Stephen is a USPTA and PTR certified tennis professional with over 23 years of teaching experience. He has been hitting partner for WTA tour professional Ekaterina Afinigenova and many of the area’s top tennis players. Under Stephen’s direction, South Towns and the Village Clubs Tennis Clubs have earned the designation of "Top 50 Tennis Welcome Centers" in the country in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Mr. Sayoc was recognized by the Tennis Industry Association and the USTA as leading the charge in the growth of the sport by adding innovative and well rounded programs for new and current players of all ages and abilities.

Presently, Mr. Sayoc has returned full-time to his post as Director of Tennis at South Towns Tennis Club, as he has managed both clubs in that capacity since his appointment as Transition Director of Tennis at Village Glen in 2008. Stephen performed exceedingly well in his dual role, now his full time attention to South Towns Tennis Club will allow him to promote tennis excellence and fitness in a fun and friendly social environment while increasing the breadth and depth of programming at South Towns.

Further, Stephen has attended numerous USPTA and PTR world conferences and has been trained by Nick Bolliteri, Rick Macci and Tom Gullikson at these events. He has coached several sectional teams at the boy’s high school state championships at the Billie Jean King Nation Tennis Center and was recently recognized again by the Buffalo News as one of Western New York’s top tennis players. Stephen is an avid Beach tennis player and competes on the ITF and IFBT Pro circuit. He is the current IFBT World Cup Champion, the top ranked American player and has nine professional titles. Stephen has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from UB and Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and Education from the University of San Francisco.

South Towns Tennis Club Head Pro
Mike Manzella, USPTR

Mike Manzella has been a professional tennis instructor for ten years, certified through the USPTR. For the past four years, he has been working with Peter Burwash International (PBI), the world’s premier tennis management company. Mike’s training and experience includes tennis instruction for all abilities: novice, intermediate and advanced levels of play, as well as running social programs, clinics, and tennis charities. Through PBI, Mike has completed 450 hours of training on tennis instruction, court maintenance, service, and club/resort tennis management. During this time, Mike has also spent many hours studying teaching concepts and instruction with Peter Burwash, a USPTA Master Professional, retired touring pro, and former coach of Greg Rusedski and Serena and Venus Williams.

Mike’s most recent experience has been as the Director of Tennis at the Waldorf Astoria in Naples, FL, one of the nation’s top ten tennis resort as voted by Tennis Magazine. Mike's other more recent assignments have been at the Windstar Club on Naples Bay and The Lake George Club in Lake George, NY, as well as instructing at the Ritz- Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Georgia, the Stanglwirt Hotel in Austria, and the Little Dix Bay Resort in the Virgin Islands. At these locations Mike coached both junior’s and adult league teams, and was responsible for scheduling, promoting, and running a wide variety of programs, which included lessons, clinics, cardio tennis, interclub match play, and social events.

Prior to PBI, Mike was instructing tennis at STTC while completing his bachelor’s degree in Communications at the State University at Buffalo. After four years, Mike is thrilled to be back at South Towns working with Stephen!

email:m.manzella7@me.com