Head Pros: Paul Campbell, Paul Curtin

Staff Pros: Alix Alcin, Alex Alfredo, Jenny Byrne, Ray Chan, Ray Chin, Nate Chura, Adrian Clarke, Leon December, Alan Edelstein, Eduardo Gil, Anna Georgiani, Jay Green, Alford Johnson, Nigel Liverpool, Selma Kikic, Woody Louis, Winston Ramsay, Scott Seelig, Todd Snyder, Francis Thomas

Paul Campbell: Head Pro / Tennis Center Director

Place of Birth: Boston, MA
Duration in New York: 30 years ...

Paul has been the Head Pro/Director of the Prospect Park Tennis Center since 2004. He was certified P1 by the USPTA, and was ranked # 5 in the East in the Men’s 45 Singles and #2 in the Father and Son Doubles. Paul has taught tennis at the Fila Sport Club, Crosstown Tennis, and the Charles River Park Tennis Club. He has conducted tennis clinics with many tennis legends at the West Side Tennis Club. Paul has also organized several international tennis outings in the Caribbean and Europe.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Paul lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Susan, and has two children Zac and Sam. He received a BFA degree from Massachusetts College of Art. He has exhibited his art work extensively in the US and abroad, including shows at the Brooklyn Museum, Site Santa Fe, the Danforth Art Museum, and the Rose Art Museum. He has been a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant. His works can be viewed at: paulcampbellstudio.com
 

Paul Curtin: Head Pro / Junior Development Director

Place of Birth: Miami, FL
Duration in New York: 32 years

Paul has been the head Pro/Director of Junior Development at the Prospect Park Tennis Center for 7 years. He grew up playing tennis in Florida. Paul played on his high school team and later played as a walk-on for the University of Miami. He taught at the Midtown Tennis Club and at the East River Tennis Club for many years.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Paul loves music and politics.

Alix Alcin

Place of Birth: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Duration in New York: 25 years

Coach Alix was ranked #2 in Haiti, where he also taught at the Petionville Tennis Club. Alix has taught at the Prospect Park courts since 1992. Alix teaches all ages and levels, but he specializes in teaching classic beginner foundation classes.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Reverend Alix preaches every Sunday from 6 a.m – 9 a.m. on the radio. He is currently working on his doctorate in theology. His sermons stress the message of love. We call Coach Alix the Dr. of Love.

Alex Alfredo

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, NY
Duration in New York: All 31 years

Alex learned tennis through the New York City Parks Foundation as a child and went on to play for the Staten Island Tech team as an undergraduate. He has coached the boy’s varsity tennis team at Xaverian High School and the girl’s varsity tennis team at St. Saviour’s High School for nearly a decade, and has been a USPTR-certified coach for the past seven years.

Other interests & hobbies:
Alex enjoys playing all kinds of sports, and is also an avid traveler and cook.

Jenny Byrne

Place of Birth: Perth, Australia
Duration in New York: 13 years

Jenny competed on the WTA tour for 11 years from 1986-1997, reaching career high world rankings of 45 in singles, and 20 in doubles. In singles she was a finalist at Indian Wells and Birmingham, England, and had career wins over top ten players Hana Mandlikova, Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver. She reached the finals of the Wimbledon mixed doubles in 1989, and in women’s doubles was a semi-finalist at the French and US Opens, and a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon. She played singles for Australia at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, and was a four-time member of the Australian Federation Cup Team.

Other Interests & hobbies:  
Jenny loves film, photography and piano. She received a BA in Film from Hunter College.

Ray Chan

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, NY
Duration in New York: 28 years

Ray was seeded #1 at Kingsborough Community College and reached the Region 15 NJCCA Finals. He was awarded the MVP and the Coaches Award by Kingsborough Community College. Ray has worked with the City Parks Foundation as a Brooklyn Site Director.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Ray is currently studying physical therapy. His hobbies include archery, swimming, and cycling.

Ray Chin

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, NY
Duration in New York: Lifetime resident

Ray has been involved with the New York City Parks Department tennis programs since the age of 10. Currently he is the Borough Director/Assistant Program Director for the City Parks Foundation youth tennis program for the best Borough in New York: Brooklyn! "Teaching these kids and watching their eyes light up as they discover the wonder of tennis reminds me of how I fell in love with the game. Tennis is a sport that teaches you discipline, patience, self reliance, motivation and, best of all, self confidence. It's no wonder why I love my job."

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Ray loves snowboarding/skiing, biking, bowling, and playing volleyball, pool, darts, paintball, or any fast-action sport. He listens to Linkin Park, Hip Hop, and R&B music. He also enjoys technology and electronic gadgets.

