Pro Bios
Ron Manilla, Director of Racquet Sports & Head Professional
Ron is a PTR certified professional with 30 years coaching and teaching experience. Ron is a board member of the “Charlottesville Tennis Patrons”, Director of the “Get Acquainted Tennis Club”, and is on Head/ Penn advisory staff. “Ron has been a major force behind the growth of tennis in the Charlottesville area”-Dennis Van der Meer (World renowned tennis coach and founder and President of the PTR). Recently Ron was awarded the "PTR Virginia Member of the Year" for 2008.
Mike O’Brien, Resident Professional
Mike is a PTR certified professional. He has been a tennis coach for 20 years. The last 10 of which have been at the Boars Head Sports Club. At the BHSC mike is currently working with six USTA ranked juniors and college players, as well as numerous adults competing in USTA tournaments and leagues.
George Elias, Resident Professional
For the past 2 and a half years he has been the Head Pro at scenic Wintergreen Resort mostly directing the adult programs and academies. Prior to Wintergreen he spent 21 years in Northern Virginia teaching all levels of juniors and adults. While working at Westwood Country Club, George spent time working with the club teams, running social events and giving private lessons. His fondest memories were coaching and traveling with the U.S.T.A. 3.5 ladies team to districts 9 out of 10 years. George moved to the area originally to work at The Four Seasons Tennis Club with Bob Pass and the nationally ranked junior program he developed.
George is married to Karen Russell Elias and has two children, Brittany and Matthew. Some of his hobbies are watching tennis and old movies, (especially westerns), going to the U.VA basketball and football games, playing with his kids, and working in the yard. Tennis has been a huge part of his life starting at the age of 5 and continuing as a career.
Robyn Russell, Resident Professional
Robyn is a PTR and USPTA certified Professional with 28 years coaching and teaching experience. Robyn was an assistant tennis professional at BHSC from 1987-1990. In Atlanta, Robyn taught at The Atlanta Country Club and coached many USTA and ALTA teams as well as teaching many private lessons. As Head Women’s Tennis Coach at Young Harris College in Georgia for 10 years, her teams qualified for Nationals 9 out of 10 years and were regional champions 5 times. Robyn received Coach of the Year 5 times. Robyn is nationally ranked in the top 50 in women’s senior tennis.
Andrew Stubbs, Resident Professional
Andrew comes to Boar’s Head on today after recently graduating from Wofford College, a member of the Division-1 Southern Conference. He played number one singles and doubles each of his four seasons at Wofford while earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance. He served as the Wofford Tennis Team Captain during his junior and senior seasons and earned four First-Team All Southern Conference singles selections. He also participated in NCAA Regional Indoors and the Polo/Ralph Lauren All-American Championships.
In addition to his playing experience, Andrew has extensive teaching experience with both juniors and adults including working at the Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort in Hilton Head, SC. He also taught the Nike Tennis Camps at the University of Wyoming and the Rod Ray Tennis Camps at Wofford College.