Chris Kretchmer
Director of Tennis
· 40 years experience as Tennis Director at Clubs, Country Clubs and Resort Hotels.
· USPTA Pro 1
· PTR Pro 1
· USTA Satellite/NorCal Open/Hawaiian Grand Prix play
· Coached USTA 4.5 & 5.0 National Champions / Finalists
· Founder Deerwood Junior Tennis Academy
· Coached 4 time USTA Senior National Champion Will Gahagn
· 30+ players to NCAA Division 1 tennis
chrisk@rollinghillsclub.com
415.897.2185 x107
Chris and his wife, Corleen, have traveled the world providing a full range of tennis services and building champions at a wide range of clubs, resorts and academies from the sands of Saudi Arabia to the tropical breezes of the South Pacific. Chris is experienced in, fascinated by and successful in all levels of athletic, human and organizational development. A lifelong competitive athlete in multiple sports ,Chris played the USTA Satellite Circuit, Hawaiian Grand Prix Circuit, Northern California Open Circuit. His current ranking is 5.0. As a tennis educator, Chris studied the game and trained under two of the world’s three most successful tennis teachers (Peter Burwash and Dennis Van Der Meer) and has been rated P1 by both the USPTA and the PTR for 25 years. A demonstrated developer of players, teams, and tennis academies Chris has successfully produced and coached over thirty NCAA Division I athletes (including his own two sons), USTA national champions in Women’s 4.5’s, and finalists in Men’s 5.0. He has also coached USTA national champions in the senior divisions from the 60 to the 85 year old age brackets including four time USTA national champion, Will Gahagen. During his travels, Chris has had an opportunity to work with players of 36 different nationalities on and off court including the kings of industry, ambassadors, and royalty.
Pauline “Kiwi” Hanson
Tennis Professional (PRO)
· USPTA Pro 1
· WTA Ranked / US Open / Australian Open
· #1 Player in New Zealand
· Fed Cup 1975-1977
· Selected ITF World Championships 2012
wikipro@comcast.net
415.897.2185 x203
Our beloved Kiwi is the heart and soul of the Tennis teaching program at RHC. Her upbeat attitude, her gentle way with people, her love of the game and teaching in a distinctly positive was shines through in every minute with her on the court. Her background speaks for itself, and she is by far the most knowledgeable and experience teaching pro we have. She is an RHC institution and a treasure.
Tricia Hulsey
Tricia Hulsey is a youth tennis instructor who has had a passion for tennis since the age of 5. Playing youth tennis through varsity high school, she understands the importance of mentors, role models and coaches on young children. She has actively competed in USTA throughout the last 30 years, captained team tennis and is known for her positive influence on and off the court.
In addition to her passion for the sport, she has spent the last 25 years professionally developing people in the private and corporate sector, supporting individuals through challenge and adversity, and empowering individual responsibility. Tricia infuses lifelong skills of emotional intelligence in all her classes and individual lessons.
*USTPA Certification in Process
Jay Potter
Jay Potter is a Certified United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Elite Pro and has been teaching tennis for over 40 years in both Marin and Sonoma Counties. Jay is a former 5.5 level player and Head Coach of the Sonoma State University Men’s Tennis Program, taking the team from its infancy in 1982 to a Top 20 Division II National Ranking. He was also the Founder and Executive Director of the Sonoma County Tennis Association, building it over 13 years into one of the largest Community Tennis Associations in the U.S.
Jay came to the Rolling Hills Club (RHC) originally in 1994 as the Director of Tennis and for 16 years helped build RHC’s Tennis Program into one of the top adult and junior programs in Marin County, culminating in RHC being awarded the USTA Organization of the Year. Jay also founded and was the Executive Director of the North Bay Junior Tennis Association, a nonprofit association for the development of local junior tennis. He also coached the San Marin High School Girl’s Tennis Team for six years, turning the program into one of the best in California and winning the MCAL Conference Championship in 2008, San Marin’s first MCAL Championship in Girl’s Tennis. The 2008 team reached the semifinals of the NCS Championships. In 2009, Jay was honored by the North Coast Section (NCS) with an Honor Coach Award.
Jay left RHC in 2010 to become the General Manager of the Belvedere Tennis Club (BTC) for eight years, helping the Club build their Membership up to capacity and also helping to build their Tennis Program to a very respectable and competitive level. Jay retired from BTC in 2018 and was awarded a Lifetime Membership at BTC for all of his work and accomplishments. In 2019 Jay was inducted into the Marin County Tennis Hall of Fame for his tireless work to promote tennis in Marin County to all ages and levels of play.
Jay recently returned to RHC’s Teaching Staff to teach part-time, doing Live Ball Clinics and Private Lessons and has also helped organize and run events, as well as playing on their USTA teams.