Joe has been President and co-owner of Yonkers Tennis Center since 1986. Joe is very passionate about community involvement and believes the club has an obligation beyond the tennis court. He has been active on the boards of many Westchester & Putnam County organizations. Joe is currently Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Groundwork Hudson Valley in Yonkers and is a member of the Village of Cold Spring Board of Trustees. He has previously served as President of The Haldane Board of Education and The Haldane School Foundation. He has also served on the Boards of the Yonkers Partners in Education, The Westchester Coalition for the Hungry & Homeless, The Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library, Philipstown Little League and the Friends of Philipstown Recreation.  He is also the Founder of the YTC's Coach Pat Project (Yonkers Schools) and advisor to Tennis Serving Vets.  

Joe received his Bachelor of Science from the Whitman School of Management @ Syracuse University. 

Kathy (many know her as KJ) has been working at YTC since 1995. It was her first ever job and she has stuck with us, watching YTC grow as a company and family ever since. Kathy has had numerous roles while working at YTC over the years. She was a junior programmer, a seasonal coordinator, and she assisted the president with the club's charity and community partnerships. Prior to being appointed GM in Nov’20, she was Director of Sales & Hospitality overseeing all aspects of the clubs programming and front desk functions.  Kathy loves working at YTC because between the members and the staff it feels like a close-knit family. She says, "The ownership and staff care about each other, our customers and the community. We are committed to providing the best product and customer experience.We love what we do!" Kathy grew up in Yonkers and she currently resides in Yorktown with her husband Jerry and son Tyler (who has been playing tennis since age 3). Kathy herself has been playing tennis recreationally since she started working at YTC. When she's not working front desk at YTC Kathy spends her free time binge watching romantic-comedies, going to country concerts, cheering on her son in at of his sports games and spending time with her family.

Tendai was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe.  He is excited about continuing to lead what he believes is an “exceptional staff” at Yonkers Tennis Center.  Leading the instructional program for the 4th year, he is acutely aware that tennis is not an easy sport to learn. He is extremely passionate about development of the player and the person. His thought process that guides his fellow coaches is, “The cheesiest adage in tennis goes, ‘Love means nothing’ At Yonkers Tennis Center, love means everything. It is our teaching cornerstone, meaning, everything we do comes from a place of caring. In helping you shape your tennis purpose, our staff will give you the tools to empower yourself to be the best possible player. Regardless of level, age or athletic ability, each player is valued and respected. We strive to make sure that Yonkers Tennis is simply an extension of home, always.” The Zimbabwe native has been teaching tennis for seventeen years, with the last twelve spent in Westchester. He has taught at Pelham Country Club, Larchmont Shore Club, Bonnie Briar Country Club, Sunningdale Country Club & Hampshire Country Club.

Some of Tendai's accomplishments include- Top 5 junior in all age categories in Zimbabwe, 4-year Division 1 starter at Jackson State University, where he was Team Captain, SWAC Freshman of the Year Award winner, he's a 4-time ITA Scholar Athlete and  All-SWAC 1st Team Singles & Doubles, Assistant Head Coach Jackson State Tennis Team, where they won the SWAC Regular Season Title (Women 2007-2009) (Men 2008 & 2011), SWAC Tournament Champion (Women 2009) and NCAA Div. 1 Team Tournament Participant (Women 2009)

Mary Lou has been working at the center since 2008. She serves on the front lines at YTC and she handles processing, billing, and scheduling. She is driven, hard working, and her friendly disposition combined with her warm smile draw customers in immediately. She believes that YTC is unique because of its commitment to maintaining its identity. Mary Lou says that she admires YTC's community involvement and she notes how it has influenced her to volunteer in her own community at the hospital and nursing home. In her down time Mary Lou enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters. Her ideal day is a beach day spent with her family.  

“YTC has been a family-owned business for over forty years. It’s a warm and friendly atmosphere rather than a large corporation. It’s fun for all ages!” 

