Bad Dawg Management Team
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Coach Christopher Brown (Director, Owner)
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- Owned, founded and designed a 12-court & $4 million tennis facility in Frisco, Lakes Tennis Academy, where professional players and top juniors trained
- Coached professional players in the Top 100 in the world, including the world’s top-ranked junior
- Trained approximately 100 nationally ranked junior players
- Traveled to Grand Slam events (French Open, U.S. Open) with professional players
- Played #2 for Texas A & M University
- USPTA Certified at highest level (Elite)
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Coach David Gray (Denton Program Director and Owner)
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- Attended Both Baylor University and University of North Texas
- *Division collegiate head coach at University of North Texas, winning record 6 of 7 years & was named conference Coach of Year
- Tournament Director for 10 professional events, including tournaments featuring Maria Sharapova and numerous Top 100 players
- Previously Ranked # 1 in state in doubles in age division
- Tied world record for longest doubles match (over 5 days) during a charity event, playing around the clock through thunderstorms and lightning
- Coach Gray is known for his tennis racket juggling at parades and during class breaks.
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Cody Smith (Head Pro/Director of Flower Mound Jr Development)
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- USPTA certified professional, starting 15th year of coaching
- Played college tennis at Ventura College
- Third generation coach with my grandfather in the High School Texas Tennis Coach Hall of Fame, and my father winning 2 Texas State Championships in football.
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Coach Yvonne (Head Tennis Pro)
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- Yvonne has been working for Bad Dawg Tennis for more than a decade.
- Loving mother and grand mother with a very nurturing attitude when it comes to working with the juniors!
- Works with TCD Ladies’ Teams in the Flower Mound and Highland Village areas as well.
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Desjha Ellis (Player Development Coach)
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- Recieved MVP and Team captain awards in varsity tennis at Mansfield Highschool in Mansfield, Texas.
- Played two years of collegiate tennis at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.
- Has a background in early childhood education.
- Has taught beginner and jr tennis for 5+ years
- Désjha has an upbeat “can do” attitude about life and does her best to pass these qualities on to her students.
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Jill Personius (Player Development Coach)
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- Jill Personius has taught tennis for over 20 years and is certified through the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR).
- With a lifelong passion for both playing and teaching the game, she is dedicated to helping players of all ages and skill levels improve their performance, confidence, and enjoyment of tennis both on and off the court.
- Known for her competitive mindset, disciplined work ethic, and commitment to sportsmanship, Jill brings extensive experience in singles and doubles play.
- Her strengths include strategic shot selection, court awareness, match preparation, and developing consistency under pressure.
- As a coach, she focuses on building strong fundamentals while fostering a positive and encouraging learning environment that helps players reach their full potential.
- Committed to continuous growth and excellence, Jill combines technical instruction, teamwork, and a genuine love of the sport to inspire players to achieve their goals, compete with confidence, and represent the game with integrity and professionalism.