Nate Chura

Place of Birth: Windham, NY
Duration in New York: 7 years

Nate is a P-1 certified member of the USPTA (highest-tested rating). He played varsity tennis for Emerson College and has been a tennis professional at the Charles River Park Tennis Club, Boston Tennis Club, Total Tennis, Onteora Tennis Club, Twilight Park Tennis Club, Fila East River Tennis Club, and New York Sports Club – Cobble Hill. Nate is also a staff tennis pro at the Heights Casino in Brooklyn.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Off court, Nate is a writer and tennis journalist. He’s a blogger and tennis correspondent for WNYC Radio and WNYC.org's coverage of the US Open, and was also a contributing editor for Tennis Week magazine. Nate is an accomplished pianist and playwright. His musical specialty is jazz renditions of the American songbook.

Adrian Clarke

Place of Birth: Barbados
Duration in New York: 37 years

Adrian played Davis Cup for the Caribbean and captained the Barbados Team for several years. Adrian competed against Andres Gomes (French Open Champion) and many other top Davis Cup players. He played in the qualifying rounds of the US Open in 1983. He was ranked #3 in the East. Adrian has taught at Wall Street Racket Club and was director of the Reebok NYC Urban Youth Program at the National Tennis Center.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Adrian is an accomplished musician. He is a professional steelpan player, and performs regularly in the New York area. He loves literature and was formerly an English teacher.

Leon December

Place of Birth: Guyana, South America
Duration in New York: 20 years

Leon was the Men’s Singles Champion and the Men’s Doubles Champion in Guyana. He was also the Champion in the 16 and 18 and under as a junior player. As a member of the Guyanese National Team, he competed throughout the Caribbean and South America. Leon coached in Los Angeles and Guyana prior to moving to New York. In New York, Leon has taught at Central Park, Manhattan Plaza, the East River Tennis Club, as well as for the New York Junior Tennis League. He is also an expert racket stringer.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Leon enjoys music, classic movies, cricket, and table tennis.

Alan Edelstein

Place of Birth: Northampton, MA
Duration in New York: 25 years

Alan played tournaments in Massachusetts as a junior. He was ranked in the top 25 in New England and has recently competed in national level USTA tournaments.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Alan is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. His first film, “The Wizard of Strings,” received an Academy Award nomination. He is currently working on a project dealing with the history of magic. He enjoys classic jazz and blues, travel, and reading.

Eduardo Gil

Place of Birth: Caracas, Venezuela
Duration in New York: 12 years

Eduardo was ranked #1 in Caracas in the 16 and 18 and under. He won the Prospect Park Tennis Center Championships in 2009 and was a Finalist in 2010. Eduardo has a great all-around game and his backhand is something to behold. Eduardo has taught at East River Tennis Club, Tennisport, and Total Tennis.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Eduardo is an accomplished visual artist. He has exhibited at the Queens Museum, the Bronx Museum of Art, and the Carrillo Gil Museum of Contemporary Art, Mexico. He resides with his wife, Baree, and his two children, Joaquin and Mateo. Eduardo likes his humor dry and his food spicy.

Anna Georgiani
Place of Birth: Republic of Georgia
Duration in New York: 7 years

Anna was the captain of the St John’s Women’s Tennis Team where she received a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and minor in Business.  She was a member of the 1st tennis academy in Georgia and was selected as one of the three top players in Georgia. She has taught at the Saw Mill Racket Club, The Brooklyn Racket Club, and City View Racquet Club.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
In addition to being an amazing tennis player Anna’s likes traveling, reading, jet skiing, and beach volleyball. She is also planning to learn Italian.

Jay Green

Place of Birth: New York City
Duration in New York: Lifetime resident

Jay graduated from Cornell University in 1965. He trained with Ed Moylan, the coach of the Cornell Varsity Tennis Team and former #3 player in the US. Jay has taught at the Prospect Park courts since 1968. Over the years, Jay has devoted much of his time to directing our very successful Singles Leagues.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Jay enjoys skiing and hiking when he is not playing tennis.

Alford Johnson

Place of Birth: New York City
Duration in New York: Lifetime Resident

Al has over 25 years of experience playing and teaching tennis. Prior to teaching at the Prospect Park Tennis Center he taught at Manhattan Plaza Racket Club and Crosstown Tennis.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Al is also a professional opera singer. He has performed extensively in the US and Europe.

