meet the pros
JAY MORGAN
Executive Director
Jay is the son of the club’s founder Steve Morgan, became the club manager in 1981 and has been the South Barrington Park District Executive Director since 2007. His playing career includes four years at Barrington High School (1968-1972) and four years at Bradley University. Jay has been a USPTA member for over 30 years. Contact Jay at jmorgan@sbpd.net
PAUL BURRUS
Tennis professional
Paul is USPTA certified and has been teaching tennis since 1974. He has held the Head Pro position at Barrington Hills Country Club, Glen Ellyn Racquet Club and was Director of Tennis at The South Barrington Club from 1980 to 2008.
He has been the Club Manager since 2008. Paul played four years of collegiate tennis at Illinois State University. Paul works with all skill levels, travel teams and leagues. Contact Paul at pburrus@sbpd.net
KURT KOPP
director of racquet sports / club manager
Kurt is excited to be back at South Barrington to see familiar faces and meet lots of new people. Kurt has been involved in the tennis industry for over 20 years and currently holds a USPTR certification in 10u, High Performance and Senior Development tennis. For the past 5 years Kurt has been the Director of Tennis at Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Dayton, Ohio. During his time at Five Seasons, Kurt established The Five Star Tennis Academy as a pathway for junior tennis players to develop to their fullest potential. Kurt also developed The Kids Club Program. This is designed for kids aged 5 – 12 to learn the basics of tennis in a six week period. Since 2015 he has had over 350 kids participate in the Kids Club. Kurt also works extensively with the GMVTA and USTA tennis teams for the club. Kurt was also the volunteer assistant coach for the University of Dayton men’s and women’s tennis teams. He was instrumental in helping Jordan Benjamin (a U of D player) become the A10 player of the year, a national ranking of #77 in the country and making it to the NCAA singles tournament. Jordan qualifying for the NCAA tournament in 2018 was the first time a University of Dayton player had qualified. Before his position at Five Seasons, Kurt served as volunteer assistant coach for the University of Illinois women’s tennis team.
In his spare time, Kurt still plays competitive tennis. In 2018, he and his partner, Matt Brothers, won the Men’s 40 Indoor National Doubles title and finished the year ranked #2 in the country for the Men’s 40’s Doubles. Kurt has two sons, Brayden and Ian Kopp. Brayden is 18 years old and will be attending Wittenberg University in the fall where he will play tennis and study sports management. Ian is 16 and will be a junior in high school. Ian currently plays baseball for Bellbrook High School and has successfully started his own business in Digital Marketing.
Kurt’s philosophy of teaching tennis is a technical approach combined with a positive attitude, FUN, and teaching how to resolve problems on court whether you play tennis competitively or just for fun. He also likes to include a good workout during a lesson. Contact Kurt at kkopp@sbpd.net
BRANDON DECHTER
DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR TENNIS
Brandon has a huge passion for both tennis and fitness. He coaches tennis and trains clients of all age groups as a Tennis Professional/Personal Trainer at SBC.
Brandon started playing tennis at age 5, taking the Junior USTA circuit seriously. He progressed to several National Level tournaments across the United States. Brandon went on to compete at the college level in singles and doubles for 4 years at UW-Whitewater while studying Biology, Chemistry, and Business.
Brandon is continuing to gain knowledge in the tennis industry and is focused on the overall development of junior tennis players to help them reach their highest potential and individual goals.
Contact Brandon at bdechter@sbpd.net
RANDY PANAGOPOULOS
tennis professional
Randy was a three time State qualifier in High School – top 16 in state in both singles and doubles. He lettered in Tennis at Northern Illinois University from 1984-1989 and played USTA professional satellite circuit summer of 1993. Randy started teaching tennis in 1990 as apprentice Pro under USTA Hall of Fame Coach Jack Sharpe at the Aurora Tennis Club, he also coached Northern Illinois Tennis Association Boy’s Junior Davis Cup Team from 1990-1992. He was ranked Number 1 in Northern Illinois Tennis Association Men’s Open in 1989, ranked Number 1 in Chicago District Men’s Open 2000, ranked Number 1 in Chicago District Men’s 35 Division 2001. Randy is USPTA certified, and senior staff pro at the South Barrington Club with 25 years of service. Contact Randy at rpanagopoulos@sbpd.net
Bill Schmidt
tennis professional
Bill has been teaching tennis since 1996 and at the South Barrington Club since 2008. He played Division I college tennis for the University of Illinois at Chicago where he also earned degrees in Kinesiology and Business Management. Bill has recently held the Chicago District and Midwest Section number one ranking in mixed doubles in the open division.
Contact Bill at bschmidt@sbpd.net
Tanya Haber
tennis professional
Tanya has been working in the tennis industry for over 20 years as a tennis professional and league coordinator. She has coached college at the NCAA Division 1 and 3 levels. Tanya played college tennis at DePaul University. She is a former elementary school teacher who has a masters in education.Tanya has taught adult and juniors at all levels. She has 2 children who both play in USTA tournaments. Contact Tanya at thaber@sbpd.net
STEPHEN BROWN
Director of Platform TEnnis
Steve Brown, a dedicated platform tennis enthusiast with a remarkable 15-year tenure at the South Barrington Club. As a seasoned player for 12 years and Assistant Paddle Coach for 8 years, Steve’s expertise and passion for the sport make him an invaluable asset to our community. With a patient and encouraging coaching style, Steve has guided players of all levels to improve their skills and find greater enjoyment in platform tennis. His positive presence creates a welcoming atmosphere both on and off the court, fostering camaraderie among players. Steve’s commitment to the growth of the platform tennis community is evident in his efforts to introduce new players to the sport and cultivate their love for platform tennis. Join Steve on the court for an enriching experience that celebrates the spirit of our platform tennis family at SBC. Contact Steve at sbrown@sbpd.net
Lisa Pearson
Tennis Professional
Lisa learned how to play tennis at South Barrington Club at the age of 4. She attended Bowling Green State University and played four years of collegiate tennis while earning her degree in Elementary Education. Shortly after college, she moved to San Diego and taught tennis/pickleball at the Rancho Bernardo Swim and Tennis Club for the past 20 years. Recently her family moved back to Barrington. Lisa enjoys spending time with her husband Ryan, daughter Bailey, son Levi, and dogs
Daisy and Luna. As a family they enjoy being active, spending days at the lake, and adventuring outdoors. Contact Lisa at lpearson@sbpd.net