Julie is the Controller at Yonkers Tennis Center and she spends several hours a week at the club so it’s not unusual that she might consider YTC to be her second home. Many employees feel that way about their job sites, especially if their hours are long. But, for Julie, it runs deeper than that. Julie finds YTC’s community activism to be “refreshing and educational.” She takes great pride in knowing she works for a company whose heart is firmly planted in what many believe is the right place. She says that it has given her a sense of pride when

she talks to people outside of work and hears about some of the organizations YTC supports. When she is not crunching numbers for YTC, Julie enjoys gardening and spending time with her family. 

“YTC is very family-orientated and not just in the atmosphere amongst its employees and clientele but also in its recognition of a mother’s needs. To be able to work or play and know one’s child is well cared for creates an atmosphere of support. This acceptance of all, both young and old, make it a true family.”

Vito Galatioto was born in White Plains Hospital and he now resides in Yonkers, NY. Vito expressed an interest in tennis at an early age. He played regularly at the local Racquet Club on Park Hill. He was taken under the wing of two tennis pros around the age of 7 and continued to work with them until he attended high school. Vito attended Salesian High school in New Rochelle, NY. During his tenure there, he helped create and organize the high school tennis team. He was the top player on his team from sophomore to senior year. Vito attended Concordia College in Eastchester, NY from 2004-2009. Vito also played on the nationally ranked team and attended two final four NCAA tournaments. After finishing college, Vito continued to teach tennis at Concordia for 10 years.

Vito is USPTA certified and he is now one of our pros at YTC.  Vito says that his favorite part about being a Tennis pro here at YTC is being able to help new players learn how to play tennis and he loves watching them develop skills along with a passion for the sport. 

Richard was born and raised in the Dominican Republic where he was a top 10 Junior tennis player in the country. Upon coming to the United States in 1996 Richard was certified in USPTR (United States Professional Tennis Registry), he was also certified in 10 and Under and Cardio Tennis, and he was a tennis instructor at Tennisport in Long Island City and the Greenwich Field Club in Connecticut. During the fall and winter seasons, Richard works at Yonkers Tennis Center where he runs RSTennisUnlimited, the racquet and stringing shop.  Richard has been at Yonkers Tennis since 2003. 

I was born and raised in Yonkers, and come from a big family! I am one of 15 children, and have 4 children of my own. I was a stay at home mom for almost 25 years before I started working at YTC. My husband and I started playing tennis a few years ago, and we love it! I'm so happy that I have joined the YTC family, along with my daughter, Michelle!

Deanna came to YTC in 2009 for her first tennis lesson and has been hooked ever since!  She joined her first USTA team in 2010 as a 2.5 player. Since then, Deanna has captained countless teams for the Women's, Mixed and Tri-Level Leagues.  She currently plays on Mixed 8.0 teams as well as Women's and Tri Level 4.0.  She serves on the USTA Southern Council Committee as well as the USTA Eastern Adult Competition Committee. By day, Deanna is an elementary school teacher.  When she’s not in her classroom in Eastchester, NY, odds are she can probably be found on a tennis court or a beach.  She’s hoping to pursue a second career in the tennis industry when she retires from teaching.

Martin has been teaching tennis in the Westchester area for over 15 years. He brings his experience and expertise to all levels of Juniors and Adults. Martin brings his enthusiastic energy on and off the court and his approach to teaching is that it must be exhilarating, instructive and goal oriented. He says that it is very important to him that students develop correct technique, effective court positioning, problem solving, consistency and placement, all while embracing positive attitude and good sportsmanship. Martin graduated from Marist college with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Here are his other collegiate accomplishments- Captain and 1st singles player NEC Champion, NJCCA National Champion 1st, and Singles Doubles Finalist. Away from the court Martin has a passion for the arts and enjoys dance classes from Hip Hop to salsa, and has been known to bust a move on the court. He also likes to sing and has taken classes and performed cabaret in NYC. 

