Our team
Brian smallwood, USPTA — GENERAL MANAGER AND Tennis Director
Brian Smallwood has been actively involved in developing grassroots programs for over 25 years in Cleveland. He has coached highly ranked juniors in the Northeastern Ohio District, Midwest Section and National Level. Brian has coached the 2004 Jr. Team Tennis Midwest Section Team Tennis Champions, as well as the finalist teams three other years.
Brian currently serves as the Head Coach for the Hawken Boys and Girls Varsity Teams. They have won the conference five times, produced multiple state qualifiers and Brian has won Coach of the Year five times in eight seasons.
Brian's accomplishments include:
- Serving as Vice President for USPTA Northeastern Ohio Section
- Member of the 2009 5.0 National Qualifying team
- 2017 NEOTA Volunteer of the Year award
- Winner of 2012 and 2016 USTA Midwest Section NJTL of the Year (ICTC) as Executive Director of Inner City Tennis Clinics
- 2012 USTA Midwest Section Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Organization (ICTC) and issued a proclamation by the City of Cleveland
- 2000 USPTA Rookie of the Year
Kevin vaughn, USPTA, USPTR — assistant tennis pro
USTA Certified Junior Player Development National Coach
Kevin will be back in the fall! He is not available at Center Court during the summer months.
Kevin Vaughn is one of the few teaching professionals who holds dual certifications from leading organizations in the tennis industry for the past 3 decades. Kevin is dedicated to providing individualized coaching that fits clients of all ages, skill levels, using novel and modern techniques of tennis fundamentals. Kevin is passionate about developing a player’s physical, tactical, and mental conditioning. He has been instrumental in pioneering several tennis programs in Northeast Ohio as a tennis ambassador to the USTA and as a Tennis Director of various private clubs in the Northeast Ohio area. Kevin was a nationally ranked junior player, reaching a year-end ranking by the Florida Tennis Association of singles No. 64. He qualified to play in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Gator Bowl 18 and Under Singles in 1986. He helped his high school team earn a Florida High School State Championship in 1987, then received a scholarship to play for Belmont Abbey College, where he served as a team captain.
Kevin’s professional accomplishments include:
- Herb Nord Volunteer of the Year Award NEOTA.
- Head coach from 2006 to 2013 for the NEOTA Midwest Area Training Center, training local nationally-ranked junior players.
- Head coach for the USTA/NEOTA Midwest 14 and Under Junior Davis/Wightman Cup Team.
- Played the USTA Professional Satellite Circuit in Singles and Doubles in 1987,
- Touring hitting partner with WTA Pro Andrea Temesvari and Donna Faber ATP Pro Patrick Mohr.
adam slomski — assistant Tennis Pro
Adam Slomski is a 4 year varsity letterman out of Brunswick High School where he broke the school record for individual wins at first singles. In 2018, he was the school's first and only state qualifier. Adam has been trained by his father, Krzysztof Slomski, who has a masters degree in coaching from The University of Physical Education Poznan Poland. Over the last 2 years, Adam has coached students at the high school varsity and collegiate levels. He is currently the North Royalton HS Varsity assistant coach and Junior Varsity head coach. Adam's motto for teaching is "Embrace the development process. Work tirelessly on improving your game and the results will naturally follow."
- 2018 All Ohio 2nd Team
- 2018 Medina County Tennis MVP
- 2018 Player of the Year
- 4.5 USTA Ranking
jeff shimooka, ptr — assistant Tennis Pro
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Jeff has been coaching tennis for over 40 years. He has a wide range of experience teaching in country clubs, resorts, tennis clubs and junior tennis academies. He has done both team and individual coaching in 6 different states and 5 different countries. His students include high school state champions, college entrant participants as well as 2 women on the WTA pro tour. Jeff excels in instructing private and elite groups at an advanced level.
sjeffrey52@icloud.com
Paul played high school tennis at Westlake and University School. After completing an Engineering degree at Cornell University, Paul invested in the lives of area youth by serving as a coach at Solon and Hawken High Schools. He has a special interest in youth ministry and teaches at English colleges in India each November and March, where he also encourages Burmese refugees.