Mark Schminke

With nearly two decades of experience, Mark is certified with the United States Professional Tennis Association as an Elite Professional, the highest certification given with the USPTA. Along with a tennis teaching certification, Mark is also Etcheberry Certified, providing fitness training methods using The Etcheberry Experience training system as prescribed by Pat Etcheberry, world renowned tennis coach and fitness instructor. Recently awarded as the 2016 USPTA Southern U30 Tennis Professional of the Year, Mark has been teaching in the Carolina Forest area for over 13 years. He was the past president for USPTA South Carolina board from 2012-2015, organizing statewide workshops and writing newsletters. He coaches numerous state and sectionally ranked juniors and was a USTA coach for South Carolina’s top U14 players while attending a L1 Sectional tournament.

Specializing in junior development, Mark takes pride in teaching complete beginners tennis, with very high retention rates and forming great relationships with his students. He has taught numerous students the skills needed make their high school tennis teams and compete in top positions. He is currently the head boys and girls varsity tennis coach at Christian Academy. He was the head boys and girls varsity tennis coach at Carolina Forest High School from 2016-2020, with many of their players as private students who have started with him since they were 4 years old.

Mark graduated from the University of Virginia in 2008 with a B.A. in Economics as well as a B.A. in Music. He has two children, Piper (3), and Luke (1). He and his wife, Nikki, have been married for 6 years and together for 12. He loves to cook, play video games, and is an avid woodworker.

Coach Tom is a USPTR certified teaching pro with over a decade of teaching experience and 50 years of competitive playing experience.   He grew up in New York, achieving a top 10 ranking in the Eastern Tennis Association (ETA) in both juniors and men’s singles. Tom played 4 years of collegiate tennis at Duke University, competing internationally on the Professional Satellite Circuit in Europe after college. Tom has stayed active playing regional tournaments, winning 2 adult state championships in North Carolina as well as playing USTA leagues as a 5.0 rated player for most of the past 15 years.

Tom taught at several clubs in New York during his younger days, the longest stint being 4 years as the head pro at Fox Meadow Tennis Club in Scarsdale, NY. More recently he was the assistant pro at the Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach for the past 3 years where he was responsible for junior and adult lessons and clinics, USTA team practices, and junior tournament training.

Tom graduated from Duke University with majors in business and psychology. He and his family spent 3 years living in Brisbane, Australia as part of an assignment with IBM; an amazing experience for the whole family.  Tom retired from IBM in 2017 after 29 years and has been happy to return to his tennis roots after living the corporate life and raising his family in Raleigh, NC.  Tom has two grown children living in the Raleigh area.  His daughter Emily is married and expecting a baby later this year (huge news, Tom’s first grandchild)! Their son Matt is engaged to be married in June, and is quite a talented 5.0 tennis player.  Tom and his wife (and fellow Duke Alumni) Marie have been married for 34 years.