Sanae played tennis at Division 1 College in Japan.  After graduating from college, she played in domestic open tournaments and won several championships in doubles! Sanae taught at a university in Japan and was given the opportunity to study abroad in the United States.  She studied English at a summer school and an extension school at Harvard University, and completed her MA in Sports Science. Sanae has been playing in the USTA 5.0 league for nearly 20 years. She has been coaching tennis for almost 20 years at YTC and in the summer at Picquet Lane Pool Club and others.  

Rene was born and raised in La Romana, the third largest city in the Dominican Republic. He began playing tennis at the age of 10 when he was a ball boy and junior pro at the Casa de Campo Hotel. He graduated high school in the DR in 1989 and then came to America, where he received a scholarship to Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ. At Ramapo College Rene studied literature, tutored his fellow students in Spanish, and was a dedicated member of the division 2 tennis team there.  Rene is a USPTA  certificate and a certified cardio tennis trainer. He has been working as a Tennis Professional at Yonkers Tennis Center since 2010.  His favorite aspects of working at YTC include the company's participation in community programs, and he loves that he is given the opportunity to teach others. Rene's passions off the court are mostly literary in nature—writing, reading and books. In fact, he is working on his third book having published two books of poetry in both English and Spanish.

"I encourage fighting for what you desire and believe, and doing it through God, because nothing great comes easy and with God everything is possible."

We are pleased to welcome Coach Tobi to YTC. He heralds from Austria and is currently in his senior season at St Thomas Aquinas College.

He will be teaching on Saturdays and co-running Laver World Cup match play with Coach Antonio, as well as covering some hours in the building.

Highlights of his playing career so far:

• Majoring in Sport Management

• Honorable Mention All-MIAA

• ITA Scholar Athlete

• Was a three-time regional U16 champion

• Two-time regional championship doubles finalist

Bio coming soon!

Michael was born and raised in Ghana West Africa and played tennis at a young age at the local tennis club in Kumasi Ashanti he was number one singles player for his high school and University Michael grew up playing soccer and later on decided to commit to tennis at the age of 12, as he was among the top five ranked Junior players in his country. He also competed in a lot of junior tournaments and was a champion in the West Africa junior championship.

In 1999 Michael moved to the United States to continue his tennis career. He started playing in Boston Massachusetts and competed in New England sections the 5.5 men's tournament and in some Open tournaments. He also competed in some Futures and satellite tournaments within West Africa and United States.

A career coach of 22 years, Michael began his coaching career in Easton Massachusetts. He was also a high school coach for the Sharon high school team who was three time national champions.

​

​

Wilson Paul enjoys cultivating tennis skills in players of all ages. When you meet him, you’ll notice a quiet, reserved, and friendly personality. Wilson hails from scenic Malawi, Africa and discovered his love for tennis at an early age, competing and winning many tournaments. In 2006, he won the 16u Coca-Cola African Foundation Tournament. In 2007, he won the 16u Banja La Mtsogolo Junior Tournament. Also, in 2007, he won the 18u Coca-Cola African Foundation Tournament. In 2008, he won the 18u Banja La Mtsogolo Junior Tournament and in 2009, he won the 18u Presidential Cup.  In 2017, Wilson came to the United States and settled in Westchester, NY. He was employed by Scarsdale Golf Club as a Tennis Professional while earning his PTR Under 10 and PTR Adult Development Certifications. During this time, Wilson earned an Associates Degree in Business Management from Westchester Community College. During his personal time, Wilson enjoys playing tennis, golf, squash and reading. Wilson looks forward to sharing his passion for tennis and helping players develop fundamental skills and a lifelong love for the game.

Bio Coming Soon!

Erik Scharf is a respected professional within the Westchester tennis community.  He grew up in Yonkers, New York and has been passionately playing tennis for over 30 years.  In high school, Erik won the New York State Tennis Championship Title, 3 years in a row.  Erik also achieved a top 25 Tennis Blue Chip National Ranking in the 18 and under age-group.  He then attended St. John’s University where he played number 1 singles with an undefeated, 60-0 record throughout his entire collegiate career.  Erik was inducted into the St. John’s University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015 as the all-time winningest player in the school’s history.  During his college career, he was also the first player to win an invitation to the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Singles Tennis Tournament and achieved a top 50 NCAA Division 1 national ranking. 

