The TAOU TEAM

Yhale is an Owner and Managing Partner of The TAOU and Director Of Player Development. He is the Owner of O'ahu Tennis Academy, O'ahu Sports Academy, Island Sports Academy & Kaua'i Sports Academy of the Hawaiian Islands. Has served as Director Of Tennis at world class facilities around the country.  Yhale played many ITF Pro Circuit  and USTA Pro Circuit  events as well as multiple Jr tournaments all over the world. Developed the Core Four System ™. Yhale has coached many players to the ATP and WTA Tours, NCAA Division I scholarship players, USTA national ranked Jr's, ITF nationally ranked Jr's. Yhale's pathway for developing players is his core passion. Fast tracking player development through a tailored approach guaranteed to produce results for players at every level of the game.

Yhale is a graduate of UCLA. Certified Tennis Professional with RSPA, PTR, USTA Sports Science Level II and is a USTA High Performance Elite Tennis Coach, a ITF  Certified High Performance  professional, PTR Certified Level 1 Professional and a RSPA Elite and Master Pro Candidate. 

Born and raised in South Africa, Jordan Coutinho has an extensive background in tennis and academics. Jordan achieved a notable junior career ranking reaching a best of 8th in South Africa. Jordan was selected and competed in the National Junior Master Championship. He won an ITF Singles and Doubles title in Botswana. His ITF ranking peaked at 444, and traveled extensively throughout Southern Africa and Europe on the Junior Circuit, with more training in Mallorca, Spain.

Jordan holds a Marketing and Professional Sales Degree from Weber State University, where he is currently a tennis player. Prior to Weber State, he competed at the University of South Alabama. Jordan’s coaching career began in South Africa and continued to Northeast Mississippi Tennis Academy, and the Country Club of Darien in Connecticut.

Originally from Orange County, California, Coach Chris grew up playing a variety of sports before playing high school and college tennis. He loves helping players of all ages improve and enjoy the game. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and an elementary school teaching credential from Cal State Fullerton.

With extensive coaching experience in California and Arizona, Coach Chris has worked with kids and adults of all skill levels and is passionate about fostering a lifelong love of tennis and helping players reach their potential. As an RSPA Elite Professional, Coach Chris is excited to bring his energy and expertise to the Tennis Academy of Utah. Ready to play tennis? Contact Coach Chris today to take your game to the next level.

Gaby was born and raised in Venezuela, Gaby was ranked #1 in her country, top 10 in South America, and among the top 800 in the ITF Junior Circuit. She trained at world-renowned academies, including Chris Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, as well as academies in Argentina and Texas. 

Gaby played NCAA Division I tennis at Stephen F. Austin State University, where she held the #1 position from her sophomore to senior year and directed the university’s tennis summer camps, inspiring and developing young players from all over the country.

Gaby earned a bachelor’s in International Business and a master’s in Public Administration while serving as a graduate assistant coach for SFA’s Tennis Team. Now based in Utah, she works for Layton City Parks and Recreation, combining her passion for tennis and recreation.

TAOU welcomes Sergiu to the TAOU Team. Utah State senior Sergiu Bucur has earned all-Mountain West honors in singles as a member of the team. He is from Romania and a former Pro at the esteemed John McEnroe Academy in New York for the past two years. He has a degree in Integrated Studies,

Bucur led the Aggies with seven victories at the No. 2 singles spot in dual match play. All seven of his victories were straight-set wins. Bucur recorded the match-clinching point in the victory over Weber State with a 7-5, 6-3 win at the No. 2 spot. Bucur was 8-10 overall in singles play, including 7-7 in dual-match play.

Born and raised in Riverton, Utah, Dane grew up loving sports and mainly played football. He didn’t pick up tennis until high school, but quickly developed a deep passion for the game. Dane is largely self-taught with minimal formal coaching, and his unique experience acting as his own coach while playing has given him valuable insights into player development. He used this experience as a Tennis Pro at the Cottonwood Country Club and coached players of all abilities and ages, from toddlers to beginners in their 80s to state-champion high schoolers.

During his high school career, he played Varsity Singles for his final two years, helping his team secure a #4 finish at the 6A State Championship in his senior season. Today, Dane ranks as one of Utah's top players, currently holding a position in the top 45 for singles and top 25 for doubles.

Now a junior at Utah State University, Dane is pursuing a double major in Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition. He strongly believes that achieving high performance in tennis extends far beyond the court, with a focus on holistic training and overall well-being. 

Contact the TAOU and book your lesson with Dane!

Raised in Ogden, Utah, Shannon Anderson started tennis at the age of 5 at the Ogden Athletic Club. She’s since trained at various clubs across the Wasatch Front and competed in Level 3-4 sectionals tournaments across the intermountain region. As a junior, she was ranked top 10 in Utah and top 25 in Intermountain from Girls 12s through Girls 18s (2015-2022) under the USTA ranking system. In 2017, she was the G14s Gran Prix Point Challenge winner. She played #1 Varsity singles for Farmington High School (6A) all four years of high school, under (former BYU player) Coach Kristina Maggio. 

She’s traveled for college recruiting trips across the country, but ultimately opted to stay in state to attend the University of Utah on a full ride academic scholarship. She’s currently a Junior, double majoring in biology and health policy while studying for the MCAT. 

Most recently, she’s worked as an assistant coach at the BYU summer tennis camps under Holly Hasler (BYU women’s head coach), headcoach for Utah Youth Tennis program. Contact Shannon for a world class today! 

Airyanna is a world class Fitness Professional. Ariyanna is certified by NASM, National Academy of Sports Medicine  and has a Bachelor Of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from BYU.

 Airyanna will help members take their game to the next level - both on and off the court. She specializes in a tailored approach in programs that improve strength, agility, and endurance for players of all levels. 

Contact Airyanna TODAY at The TAOU!

Clay is the epitome of world class.  Clay is a dynamic and accomplished Master Of Science in Physical Therapy from the University Of Montana. and is certified as an Athletic Training Certification (ATC) recipient. Clay is the Sr Medical Director for the Association of Tennis Professionals on the ATP Tour. Clay has worked with some of the most elite athletes in the world, including, but not limited to Tennis professionals for many years.

Clay is a member of USFSA Sports  Medicine Society and has trained Olympic athletes in the the Olympics from UT to Paris during respective Olympics. Has trained Tennis players at US Open, French Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open to name a few. A sought after lecturer around the world. Contact Clay at The TAOU for your personalized Physio session with Clay.

Founded in 2024, The TAOU, Tennis Academy Of Utah, will be the go-to tennis club for locals and visitors alike. With rich experiences of world class coaches, events, tournaments, events and full service Academy for those determined competitors. We invite you to be a part of The TOUA Experience. Our Pathways  began Nov 23, 2024 in our NEW CLUB!

Our club features state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor courts US Open courts, Fitness Trainer, Physiology and a Sport Psychologist. Our facility  will also provide  housing for Academy players from all over the world. We also offer Tennis and Pickleball lessons and clinics for all ages and skill levels. Our courts will feature the 120 x 60 US Open court construction. Expanded distance of 17 feet of distance between courts.

Tennis Academy Of Utah boasts a team of experienced and certified coaches who are dedicated to helping you improve your game. From beginners to advanced players, our Coaches will help you reach your goals. Our world class experiences are guaranteed to help you achieve exponential world class results. The TAOU Experience is unlike any other.