Key Lob
Certified Tennis and
Platform Tennis Instruction
"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery"
Mark van Doren
* Teaching is her passion. Christi has taught tennis and paddle to thousands of students from beginning to college to National level.
* is a career professional who uses the fun "game based approach" to teaching- an exciting new trend which allows students to learn by playing almost immediately. She also utilizes the revolutionary USTA "QuickStart" Junior Program.
* is certified as an Elite Professional in both platform tennis (PPTA & PPTR) and tennis (USPTA & PTR) and is a certified racket stringer (USRSA) and a Master Racquet Technician. She became a member of the APTA Live Streaming team in 2017 as a roving reporter and post match interviewer. She is currently on the Live Streaming Committee.
* was the APTA Hall of Fame Curator from 2018-2021.
* after spending most of her professional life in the Sewickley/Pittsburgh, PA area she relocated to Sonoma California in early June 2007 and took over as the Head Paddle Professional/Assistant Tennis Professional at Lagunitas Country Club in Ross in October 2007. In October of 2009 she became the Head Racquets Professional overseeing both the very active paddle and tennis programs. Under her guidance the club instituted a Mixed paddle league that is now in it's 11th year. Among other highlights during her short tenure she was instrumental in the APTA's Region 6 taking their first full men's and women's President's Cup teams to the APTA Nationals in Chicago. Region 6 continues to be well represented at National tournaments around the country.
* In November 2011 she left NorCal and moved back home to Sewickley, PA. She is currently in her 12th season as a Paddle Pro at the Sewickley Valley YMCA. In the summer she is busy coaching her own Sewickley Area Junior Tennis Team, teaching private and small group lessons, and Junior age group clinics at QV. She has also picked up where she left off with the Quaker Valley Middle School Tennis Club (Fall and Spring) and added being the Head Coach with the Quaker Valley Girls Varsity Team- who were 2012 WPIAL Champions and Quarterfinalists in the PIAA team tournament. In 2013 the Lady Quakers finished 3rd in the WPIALs and qualified for the PIAA Championships for the 9th time in 10 years. In 2014 they were quarterfinalists in the WPIAL Team tournament. In 2015 they had a record of 16-4, finished 3rd in the WPIALs and qualified for the PIAA Team tournament for the 10th time in the last 12 years. In the 2016 season the girls finished 4th in their tough section and qualified for the WPIAL Team tournament losing first round to a tough South Park squad. In 2017 the Lady Quakers finished with a 10-5 record, finished 3rd place in the AA Section 2- and were quarterfinalists in the WPIAL Team Tournament. In 2018 the squad finished with an outstanding overall record of 11-4 and 8-1 in their tough section. They were able to advance to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL tournament before falling to a tough Knoch team. 2019 was a rebuilding year after losing six starters from the previous year's team. the ladies finished 4-4 in the section and 5-7 overall. 2020 was another successful season as the Lady Quakers finished 2nd in their new division and qualified for the WPIAL Team tourney- losing first round to Burrell!
The 2021 squad finished 8-6, 3rd in a tough section and entered the WPIAL tourney as the 10th seed before knocking off the 6th seed Greensburg Central Catholic to reach the quarterfinals- before losing to the PIAA Finalists-Sewickley Academy. 2022 was another solid year for the Lady Quakers as they finished with a record of 9-3, finished 2nd in their section and qualified for the WPIAL Team Tournament yet again. They lost a close 3-2 match to Derry in the first round- but were without the services of their top two players. The 2023 Lady Quakers won their first Section title since 2012! Led by Tri-captains Junior Kirsten Close, Junior Jay Olawaiye and Senior Taylor Martin the team fiinished wth a record of 9-4 record. In fact the team dominated section play with a 6-0 match record-losing only one individual line along the way.
* Christi was also named QV Boys Varsity Assistant Coach in 2016-17 season. She helped Coach Darren Mariano and the Fighting Quakers to a section title and a quarterfinal finish in the PIAA State tournament in Hershey. 2018 Christi was named Head Coach of the Boys team which went undefeated in section play and finished 4th in WPIALs barely missing a chance to go to States again. The 2019 season was a stellar one for the Boys- section champs, 2nd in WPIALs and top Eight in the state. Unfortunately due to COVID 19 the 2020 season was cancelled! But the team was back with a mission in 2021 and it ended up being a special year. The team won their section and won the school's first WPIAL title in almost 18 years. The boys finished with a 13-1 record overall- with their only loss coming in the PIAA quarterfinals- losing 3-2 to Conrad Weiser. 2022 proved to be an even better year than 2021. The gentlemen finished 16-1- and on the way won their section and another back to back WPIAL Team title. That has only been done one other time in QV tennis and that was back in 2002-2003. And they capped off the year finishing #3 in the state- losing 3-2 in the semis to the eventual champs Masterman! In 2023 the team had to build an entire new starting line-up after losing 8 senior starters. The resilient team still managed to win their Section, qualified for the WPIAL team- and advanced to the quarters before losing. Their final record was 11-1 thanks to a really deep roster! And they only lose 1 senior. 2024 could be a really special year!
* traveled locally and nationally teaching platform tennis. She was a guest instructor at the RJ Reilly Paddle Camp in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and has been on the staff of the Wilson sponsored Performance Paddle Camps since 2002. 2017 she joined the APTA Live Streaming team that brings paddle matches and commentary to the national paddle community. She also was proud to help coach a North Park Team to the 2017 and 2018 APTA National League 4.0 Championships in Chicago- earning her two APTA Gold medals- but this time as a coach!
* was the Girls Varsity Tennis Coach at the Sewickley Academy for 2 years. The team reached the State Team Playoffs for the first time in school history in the fall of 2005 under her leadership.
* was an Assistant Racquets Professional at Allegheny Country Club teaching paddle and tennis (2004-2006) before taking over as their interim Head Pro for 6 months before moving to California.
* was the Head Racquets Professional and trained the Edgeworth Club Jr. Tennis Team for 24 years (1979-2002). The team was one of the top teams in Pittsburgh winning the West Penn Jr. Team Championships numerous times.
* was an accomplished tennis player in her own right. She had a stellar college career at Hollins University in Virginia and went on to compete regionally-one highlight was being a finalist in the 1989 & 1990 West Va. State Open Womens 35+ Doubles.
* was inducted into the Hollins University Athletic Hall of Fame- June 2004 and the Sewickley Academy Athletic Hall of Fame-October 2004. She is currently a member of the Sewickley Academy Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
* was also awarded with the first ever "WPPTA Lifetime Achievement Award" in May 2007 (West Penn Paddle Tennis Association)
* was selected as 2021 USTA Middle States High School Coach of the Year
* has won Paddle titles in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Toledo, Indianapolis, Toronto, Baltimore, Rochester and Ross, CA. She was the 2000 Canadian Open Champion and the West Penn 45+ Champion in 1998 and 2001. In 2014 she also added the West Penn 55+ Championship. She won the West Penn Women's Championships 7 years in a row and was also in the West Penn Mixed Championship 10 years in a row while winning the title 5 times. In the spring of 2002, she reached the semi-finals of the 50+ APTA National Championships, obtaining the #3 National Ranking in her age group.
* In January, 2007 Christi and her partner Chris Ford won the 50+ APTA Nationals in Scarsdale, NY to finish with a #1 National Ranking in her age group for 2007.
* Christi and her partner Chris Ford added another title to their record-
this time as silver medalists in the PA. State Pickleball Tournament 60+ 3.5 Division held at the Pittsburgh Convention Center June 2016.