Our Team

Chris has built an extensive and successful coaching career that spans two countries, multiple levels of play, and numerous leadership roles, giving him a wealth of experience in nearly every aspect of the coaching world.

Before Level Up Tennis, Chris spent 2024 in the US, working with two highly distinguished tennis academies. He served as the Director of Tennis at Tucker Tennis Academy (TTA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, followed by a role as the Director of Player Development at LTP Tennis Academy in Charleston, South Carolina. TTA is one of only five USTA Regionally Training Centres in the U.S, and LTP allowed Chris to use his true passion—on-court player development.

Prior to 2024, Chris spent eight years in Auckland, collaborating with Dwayne Cleugh to grow Sparta Tennis into New Zealand’s largest tennis academy. During this time, Sparta players won 50+ age group national championships between singles and doubles. In addition to the competitive success, Sparta also ran thriving club programs at multiple locations and offered a full spectrum of coaching options for players of all levels.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be back in New Zealand, and especially to join such a fantastic club like Browns Bay Racquets,” says Chris. “My coaching journey—particularly over the past year in the U.S.—has been incredibly rewarding and eye-opening. It’s given me a renewed appreciation for everything New Zealand has to offer, both in my career and personal life. I’m genuinely excited to make BBRC my long-term home.”

Tennis has always been a passion for Ben, with first picking up a racquet at 4 years old. As a Junior player, Ben won multiple North Harbour and Auckland age group championships, leading to being ranked in the Top 15 nationally in all age groups.

Ben earned a tennis scholarship to Bluefield College in Virginia, USA. After completing his first season with an 11-0 win streak, he was awarded Freshman of the Year honours, All-Freshman First Team and All-Conference First Team for the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

At Level Up Tennis, Ben specialises in tournament-level players, advanced adult players and junior players progressing towards competitive play.

Since the age of 6, Lauren has loved tennis. While at Westlake Girls High School, Lauren was selected for the exclusive high-performance programme, Cygnet, for top athletes. Now, Lauren represents Browns Bay Racquets Club in a wide range of competitive senior teams.

At Level Up Tennis, Lauren specialises in group and private coaching of juniors.   She builds the foundation of tennis, gets to know her students, and creates a fun environment with engaging activities.

Additionally, Lauren brings her unique off-court skill set to Level Up Tennis by managing the Operations and Marketing side of the business. 

Since his childhood, Johnny has been passionate about sports. On his first visit to New Zealand, he was introduced to tennis, sparking the beginning of his journey. During school, Johnny competed in junior and senior tournament teams.

At Level Up Tennis, Johnny specialises in taking lessons fluently in English and Mandarin. His strong foundation in teaching proper techniques suits individuals requesting personalised guidance.