OUR DIRECTOR OF TENNIS - JIM MELESKO, PTR Jim played Division I tennis for Central Connecticut State University.  After college, he taught tennis at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, FL.  There he worked with young aspiring juniors like Maria Sharapova and Tatiana Golovin.  Jim began traveling around the world conducting promotional clinics for the NBTA.  Then for two years, Jim directed satellite projects for NBTA in Berlin, Germany and Jakarta, Indonesia.  After returning to the states, he has been teaching in the greater Hartford area for the past 10 years.  He was the Head Tennis Professional at the Newington Tennis Center for 3 years.  Jim holds a PTR (professional) certification.  Jim is looking forward to teaching all ability levels and sharing his love for the game.
	Quin Howe, PTR Quin played Divison I college tennis for Central Connecticut State University. After college, he moved to Miami Florida and taught at the Nick Bollitieri Tennis Academy at Flamingo Park, as well as the North Shore Tennis Academy in North Miami Beach. While living in Florida, Quin coached nationally and internationally ranked juniors. After moving back to Connecticut in 2005, Quin has been teaching in the greater Hartford area for the Glastonbury Tennis Club. He's been a full-time pro at the club since 2007.
	Kim Francis, USPTA  Kim was a nationally ranked junior, achieving a ranking of #7 in doubles and #55 in singles. She won the Class M singles title in high school and was All State and All Conference all four years. Kim went on to play Division I tennis for Central Connecticut State University and received a full tennis scholarship. She achieved an NCAA ranking of #9 singles/#4 doubles. During her four years at Central Conn., she won the Seaboard Conference Championship in singles and doubles. During her college years, she was awarded the Elizabeth Shaw Johnson Award for sportsmanship and the Gail Rutz Award given to most outstanding female senior student athlete. She was honored as an All-American and was inducted into the CCSU Atheletic Hall of Fame in 1995. Kim has also competed in the Mother-Daughter national level with her mother Ann and acheive a national ranking of #3. Kim competes now in 5.0 mixed doubles and has been ranked #1 in New England. Currently, Kim is Head Coach of the Glastonbury High School Boys Tennis team, and Director of Tennis at the Glastonbury Hills Country Club. She has been teaching at GTC for 20 years.  She is USPTA Certified since 1984 and Certified USTA Quick Start and recreational workshop, May 2010.
Todd Custer, PTR  Todd Custer has been teaching tennis for well over 20 years in the Central CT area. He was certified by the PTR in 1996 and has taught students from ages 3 to 93 years old. Todd has been the Tennis Director for the Town of South Windsor for both their tennis lessons and their annual tennis tournaments for the last 15 years. He understands the ages and stages of children's cognitive and motor skill development, and the need for tennis lessons to be fun for very young children. Todd has taught tennis at the Manchester Community College and has coached his only two sons, Joshua, 24 and Thaddeus, 19, to victories at the 2009 and 2010 Pilot Pen Parent/Child Open Tennis Championships respectively.
CRISTINA WALTERS Cristina Walters was born and trained in her native country of Brazil. She climbed up the junior ranks before moving to the U.S. in th early '90s. She has been teaching tennis in the greater Hartford area for 18 years. Christina has woked at serveral tennis clubs in the region, training a wide range of ages and skill levels. She was the head coarch for the University of Hartford's men's and women's Division 1 tennis teams and currently coaches USTA teams. She has spent the past 17 years at the golf Club of Avon, first working as an assistant pro before taking the reins of the head pro position 7 years ago. Cristina continues to develop her teaching and playing abilities.