Nigel Liverpool

Place of Birth: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Duration in New York: 12 years

Nigel played Davis Cup for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and was the team captain. He also played tennis at Harding University in Arkansas while getting his degree. He taught tennis in Italy for seven years where he coached many top level junior players. Nigel also taught at the East River Tennis Club and at Tennisport.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Nigel is very active in helping Caribbean junior players develop their tennis skills in an effort to obtain college scholarships. Nigel loves watching professional sports. He speaks fluent Italian. Nigel lives in Queens with his wife and three children. 

Selma Kikic

Place of Birth: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Duration in New York: 9 years

Selma was the captain of the Williams College Tennis Team. She led her  team to the Division III Championships in 2001 and 2002. In addition she was named Division III All-American each year. She won ITA and NESCAC singles and doubles crowns. Selma was named the 2000 ITA National Player to Watch, and was named the ITA Northeast Player of the Year, and received the Purple Key Trophy for Player of the Year. Selma is a very disciplined and focused as a player and coach and in addition to her winning game she has a winning smile and a wonderful attitude.    

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Selma immigrated to the United States from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993 at the age of 14 due to the Bosnian Civil War. She enjoys snowboarding, running, biking, golfing, hiking, and wine. She is also an accomplished squash player. Selma completed the NYC Marathon in 2009 and has also worked as an analyst and associate at JP Morgan Securities Inc. 

Woody Louis

Place of Birth: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Duration in New York: 21 years

Woody was the Inter-Caribbean Junior Champion. He also played Davis Cup for Haiti and was ranked # 2 in the country. Woody has coached at the Prospect Park courts since 1999. He has also taught at Lincoln Terrace for 6 years where he is the head pro.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Woody played Junior Tournament soccer. He still enjoys playing soccer when is not on the tennis court. Woody likes to spend his time off hanging with his friends and family. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and four children.

Winston Ramsay

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, NY
Duration in New York: 40+ years

Winston has taught at the Prospect Park courts for 20 years. He has also been one of the head pros at the Knickerbocker Field Club for 15 years. Winston coached the Columbia Grammar Prep for four years. His coaching helped lead the Columbia Prep High School tennis team to win several championships. Winston has conducted teacher training sessions for the NYJTL for 10 years. He has also worked for five years in the USTA Player Development Program. Winston graduated from the University of Vermont in 1981. He is an excellent coach at all levels but is especially gifted with Pee Wee players.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Winston loves to golf and ski in his free time. He is passionate about helping kids with disabilities learn to play tennis.

Scott Seelig

Place of Birth: Omaha, NE
Duration in New York: 3 years

Scott competed for the Emerson College Tennis Team. He was certified by the USPTA in 2002. Scott was the director of the Greenwich Tennis Program in 2003, and has taught at the Greenwich Racket Club, the Foxboro Tennis Club, and Total Tennis.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Scott received a BA in Music Production from Berklee College of Music. He is currently a staff producer and engineer for Cherry Lane, Inc. Scott plays in two bands: MEM and the Printemps.

Todd Snyder

Place of Birth: St. Paul, MN
Duration in New York: 25 years

Todd learned to play tennis in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He played Division III tennis while living in Minnesota. Todd has taught at the Prospect Park Tennis Center since 1989, and has been a head pro at the Knickerbocker Field Club since 1994. Todd specializes in teaching adults.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
Todd is an accomplished musician. Todd plays rhythm guitar and sings vocals in the band Blue Plate Special. Todd favors classic long haired rock and roll.

Francis Thomas

Place of Birth: Sri Lanka
Duration in New York: 19 years

Francis began coaching tennis in 1986 as the coach of Miriam College Women’s Tennis Team in the Philippines. His professional affiliations include coaching for the NY Junior Tennis League, the Prospect Park Tennis Center, the NY Sports Club, USTA Team Tennis and the Metrotennis Community Tennis Association. Francis has also taught tennis to developmentally challenged children and adults through his work with HERO, Inc.

Francis is the father and coach of two tennis players. His daughter, was recipient of the City University of NY Scholar Athlete of the year in 2006, and his son, was named the most valuable player at NYU-Poly in 2008 and at the College of Staten Island in 2010.

Francis received the Co-Coach of the Year Award in 2010 by the Skyline Conference as well as Outstanding Coach in 2003 by NYJTL. He also received the USTA Certificate of Recognition in 2003.

Other Interests & Hobbies:
When Francis is not coaching and playing tennis, he enjoys traveling and fishing. 

Contact

• Prospect Park Tennis Center: (718) 436-2500
• Directions to the Tennis Center
• Parks Department Permits Office: (718) 965-8914