Paul Tornquist
Director of Tennis
Paul Tornquist has been Head Pro at WVTC since 2012 and Director of Tennis since 2024. Paul has over 25 years of coaching experience at various locations including the North Shore Winter Club, the Tennis Academy in Delray Beach, Florida, the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club and the Peter Burwash International Tennis Management Company. He served as Tennis Director at private clubs and resorts in Singapore, the West Indies, the British Virgin Islands, New York and Florida, the Trivandrum Tennis Club in India and the Martin Verkerk Tennis & Events in Holland. Paul has competed in the ITF Satellite Tournaments in Europe. He is also a certified yoga instructor. Most importantly, Paul has a passion and enthusiasm for the game of tennis which he shares with every player he coaches and every organization he has been involved with.
Alejandro Marin
Head Tennis Professional
Alejandro Marin started coaching in 2001 and holds multiple Tennis Canada coaching certificates. As a junior, he played competitively in Colombia, his home country and in Vancouver’s lower mainland. Early in his career he became the after-school programs director for Tennis BC before coaching at the North Vancouver Tennis Centre (formerly Grant Connell Tennis Centre). For 8 years he was the high-performance director at the North Shore Winter Club where he developed junior players and adults of all levels. A number of his students went on to compete at the national and international level, including Filip Peliwo, 2012’s World #1 Junior and a top 300 on the ATP Tour rankings. Alejandro is patient and understanding while at the same time demonstrates his enthusiasm and love for the game of tennis.
Ai Carrie
High Performance Coach
Holding a number of coaching certificates and winner of many awards, Ai brings a wealth of experience to our Club. She was raised and educated in Japan, moving to Canada in 2016. Ai enjoys coaching students of all ages. She teaches proper service, forehand and backhand techniques to give students a variety of shots and styles, and works on adjustments to improve consistency, speed and power. She is also well versed in the aspects of nutrition and exercise to assist with stamina and fitness. Tennis offers Ai enormous joy and fulfilment and she is determined to give that back through coaching. Her goal is to make learning fun, and for her love of tennis to spill over onto her students. When not on the court, she enjoys family time, cooking, traveling and winter sports.
Michele Venetz
Development Coach
Michele Venetz loves tennis and is an eternal student of the game. She has been coaching, and teaching, for over 20 years in Hawaii, New York, and BC. She has a Masters degree in English Education from Columbia University. Michele played NCAA tennis at Hawaii Pacific University, where she earned a scholarship and was awarded All-American Scholar Athlete. She played USTA league tennis, frequently making it to the playoffs with her team. She was a finalist in many tournaments before injury turned her focus to coaching. Michele was the Junior Pro for over 10 years at Sunshine Hills Tennis Club, as well as for the City of Delta. She helped develop players and started a Junior Tennis League to give kids a chance to gain match experience and build friendships. She also loves to teach adults and help them learn the game, or fine-tune their skills. Michele works hard to help others gain confidence in all aspects of the game, concentrating on mechanical, tactical, and mental strategies to improve competitive or recreational play. She loves to see people discover the same joy in the game that she has found.