, specific tournament dates and the last two weeks of December. Please visit the Club website for exact dates.

Comfortable clothing including shorts/skirts, tennis warm-ups, T-shirt/sweatshirt and non-marking tennis shoes. No jeans, please.

Rackets are the key ingredient for tennis. There are 5 lengths of rackets that are crucial to a junior’s progress: 21, 23, 25, 26 and 27 inches. Check with one of our Club Pro’s to obtain advice for your junior, as each length pertains to a different age and ability level.

When juniors are ready to compete by being comfortable in serving and keeping the ball in play, there is a league called USA Team Tennis. The league consists of teams formed at each tennis club or center located in San Diego. There are generally 6 to 8 juniors on each co-ed team. Play is singles and doubles, with coaching allowed.

We suggest waiting until Tier 2 and to consult with a Club coach first. Our Challenger Cups are a great place to start as they are tailored for the beginner player. The Challenger Cups are round-robin format, providing 2 to 3 hours of play against a group of players of similar abilities.

All our teaching professionals offer private lessons, including education on all biomechanics of each shot, strategy, and tournament coaching. Look for a teaching pro that a junior bonds with in the programs, and inquire about times, days and pricing of lessons with them.

Juniors will progress with more individualized attention, in conjunction with group classes. You can elect to take individual or semi-private lessons.

The best thing to do is check with the pro currently working with your junior, as they are most knowledgeable about your junior’s progress. Otherwise, please refer to Junior Academy Director, Conan Lorenzo.

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