Paul Tornquist
Head Pro
Paul Tornquist has been Head Pro at WVTC since 2012. 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
High Performance Coach
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.
Bob Exell
Development Coach
With over 35 years of experience, Bob is now working here at the WVTC. He worked at UBC (2014-2023) after the North Shore Winter Club where he was a Tennis Pro (2007-2014). Bob fell in love with tennis in his late teens and started to play tennis and trained with some of the top players in the world, such as Grant Connell. Within a few years, Bob was ranked in the top 10 in BC for both men’s open singles and doubles. Bob has competed nationally and internationally as a senior player for many years and in 2005 was ranked No. 2 in Canada for men’s 45 singles and doubles. In 2006, Bob was the captain of the men’s 45 national team that competed at the ITF World Team Championships in Durban, South Africa. Bob is also proud to have been involved in the development of Filip Peliwo who reached the No. 1 combined junior world ranking in July 2012.
Gregg Eschelmuller
Development Coach
Gregg Eschelmuller has been teaching tennis at the WVTC since 2016. He has completed his undergraduate degree in kinesiology and health sciences, and is currently a Master of Science student at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on how the nervous system controls human movement. He is a certified Tennis Canada coach and registered Kinesiologist with the British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists. He has a passion for tennis and fitness, and has experience working with athletes of all levels.
Allan Chu
Development Coach
Allan has been Canada Certified Club Coach 1 since 1980 and has been maintaining his coaching skills with international and national coaching workshops. Allan has knack for spotting inefficiencies in stroke mechanics and can teach students how to correct them in a fun and memorable way. He is also highly analytical and can explain the different playing styles that would suit the individual’s strength leading to better performance. Allan’s goals include making group lessons fun and informative for all ages: “I want to make tennis a sport of a lifetime”. He has taught in the Metro Vancouver Schools PE program through Tennis XL Inc, NVRC summer camps, as well as through the WVRC. In addition to coaching, Allan is immersed in tennis through his club memberships, league team co-ordination and participation, and involvement in an official capacity at major events. He has a vested interest in making tennis instruction at WVTC a quality and fun learning experience for all.
Farbod Diba
Development Coach
Farbod Diba is a Tennis Canada Certified Instructor, specializing in advancing beginner and intermediate tennis players’ skills. He enjoys coaching both kids and adults, and provides innovative and simple instructions to make lessons interactive and fun. As a left-handed player himself, he enjoys sharing advantages, strategies and shortcomings of playing with or against left-handed players. He enjoys playing on various court surfaces and competing in provincial tournaments. He is a true believer in the Tennis For Life philosophy and he likes to share that passion with others.