MEET OUR TEAM
Bryce Cunningham, Senior Director of Racquets
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A native of Australia and a USPTA Elite Professional, Bryce Cunningham brings prestigious international experience as a player, coach, and in tennis management to The Club at La Costa and Cliff Drysdale Tennis. Bryce joined Cliff Drysdale Tennis Management in 2008 and since has worked at several world renowned tennis resorts across the county including the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in Florida. In 2013, Bryce was named USPTA Pro of the Year for the Florida panhandle and in 2016, the Omni La Costa Tennis Center was named USPTA Club of The Year for the San Diego Division under his management.
Norman Nguyen, Program Director
Norm comes to Cliff Drysdale Tennis after most recently serving as the Assistant Program Coordinator at New Rochelle Racquet Club in New York and Tennis Director at the Christmas Cove Improvement Association in South Bristol, ME. Hailing from Boston, MA, Norm brings experience in working with a wide range of students, spanning from 10-and-under to adults, as well as high-performance players. After earning a Master’s degree in Sports Management, Norm knew coaching was his passion, and he built his coaching philosophy around developing strong habits and building confidence for his students. His career began with coaching high school teams, running local summer tennis programming, and serving as the Assistant Coach for the Men's and Women's Tennis teams at Williams College and he’s thrilled to now be in California as a member of the Cliff Drysdale Tennis Team.
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Gee Gee Garvin, Pickleball Professional
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Gee Gee has over 25 years of coaching experience as a professional tennis coach, college coach, high school coach, and a private coach. After college, Gee Gee competed in a few WTA pro events, USTA National Level I tournaments winning many national titles. She represented the USA Suzanne Lenglen Team as a member, and as a Captain internationally. Gee Gee has a world title winning the ITF World Championship in doubles.
Gee Gee’s pickleball playing achievements include winning several pickleball titles and medaling at pro-level events which include the Tournament of Champions, Hawaii Open, So Cal Classic, Las Vegas Open, 2 time US Open Gold medalist, Canadian National Champion, USAP National multiple medalist. Her highest ranking has been in the top 10.
Sean Stewart, Tennis Professional
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Sean has been a member of the USPTA since 1984 and has a Pro-1 rating. He attended UC Berkeley and was a member of one of the nation’s top-ranked collegiate men’s tennis teams. Sean has a passion for tennis and enjoys teaching, whether it is fundamentals, tactics or strategy you want to work on; Sean is knowledgeable in all facets of the game.
Brian Blumenfield, Tennis Professional
Brian has been teaching at the resort since 2005. Brian attended the University of Rhode Island and played two years of division 1 tennis singles and doubles - making all rookie his freshman year. He works with adults and children and is available for lessons and clinics.
Daniel Mergener, Program Director
Brought to us by the small town of Eaton Rapids, Michigan, Daniel is a recent graduate of the 12-month PTU Program offered through Cliff Drysdale Tennis Management. Daniel played 4 years of varsity high school tennis and then coached the same team for 2 years as well. Daniel's favorite shot is his backhand and also likes to hit a tweener from time to time. Daniel loves to work with and teach players of all different ages and ability levels and whether you like high energy or high performance, Daniel does it all! If you see Daniel around, never hesitate to say hello!! Before joining the team at Omni La Costa, Daniel was most recently a teaching professional at one of our sister clubs, Omni Amelia Island Plantation in Amelia Island, Florida.
Elijah Gabriel, Tennis Professional
Elijah was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. He grew up with a passion for tennis and at the age of 16 became PTR Certified and began teaching tennis. Elijah went on to play NCAA tennis at Allegheny College for three semesters at #5 singles and #3 doubles. Elijah graduated with a bachelor’s in science in Environmental Science from Berry College where he played #2 singles, #1 doubles and #3 doubles. Elijah’s junior year of college he began his teaching career with Cliff Drysdale Tennis Management at our Rome, Georgia location before relocating across the county to Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in the spring of 2024.
David Sedlar, Tennis Professional
A native of the Czech Republic, David was ranked as high as #2 in the Czech Republic and cracked the top 40 across all of Europe as a junior player. He also won the Czech national championship in doubles. David came to the US in 2019 and played college tennis at Division II Northwood University in Michigan. He worked as a tennis professional at Wheaton Sport Center near Chicago, IL before relocating to Carlsbad!
Alessandro Cadena, Tennis Professional
A native of Ecuador, Alessandro was a former #1 player in his country for the U18 category, He has extensive competitive experience, having participated in professional and ITF tournaments.
Alessandro's passion for tennis started at age 8 as a player and at 16 he began coaching at his father's academy in Ecuador while still playing professional and junior tennis. This experience ignited his commitment to teaching the sport. Now, he focuses on helping players of all ages enhance their skills, bringing valuable on-court strategies to his coaching.
His approach emphasizes individual growth and confidence, encouraging students to reach their goals while fostering a lifelong love for tennis!
Robert Litrich, Tennis Professional
Robert joins Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA, as a seasoned USPTA Tennis Professional with over 50 years of experience in coaching, club leadership, and tennis program development. His career spans some of Southern California’s most respected tennis institutions, including Newport Beach Tennis Club and Old Ranch Tennis Club, where he served as Director of Tennis and General Manager.
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Known for his energetic approach, technical instruction, and emphasis on player development at all levels, Robert brings a legacy of excellence, having shaped countless players and managed dynamic tennis environments throughout his career. A former #1 collegiate player at Cal State Long Beach on a full scholarship, Robert's lifelong dedication to the game is rooted in high-level competition and community engagement.
His accomplishments include being named a Top Tennis Pro by the Orange County Community Tennis Association and working under tennis legend Rod Laver early in his career. As he begins his new chapter at La Costa, Robert is committed to enriching the resort’s tennis experience through expert instruction, memorable programming, and a welcoming, player-focused atmosphere.
Valentin Bertin, Tennis Professional
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Valentin was born and raised in Pontoise, France, a small suburb near Paris. His love of tennis started at age 11 when he joined Tennis Club Du Vexin-Thelle where he played in tournaments for ten years and later coached for seven years. The club was instrumental in building Valentin’s unique style of teaching adults and children. Every year he would travel to Nantes, a city near western France, with ten kids for a two week high-intensity coaching camp.
Valentin moved to America in early 2022 and joined Cliff Drysdale Management at La Costa. He enjoys the California weather and strives to be a tennis director one day. He speaks two languages and has always been passionate about sports, particularity football and tennis. Valentin is available for lessons and clinics daily.
Andrew Kim, Tennis Professional
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Andrew brings with him over a decade of experience in the tennis industry. Most recently, he served as the Head Associate Professional at the Davis Tennis Academy in Davis, CA and as the assistant varsity coach at a local high school, where he played a pivotal role in leading the team to qualify for the Northern California Tennis Championships, an achievement the school had not reached in eight years.
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In addition to his coaching background, Andrew has the distinctive experience of serving as a professional lines judge at prestigious events such as the BNP Paribas Open, the Laver Cup, and the US Open Women’s Finals.
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Andrew is passionate about working with players of all ages and skill levels. He firmly believes it is never too late to pick up a racquet or develop new abilities on the court.