Erik competed professionally on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour for close to a decade, where he attained a world ranking, and had several wins over players ranked within the world’s top 200.  Following his professional tennis career, Erik returned to school and earned a master’s degree in physical education and exercise science from Queens College.  He has trained numerous blue chip junior players while working as a high-performance tennis coach at various tennis academies. 

Robert has been working front desk at YTC for seven years. He loves the fact that at YTC there's something different every day. "When I pick up the phone I don't know what questions people are going to have for me. Its never boring, especially since I get to help people have fun." Robert likes solving problems and helping people accomplish their goals. "I like the fact that people tell me what my job is and then they allow me to have creative control over what I do."  Robert says he never look at the clock thinking "oh my god when is it time to go home." When he's not working he plays tennis. He started playing in his 30's because his wife played tennis so he learned the sport to be able to play with her.  Robert also enjoys fishing, gardening and raising 3 turtles. 

Cathy has been a dedicated member of YTC’s Front Desk Team since 2006. She was born in the Bronx, but has built strong roots in Yonkers, both as a parent and community activist devoted to improving the lives of kids. Cathy has two sons who she refers to as her two heroes. One is a member of the Yonkers Fire Department and the other is a member of the Yonkers Police Department. At YTC Cathy handles phone calls and inquiries from people who are looking to schedule tennis lessons and open court time at the center. She says “It is wonderful to know that the place where I work is doing things with the Yonkers schools, where I served as a volunteer for twenty years. I am very happy our company is able to help the kids in Yonkers.”

Kwame Mensah was born in Mount Vernon, NY and raised in the Bronx. He earned a bachelors and Master’s degree from the University at Albany and has worked in education in both the private and non-profit sectors. Kwame joined the YTC team in the fall of 2017 and has since proven himself to be both a team player and versatile member of the YTC staff. He has served the center both at the Front Desk and on court working with our Junior Tennis participants. In his off time, Kwame enjoys traveling, having visited almost 15 countries and counting. Kwame believes travel is the best way to grow as a person and connect with others.

Antonio, a native of the Dominican Republic, started playing tennis while working as a ball boy at the Casa de Campo resort in his home country. He became one of the highest ranked junior players in the Dominican Republic before beginning his coaching career in 1998.  During that time he studied at UCE in the Dominican Republic, majoring in computer engineering. He came to the United States in 2005 and 2006 to work at Offense Defense Nike Tennis Camp in Boston, Massachusetts, before joining the staff at Tennis- port in Long Island City, NY Until 2009. He then worked as a senior tennis professional at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in Randall’s island until 2017.  Recently, he worked at the Smatts Tennis Academy In Hollywood, Florida from 2017 to 2020 as one of the head tennis professional involved in the junior development program. 

Michele was born and raised in Yonkers, and grew up playing tennis at the Amackassin Club. She stopped playing for a few years, but is thrilled to get back on the courts! Michele is currently a senior at St. John’s University in Queens, where she's studying forensic psychology. She hopes to pursue a Masters in Education. Michele was introduced to YTC two years ago by her mom, Noelle, who encouraged Michele to work with her at the front desk. She's excited to be back seeing everyone enjoy playing the game they love and working with the YTC family again!

Greicy was raised in the Bronx, but has lived in Yonkers for 8 years and counting! She previously worked at Town Tennis Club in Manhattan and is excited to join the YTC team. Greicy never played tennis, but would love to learn! She graduated with a degree in marketing and is now studying nursing. Greicy is thrilled to be part of Yonkers Tennis Center family! 

Bio Coming Soon!

Efrain originally hails from Colombia. He began working at YTC in 2007 and has been a loyal and harding working employee ever since. Efrain handles club cleaning and maintenance among other YTC projects. He is also our in house tailor. A fun fact about Efrain is that he is an avid soccer fan. He is especially a huge supporter of the Columbia team. 

Bio coming soon