Nick grew up in Portland at the Irvington Club and competed collegiately at Linfield where he was a top-ranked player for the DIII Western Region. In 2009, Nick graduated with honors with a degree in Secondary Education and started teaching in the Portland Public Schools district while also teaching tennis for Portland Tennis Center. He then became a full-time Tennis Pro at West Hills in 2011 before leaving to accept the Head Pro position here at SHC. In 2015 Nick became the Director of Tennis at SHC and has continued to help grow the tennis department, while helping members achieve their personal tennis and fitness related goals. It is his love for both teaching and tennis that has fueled his career on the court while his drive and commitment to professional growth have kept him busy off court. Over the past several years Nick has served as a board member for Greater Portland Tennis Council and the Irvington Tennis Club where he serves as Vice-President and the USPTA, which awarded him their Industry Excellence Award in 2012. Nick’s passion for competition can still be seen when he plays on the SHC 5.0 USTA team and when he competes in the open tournament circuit during the summer. Travel, running with his dog Porter, hiking and time at Cannon Beach keeps Nick active when away from work. Nick is a USPTA Elite Certified Tennis Professional.
Michael Warren, Head Tennis Professional michaelw@staffordhills.com
A lifelong resident of Kansas City, Michael has over ten years of teaching experience and is a USPTA certified Elite Level tennis teaching pro. Michael was the Head Pro at Homestead Country Club in Mission, Kansas prior to coming to Stafford Hills. Michael was a four-year varsity letterman at Shawnee Mission NW High School, during which he was named All-Johnson County and Kansas City All-Metro. He went on to play tennis at Johnson County Community College and was a member of the 2007 team that garnered the regional championship and placed fourth in the NJCAA national rankings. He brings a real-life perspective to his teaching, having started his tennis career in many of the Junior Development Programs he now designs and teaches. Michael’s infectious and enthusiastic personality gives him a dynamic connection to tennis players of all ages and levels. He enjoys developing specialized drills and clinics targeted to improve skill levels while promoting an atmosphere of fun and fitness. He is especially passionate in his pursuit of introducing young and new players to tennis and advancing their skills and love for the sport.
Jon Griesser, Tennis Professional
jong@staffordhills.com
Jon comes to us straight from Hawaii, where he has been teaching tennis since 1992. He was ranked 4th in the state of Nevada for 16-and-unders and played number 2 singles at Allen Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California. Having received his formal training at the Vic Braden Tennis College, Jon has been working as a Teaching Pro at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort and the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island. Here he has worked with an International VIP clientele as one of the Resort’s much-sought-after Tennis Pros. Jon also played competitive singles in the Futures and Challenger Series as well as the Hawaii Grand Prix tournaments from 1995-2012. Jon has a gift for working with children for which he is excited to share with the membership at SHC. Since Jon’s start at Stafford Hills his greatest joy is watching his students develop and grow on and off the court. His proudest moment was helping his 2.5 students reach the national finals. He notes that the credit mostly goes to the women on that team. They were all so coachable and willing to grow as a team. A golden moment for any coach! Jon has a love of golf, hiking, photography, paddle surfing, cooking and travel. Jon is a USPTA Certified Tennis Professional.
Lisa Stoica, Tennis Professional
lisas@staffordhills.com
Lisa grew up a multisport athlete competing in Portland OR. She competed for four years at the Division I level playing for University of Portland, Portland State, and Idaho State University. She graduated in 2005 from ISU with a BA in Psychology, which translates into a dynamic method of training that goes beyond the physical technique of play, understanding the mental strength and strategy required to take the game to the next level. She began working with Parks and Recreation in 2002. Recently finished coaching her eighth season of high school tennis, she appreciated the diversity and helping young people excel. "My favorite thing about coaching is helping people add variety to their games, and watching them become better athletes."
Bjørn Budden, Tennis Professional BjornB@Staffordhills.com
Bjørn is a lifelong Oregonian who grew up in Lake Oswego. He started his teaching career more than 30 years ago, learning from many respected tennis professionals. In 1990 he studied under “The Pros Pro”, Dennis Van Der Meer on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and is a level 1 teaching professional. His teaching career began at 18 at Lake Oswego Tennis Center where he was pro for nine years. After his tenure in Lake Oswego, Bjørn took a pro- position at Multnomah Athletic Club. While at MAC for 21 years he coached high level juniors, some of whom went on to win state championships and earn college scholarships. He also coached numerous USTA league teams onto Nationals. While at MAC, Bjorn’s conditioning classes cultivated a cult-like following. His professional career has also included coaching at Waverley Country Club, Wilcox Estates, Oregon Golf Club, Charbonneau Tennis Center, Nike World Headquarters, and Oregon Elite Tennis. Bjorn loves kids and his infectious love of the s port is contagious. When he’s not on the court, he enjoys archery, the outdoors, camping, hunting, fishing, golf and playing guitar.