Meet Our Tennis Pros
Pete Polkinghorn, Head Tennis Pro
Pete Polkinghorn joined the tennis staff in May of 2009 as the Center’s Head Tennis Professional.
A U.S.P.T.A. certified Tennis Professional since 1980, Pete played for Westlake High School and later played under the guidance of Fred Kniffen at TJC in Tyler.
Pete has worked with a number of state and nationally ranked players. His teaching philosophy centers on keeping things simple and fun for the students. “Simplifying the stroke mechanics for beginning- and intermediate-level players provides immediate results. This also builds a higher level of self-confidence for all players, from novices just entering the sport to those who have reached a plateau and need help moving to the next level.”
Doug Oliver, Asst. Pro
Doug first started playing pickleball in 2015. He teaches beginner and intermediate classes, runs drills for beginners, intermediates and advanced play, and runs weekly large round robins for intermediate players.
Doug is an active 4.0+ player in the Georgetown area. He relies on placement and strategy to be competitive. Doug has the skills and knowledge to help improve your game.
Zachary Gonzales, Asst. Pro 2
Coach Zach is a Georgetown native, who graduated from Georgetown High School. A member of the varsity tennis team, Zach also achieved Champ Level with USTA as a junior.
He began his teaching career as a seasonal Tennis Instructor at GTC before earning his USPTR certification 3 years ago. Zach’s approach to instruction is focused on top-spin control and balancing footwork, while adding authority to the ball when needed. Zach is also a part-time insurance agent.
Tim Craig, Pickleball Asst. Pro
Tim Craig is a Certified Pickleball Professional with the Professional Pickleball registry (PPR). Tim teaches and trains players of all ages and skill levels. Working with pickleball players to achieve their playing goals, Tim focuses on basic paddle skills, pickleball specific shots, scoring and basic strategy. For players that want to advance beyond the beginner level, Tim helps them with drills improving their strategy and tactics to compete at the intermediate and advanced level.
